Upper Deck Becomes Exclusive Card Provider For CLC Schools

Upper Deck will become the exclusive producer of trading cards for the 200-plus university clients of the Collegiate Licensing Co. based on a multi-year deal between CLC and Upper Deck that is expected to be announced today. The new deal goes into effect April 1. Collegiate trading cards featuring former student-athletes in their college uniforms will become an increased focus for Upper Deck, which has sporadically produced them in the past as prospect cards or draft cards. In addition to using the former college athletes, Upper Deck will produce cards that feature mascots, stadiums and school traditions. "We believe that there are many opportunities in the collegiate trading-card category that have not been fully realized," said CLC VP/Non-Apparel Marketing David Kirkpatrick. Upper Deck intends to expand beyond football and basketball to include sports such as hockey, baseball, lacrosse, swimming, and women's basketball, while also expanding its sales distribution into new collegiate markets such as bookstores and concession stands. "We plan to put the marketing resources in place to support both our trading card program and the college sports market overall," said Upper Deck Founder & CEO Richard McWilliam (Michael Smith, SportsBusiness Journal).

MONOPOLY BAD FOR THE BUSINESS? SLATE's Dave Jamieson noted MLB in recent years has scaled back "on the number of producers" of baseball cards, culminating with Topps last week becoming the league's exclusive trading card manufacturer. But the "problem with the business isn't that there have been too many card producers," it is that there have been "too many sets -- and too many high-priced ones at that." The card makers, including Topps, "have not acted judiciously with their production rights." Jamieson: "In the long run, I fear that giving Topps a monopoly on baseball cards might hurt the hobby more than it helps. ... I have a hard time believing Topps' latest card monopoly will be a blessing for baseball or the card business" (SLATE.com, 8/11).