Upper Deck's Baseball Cards Future In Doubt

The days of Upper Deck being the premier baseball card company appear over after the company is forced to pay MLB a “substantial” sum as part of a trademark infringement lawsuit settlement. Upper Deck lost its license to use team logos and uniforms after MLB signed an exclusive deal with Topps in the fall, but it released several series of cards earlier this year that included such marks. A spokesperson “declined to elaborate or say whether the company would continue making baseball cards." Should Upper Deck exit the baseball card market altogether, it would mark the end of a remarkable two-decade period for the company. It could be argued that its debut set in ’89 -- highlighted by the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card appropriately given card No. 1 -- did more to alter the industry than anything this side of the infamous Honus Wagner card.