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I'm talking Sportflics

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BBCgalaxee

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
6,475
59
Since these cards are as popular as an expired redemption card, I won't be shocked if this is the only post.

From 1986 to 1990 (plus 1994) Sportflics was a fully licensed pack issued Baseball card product. It also was the true first premium card product.

As a kid, I remember really collecting the 1986 issue and it being pretty hot and valuable. The Canseco card was the most valuable followed by the "Big Six" cards featuring 6 of the hottest players at the time.

Despite packs only having a few cards per, the sheer amount of stars in the set made it seem like nearly every pack contained a star player as many super stars appeared on multiple cards.

Considering that neither Donruss nor Fleer could be found near me back then, theres no question this product was my favorite at the time.

The following year I still bought some packs but much less because 1987 Topps ruled everything in my neighborhood (and with me).

I don't think I bought another Sportflics pack after 1987 and they really lost popularity real quickly in the hobby, so much so that by the early 1990s, they were not even listed in Beckett.

Even today, despite being by far the rarest cards between the major companies, they hold nearly zero value except for a few.

The funny part is that despite being nearly all worthless, the 1986 Robin Yount with a Yankees logo is one of the most valuable pack issued cards of the entire decade and for a while, the 1994 Alex Rodriguez artist proof was also very very pricey.

And lastly, Barry Larkin and Rafael Palmeiro both had cards in 1986, a year before all the other companies issued one.
 

goobmcnasty

Active member
Apr 4, 2014
1,583
13
Sportflics.png

Worse than expected! :) I loved Sportflics/Sportsflix but was bummed because only Ken Griffey Sr. (not Jr.) made the cut. I would've killed for a Junior!

By 94-95 when Jr. was included, there were other, newer, shinier cards to go after.
 
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bstanwood

Well-known member
Sep 24, 2016
3,666
332
Mystic, CT
Sportflix was a great concept, I loved some of the 90s insers too, hammer team, detonators double take. Especially as a kid they were really fun to open.
 

rsmath

Active member
Nov 8, 2008
6,086
1
Since these cards are as popular as an expired redemption card, I won't be shocked if this is the only post.

I think they are a little more popular. I get questions from time to time if certain cards in my sportlots inventory have ____ or ____ so I think there is some popularity if you have a varation or error.

1986 sportflics - memories! Spent way too much coin on packs of those at Walgreens the summer they carried 1986 sportflics. I didn't see any the following year there but a decade or so ago I found out about the subsequent years and picked up h/c sets of those for the PC.

I keep thinking I want to see the return of those, but after some recent issue that had it (hometown heroes? lineage?), I think it's fine it never returned. The current technology is not there to make the quality of them better than they were in 1986. If they return, I would want much sharper, vibrant images per card and that sounds like it's hard to do.
 
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fordman

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2013
3,190
32
Ohio
I loved Sportsflics. I sold a ton of them from '86-'88. The same company that made Sportflics made Score baseball cards too. They quickly found out that collectors wouldn't pay $1.00 for 3 cards plus a little history/logo card. At the time, Sportflics didnt fit in to 9-pocket pages very well. Penny sleeves and Top loaders were in their infancy and Sportflics didnt fit in to them very well. Collectors cast them to the side as a gimmick card as the fury was around '87 Topps. The company put Sportflics to the side and focused on the Score brand because of their release in 1988.

I loved them and whenever I see a box for under $20, I buy/open it just for nostalgic reasons.

Fordman
 

mouschi

Featured Contributor, Bridging the Gap, Senior Mem
May 18, 2012
3,105
170
Here you go! This is from the original press photo from the Sporting News Archives of a picture snapped seconds from the iconic Rated Rookie picture that I have.

sporting.jpg


sn2.jpg


sn3.jpg


I used it to partially reconstruct the shoulder on my custom:

Untitled-4.jpg
 

EricTownsend88

New member
Jun 13, 2014
48
0
I loved '94 sportsflix. Hell I loved all the 3D cards of the 90s - the insert sets especially. They are on my list of nostalgia boxes to buy if the price is right, along with '94 Fun Pack, '97 Pinnacle Mint and the UD Powerdeck boxes.
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,087
I have always enjoyed them. I think after the rather boring issues that originally came out, the 1990s with borders still stand out as one of the better designs. They were somewhat harder too find in packs in my area at the time as well, so I never had a ton of them. Also aside from recognizing players from the 3d photos on front, I think cards w/o player names on front are less accepted by the masses. Lastly, the curving nature is another bother point. They look great if they are flat, but they tend to curve slightly if left alone in a box.
 

zyceoa

Active member
Sep 2, 2012
270
42
A few notes. Beckett and such doesn't acknowledge those 80s rookies as true RCs. If 1987 Donruss, Fleer, and Topps Bo Jackson cards are RCs, why not the 1987 Sportflics too? They were definitely issued in packs. Also, the 1986 Sportflics Rookies card of Barry Larkin was the only MLB card of his from that year. The 1987 Sportflics Team Preview set was an interesting concept. Each team card featured 12 players and many had many rookies as a result. Most notably Greg Maddux on the Cubs, and even Tom Glavine was on a card! A few years ago I busted a ton of mid 90s Sportflix cards. I have the 95 & 96 sets and some inserts & artist proofs. The detonator inserts are especially cool. Also, the 1997 Denny's cards featured Sportflix type technology. I love that set though it has hardly any value.
 

rsmath

Active member
Nov 8, 2008
6,086
1
D3 was all right but it was a weird set. It had an odd checklist and just didn't feel like a finished product.

Probably because there was only one series of D3 released while it was planned to have at least two. If not cancelled, the second series may have helped the product be more complete.

I found D3 a year or two ago to be a fun, cheap rip.
 

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