2011 LEAF LEGENDS OF SPORT TRADING CARDS

[allstars]

Guess Brian was reading when we were all spit-balling suggestions a few months back. Perhaps an olympic or ***** league themed release is next.

While I love multi-sport releases, I'll be sitting on my hands for this one.

Unfortunately, Topps just got the Olympic license, while the cards look nice, I'm sure it will be all jacked up by the time it hits shelves.

Are there previews of the Topps Olympic cards anywhere? I'd love to see them.

 

[Leaf]

Brian do you feel like Topps looks at Leaf as a serious competitor? I find it hard to believe that they do. They have a 90%+ share of the baseball card market and the only MLB license.

I am not allowed to comment on certain things which make it very clear they find me a competitor/nusiance/troublemaker.

I raise the bar for them. While I dont affect their sales significantly, I raise the expectations YOU GUYS have of Topps which makes us VERY concerning for them.

In addition, they recently resigned Babe Ruth to an exclusive deal... They may not know it, but I played a MAJOR role in them having to open the wallet.....

The fact is that what we are doing and our understanding of what collectors want, Topps should be concerned....

What would happen if Panini bought Leaf tomorrow? With their money and our vision, Topps would/should/better be very concious of our potential........

BG

p.s.- I am not saying that any particular company has made Leaf a formal offer.....

Why would Panini ever buy Leaf for other than the brand name itself? What else does Leaf have that Panini could possibly Benefit from? Just because Topps brings suit vs Leaf doesn't mean they view Leaf as a viable source of competition (they don't), it simply means that their attorneys see rights of the company they represent violated enough to warrant legal action. Really Brian, how long do you think the tiny niche of collectors are going to be fooled into buying the grab-bag products you've been putting out? You have made a few nice looking products lately, but when it comes down to it you have yet to make a single technological development to what we know as a trading card. You' e done nothing but knockoff what the innovators before you have done. No innovations whatsoever. And now you're giving your fans a shot at pulling an Adolf ****** autograph. Bravo Brian.

I appreciate your feedback however I disagree.

Here are just a few changes weve contributed in a short time:

1> we have been able to recreate one of the most popular "technologies" of the last 25 years. Valaint is a technological achievement, seeing as even Scott Prusha at Panini was quoted as saying it was "impossible" to make Crusade style cards anymore....

2> Leaf has taken inscriptions to the next level. No product in trading card history has taken inscriptions to the level that Pete Rose and Lombardi have/will. I can assure you we are working on a couple of inscription based items now that will "change the game".

3> Leaf in 2011 took Football Draft products into a new level of quality. Premium draft items had never been tested in football. 2011 Metal anhd Ultimate did that with success.

4> Leaf has consistently surprised the market by signing names to autograph deals that make collectors (and Leaf's competitors) marvel. Whether its bringing Ichiro or Piazza back to autographs after a 6 year hiatus or BRITNEY SPEARS AND HARRISON FORD in Pop Century, LEAF pays what it takes to get the best names and spares no expense to bring its customers elusive signatures.

5> Ultimate Football from 2011 featured 120 point diecut cards.... Even if you are not a fan of diecuts, no company had successfully executed this difficult task prior to this release.

6> METAL!!!!!! What Leaf is doing with Metal currently, heavy etching and unusual designs for Metal products, is a very out of the box way of enhancing a popular technology.

7> I feel that finding a creative way to deliver both value and an enjoyable pack opening experience is an innovation! If its not, why has no one else delivered the excitement provided by many of the unusually constructed products (i.e.- Rookie Retro, Best of Baseball, Etc)...

With all this being said, you do not have to love everything we do at Leaf. We try lots of different things and they will not be for everyone. HOWEVER, to say we bring no innovation at all is tantamount to saying the 3D television is not an innovation because someone else made TV's before them. Or, that Netflix is NOT an innovation because they took movies that were already out and delivered them differently...

I agree we have lots of work to do in our quest to be more than we are today. But, I think we have made VERY fair progress in only 18 months at Leaf.
Brian

 

[Leaf]

Brian do you feel like Topps looks at Leaf as a serious competitor? I find it hard to believe that they do. They have a 90%+ share of the baseball card market and the only MLB license.

I am not allowed to comment on certain things which make it very clear they find me a competitor/nusiance/troublemaker.

I raise the bar for them. While I dont affect their sales significantly, I raise the expectations YOU GUYS have of Topps which makes us VERY concerning for them.

In addition, they recently resigned Babe Ruth to an exclusive deal... They may not know it, but I played a MAJOR role in them having to open the wallet.....

The fact is that what we are doing and our understanding of what collectors want, Topps should be concerned....

What would happen if Panini bought Leaf tomorrow? With their money and our vision, Topps would/should/better be very concious of our potential........

BG

p.s.- I am not saying that any particular company has made Leaf a formal offer.....

Why would Panini ever buy Leaf for other than the brand name itself? What else does Leaf have that Panini could possibly Benefit from? Just because Topps brings suit vs Leaf doesn't mean they view Leaf as a viable source of competition (they don't), it simply means that their attorneys see rights of the company they represent violated enough to warrant legal action. Really Brian, how long do you think the tiny niche of collectors are going to be fooled into buying the grab-bag products you've been putting out? You have made a few nice looking products lately, but when it comes down to it you have yet to make a single technological development to what we know as a trading card. You' e done nothing but knockoff what the innovators before you have done. No innovations whatsoever. And now you're giving your fans a shot at pulling an Adolf ****** autograph. Bravo Brian.

As a side note, a company who identified that we make compelling products and have a better understanding of the business than they currently show might see great value in Leaf. Frankly, Leaf was more profitable than either UD or Panini in 2011 (and 2010 for that matter).
That has to be worth something.... BG

 

[Leaf]

Guess Brian was reading when we were all spit-balling suggestions a few months back. Perhaps an olympic or ***** league themed release is next.

While I love multi-sport releases, I'll be sitting on my hands for this one.

Unfortunately, Topps just got the Olympic license, while the cards look nice, I'm sure it will be all jacked up by the time it hits shelves.

I am excited to collect this myself.
The key will be which athletes they sign to deals....
They do NOT get image rights with the license (I dont believe), so they will have to contract each personality individually...
BG

P.s.- nothing keeps other companies form signing all the same names calling the product "The Games" and using REAL photographs instead of artwork...

 

[Ty Hope]

Did anyone ever claim the Pete Rose grand prize? Just curious.

(and I know you dig the signature! )

 

[Leaf]

Did anyone ever claim the Pete Rose grand prize? Just curious.

(and I know you dig the signature! )

I do dig your signature!!!!!!

Not yet, Pete is ready for the batting lesson and I am ready to fly out to Vegas too to take the winner to dinner after Peter Rose gives advice only the hit king can!!!!!!!
BG

 

[daveyou]

Dual Signatures - featuring dual signed cards of sports greats (including the first Ichiro / Pete Rose dual auto)


oh ho~ :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

id like to take credit for this idea

dave

 

[matchpenalty]

Cool you got some tough signers in this stuff. Any luck yet on Barkley?

 

[Leaf]

Dual Signatures - featuring dual signed cards of sports greats (including the first Ichiro / Pete Rose dual auto)


oh ho~ :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

id like to take credit for this idea

dave

QFT... good idea... see, we DO listen.... Thank you.. BG

 

[Leaf]

Cool you got some tough signers in this stuff. Any luck yet on Barkley?

Sir Charles is my white whale... BG

 

[daveyou]

Dual Signatures - featuring dual signed cards of sports greats (including the first Ichiro / Pete Rose dual auto)


oh ho~ :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

id like to take credit for this idea

dave

QFT... good idea... see, we DO listen.... Thank you.. BG

:grouphug:

if you can do one more solid by doing a dual cobb/rose or ichiro/cobb as well as triple cobb/rose/ichiro, I'll be winning that auction no matter what!!!!!

dave

 

[All In Cards]

dave how many spots/boxes?

 

[allstars]

Brian do you feel like Topps looks at Leaf as a serious competitor? I find it hard to believe that they do. They have a 90%+ share of the baseball card market and the only MLB license.

I am not allowed to comment on certain things which make it very clear they find me a competitor/nusiance/troublemaker.

I raise the bar for them. While I dont affect their sales significantly, I raise the expectations YOU GUYS have of Topps which makes us VERY concerning for them.

In addition, they recently resigned Babe Ruth to an exclusive deal... They may not know it, but I played a MAJOR role in them having to open the wallet.....

The fact is that what we are doing and our understanding of what collectors want, Topps should be concerned....

What would happen if Panini bought Leaf tomorrow? With their money and our vision, Topps would/should/better be very concious of our potential........

BG

p.s.- I am not saying that any particular company has made Leaf a formal offer.....

Why would Panini ever buy Leaf for other than the brand name itself? What else does Leaf have that Panini could possibly Benefit from? Just because Topps brings suit vs Leaf doesn't mean they view Leaf as a viable source of competition (they don't), it simply means that their attorneys see rights of the company they represent violated enough to warrant legal action. Really Brian, how long do you think the tiny niche of collectors are going to be fooled into buying the grab-bag products you've been putting out? You have made a few nice looking products lately, but when it comes down to it you have yet to make a single technological development to what we know as a trading card. You' e done nothing but knockoff what the innovators before you have done. No innovations whatsoever. And now you're giving your fans a shot at pulling an Adolf ****** autograph. Bravo Brian.

I appreciate your feedback however I disagree.

Here are just a few changes weve contributed in a short time:

1> we have been able to recreate one of the most popular "technologies" of the last 25 years. Valaint is a technological achievement, seeing as even Scott Prusha at Panini was quoted as saying it was "impossible" to make Crusade style cards anymore....

2> Leaf has taken inscriptions to the next level. No product in trading card history has taken inscriptions to the level that Pete Rose and Lombardi have/will. I can assure you we are working on a couple of inscription based items now that will "change the game".

3> Leaf in 2011 took Football Draft products into a new level of quality. Premium draft items had never been tested in football. 2011 Metal anhd Ultimate did that with success.

4> Leaf has consistently surprised the market by signing names to autograph deals that make collectors (and Leaf's competitors) marvel. Whether its bringing Ichiro or Piazza back to autographs after a 6 year hiatus or BRITNEY SPEARS AND HARRISON FORD in Pop Century, LEAF pays what it takes to get the best names and spares no expense to bring its customers elusive signatures.

5> Ultimate Football from 2011 featured 120 point diecut cards.... Even if you are not a fan of diecuts, no company had successfully executed this difficult task prior to this release.

6> METAL!!!!!! What Leaf is doing with Metal currently, heavy etching and unusual designs for Metal products, is a very out of the box way of enhancing a popular technology.

7> I feel that finding a creative way to deliver both value and an enjoyable pack opening experience is an innovation! If its not, why has no one else delivered the excitement provided by many of the unusually constructed products (i.e.- Rookie Retro, Best of Baseball, Etc)...

With all this being said, you do not have to love everything we do at Leaf. We try lots of different things and they will not be for everyone. HOWEVER, to say we bring no innovation at all is tantamount to saying the 3D television is not an innovation because someone else made TV's before them. Or, that Netflix is NOT an innovation because they took movies that were already out and delivered them differently...

I agree we have lots of work to do in our quest to be more than we are today. But, I think we have made VERY fair progress in only 18 months at Leaf.
Brian

Metal, Ultimate, Diecut, Draft, Crusade, Inscription, Retro - why do all these terms sound familiar? You think it's an innovation that you made a thicker diecut? Really? Why does a diecut have to be thick? You can hardly think of a brandname for your products that hasnt been used before. As for Scott at Panini, far from surprised that he thinks something that was done over a decade ago can't be done today. I've seen nothing innovative from his company tech wise either. I'm talking innovation here, not imitation. There is a difference. You've brought nothing to the table that is radically new. So you pay big bucks to get people to sign your cards. Would you be able to do that and pay professional sports leagues for licenses? It really is a scratch there, isn't it?

And ******? That blows what little credibility you had with me. But that's a whole other issue that you prefer to duck, especially after promising that you'd never include his auto in one of your products.

 

[daveyou]

dave how many spots/boxes?

right now? probably 12!!! :lol: ::facepalm::

dave

 

[ChasHawk]

Cool you got some tough signers in this stuff. Any luck yet on Barkley?

Sir Charles is my white whale... BG

Why is it so hard to get people to sign?

 

[Leaf]

Brian do you feel like Topps looks at Leaf as a serious competitor? I find it hard to believe that they do. They have a 90%+ share of the baseball card market and the only MLB license.

I am not allowed to comment on certain things which make it very clear they find me a competitor/nusiance/troublemaker.

I raise the bar for them. While I dont affect their sales significantly, I raise the expectations YOU GUYS have of Topps which makes us VERY concerning for them.

In addition, they recently resigned Babe Ruth to an exclusive deal... They may not know it, but I played a MAJOR role in them having to open the wallet.....

The fact is that what we are doing and our understanding of what collectors want, Topps should be concerned....

What would happen if Panini bought Leaf tomorrow? With their money and our vision, Topps would/should/better be very concious of our potential........

BG

p.s.- I am not saying that any particular company has made Leaf a formal offer.....

Why would Panini ever buy Leaf for other than the brand name itself? What else does Leaf have that Panini could possibly Benefit from? Just because Topps brings suit vs Leaf doesn't mean they view Leaf as a viable source of competition (they don't), it simply means that their attorneys see rights of the company they represent violated enough to warrant legal action. Really Brian, how long do you think the tiny niche of collectors are going to be fooled into buying the grab-bag products you've been putting out? You have made a few nice looking products lately, but when it comes down to it you have yet to make a single technological development to what we know as a trading card. You' e done nothing but knockoff what the innovators before you have done. No innovations whatsoever. And now you're giving your fans a shot at pulling an Adolf ****** autograph. Bravo Brian.

I appreciate your feedback however I disagree.

Here are just a few changes weve contributed in a short time:

1> we have been able to recreate one of the most popular "technologies" of the last 25 years. Valaint is a technological achievement, seeing as even Scott Prusha at Panini was quoted as saying it was "impossible" to make Crusade style cards anymore....

2> Leaf has taken inscriptions to the next level. No product in trading card history has taken inscriptions to the level that Pete Rose and Lombardi have/will. I can assure you we are working on a couple of inscription based items now that will "change the game".

3> Leaf in 2011 took Football Draft products into a new level of quality. Premium draft items had never been tested in football. 2011 Metal anhd Ultimate did that with success.

4> Leaf has consistently surprised the market by signing names to autograph deals that make collectors (and Leaf's competitors) marvel. Whether its bringing Ichiro or Piazza back to autographs after a 6 year hiatus or BRITNEY SPEARS AND HARRISON FORD in Pop Century, LEAF pays what it takes to get the best names and spares no expense to bring its customers elusive signatures.

5> Ultimate Football from 2011 featured 120 point diecut cards.... Even if you are not a fan of diecuts, no company had successfully executed this difficult task prior to this release.

6> METAL!!!!!! What Leaf is doing with Metal currently, heavy etching and unusual designs for Metal products, is a very out of the box way of enhancing a popular technology.

7> I feel that finding a creative way to deliver both value and an enjoyable pack opening experience is an innovation! If its not, why has no one else delivered the excitement provided by many of the unusually constructed products (i.e.- Rookie Retro, Best of Baseball, Etc)...

With all this being said, you do not have to love everything we do at Leaf. We try lots of different things and they will not be for everyone. HOWEVER, to say we bring no innovation at all is tantamount to saying the 3D television is not an innovation because someone else made TV's before them. Or, that Netflix is NOT an innovation because they took movies that were already out and delivered them differently...

I agree we have lots of work to do in our quest to be more than we are today. But, I think we have made VERY fair progress in only 18 months at Leaf.
Brian

Metal, Ultimate, Diecut, Draft, Crusade, Inscription, Retro - why do all these terms sound familiar? You think it's an innovation that you made a thicker diecut? Really? Why does a diecut have to be thick? You can hardly think of a brandname for your products that hasnt been used before. As for Scott at Panini, far from surprised that he thinks something that was done over a decade ago can't be done today. I've seen nothing innovative from his company tech wise either. I'm talking innovation here, not imitation. There is a difference. You've brought nothing to the table that is radically new. So you pay big bucks to get people to sign your cards. Would you be able to do that and pay professional sports leagues for licenses? It really is a scratch there, isn't it?

And ******? That blows what little credibility you had with me. But that's a whole other issue that you prefer to duck, especially after promising that you'd never include his auto in one of your products.

I am sorry we cannot make products that please you.
Fortunately, there are many other things you can collect besides trading cards.
Since you only want complete 1000% original innovation with no derivative to work from, you obviously cannot collect cards anymore.
The hobby has not had 100% complete innovation in decades!

For those that can accept improving on what is being done, there is LEAF.
BG

P.s.- We are NOT making a cut of ****** independently, but rather with FDR... we think that emphasizes the historical significance over individual celebration....
We make what our customers ask for... Do you quit watching a network because they air a single show that isnt your "cup of tea" or doesnt meet your "moral standard"?
I prefer to let people make their own choices......

 

[Leaf]

Cool you got some tough signers in this stuff. Any luck yet on Barkley?

Sir Charles is my white whale... BG

Why is it so hard to get people to sign?

The money is not big enough OR the player doesnt want to mess with it...

All I can do is throw money at it and work to build relationships with the personalities... Once Ive done that, its in their court... BG

 

[ChasHawk]

Cool you got some tough signers in this stuff. Any luck yet on Barkley?

Sir Charles is my white whale... BG

Why is it so hard to get people to sign?

The money is not big enough OR the player doesnt want to mess with it...

All I can do is throw money at it and work to build relationships with the personalities... Once Ive done that, its in their court... BG

I just don't get that.

Your fans make you who you are.
Your fans want autographs.
Sign the damn autographs.

 

[Leaf]

Cool you got some tough signers in this stuff. Any luck yet on Barkley?

Sir Charles is my white whale... BG

Why is it so hard to get people to sign?

The money is not big enough OR the player doesnt want to mess with it...

All I can do is throw money at it and work to build relationships with the personalities... Once Ive done that, its in their court... BG

I just don't get that.

Your fans make you who you are.
Your fans want autographs.
Sign the damn autographs.

I agree... if you knew the deals we were turned down on, youd be shocked!
BG

 

[tikitomoka]

I just don't get the fascination with leaf. Mediocre "high end" product after mediocre "high end" product with the same BS from Brian each time. I'd venture to guess that this will be labeled as leaf hating, since anything said against leaf is, but it is just something I've truly never understood. None of these products are particularly eye-appealing, nor are they particularly "innovative", regardless of the sweet talking done to mask it. I'd be curious to see what leaf could do if they were to just back off from the FCB-fueled publicity for awhile and just let the products do the talking. But, I don't think that would end well for the leaf entity.