Upper Deck reups with the NHL and NHLPA

[pghbuccos]

Upper Deck just announced via Twitter that they have finalized a new multi-year agreement with the NHL and NHLPA. no word yet if the deal is an exclusive or if they will be joined by another company.

http://twitter.com/UpperDeckHockey

I for one am happy that UD has renewed their deal because I think they do a great job with hockey but I would definitely like for there to be some competition.

 

[jeff550]

im happy the renewed it, just hope its not exslusive

 

[jarcar]

I agree, I like UD Hockey products but I hope it is not exclusive.

 

[pghbuccos]

well from Tricia's post it appears Panini will get a NHL and NHLPA license next season.

http://freedomcardboard.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=80003&p=1130043#p1130043

 

[thehamiltonian]

It definitely opens things up, althought probably not the way most collectors thought it would happen.

 

[Sly]

well from Tricia's post it appears Panini will get a NHL and NHLPA license next season.

http://freedomcardboard.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=80003&p=1130043#p1130043

I like it! Definitely a good move by the NHL/PA.

I just hope Panini can put out some good products...

 

[pghbuccos]

I was really hoping ITG would get the license instead of Panini.

I've never seen their basketball products. does anyone know if they do a good job with the NBA?

 

[jeff550]

I was really hoping ITG would get the license instead of Panini.

I've never seen their basketball products. does anyone know if they do a good job with the NBA?

damn if ITG got it that would be sick

 

[Sly]

I was really hoping ITG would get the license instead of Panini.

I've never seen their basketball products. does anyone know if they do a good job with the NBA?

Check Blowout, they've got some sell sheets and checklists for some upcoming basketball products. Some of them are DLP stuf (Absolute, Classic)...seriously, can you imagine an Absolute product for Hockey???

They are also putting out a Crown Royale set in Basketball, which includes the Die-Cut crown on each card...Old Pacific products would be awesome!!

If they carry some of these products over to Hockey, I think they could be pretty good.

EDIT: Also just saw they put out a "Panini Certified" product (ie. Leaf Certified)...one of my favorite baseball products!!

 

[200lbhockeyplayer]

To me, ITG is still hockey and their last year of licensed stuff was basically the best of the era in my opinion. They are and always will be a company the truly makes things for the collector first...and something I will always believe.

 

[pghbuccos]

I was really hoping ITG would get the license instead of Panini.

I've never seen their basketball products. does anyone know if they do a good job with the NBA?

Check Blowout, they've got some sell sheets and checklists for some upcoming basketball products. Some of them are DLP stuf (Absolute, Classic)...seriously, can you imagine an Absolute product for Hockey???

They are also putting out a Crown Royale set in Basketball, which includes the Die-Cut crown on each card...Old Pacific products would be awesome!!

If they carry some of these products over to Hockey, I think they could be pretty good.

EDIT: Also just saw they put out a "Panini Certified" product (ie. Leaf Certified)...one of my favorite baseball products!!

I just checked the Blowout website and saw most of the products you mentioned and if they do carry these over to hockey then I will definitely be excited about it but again I really wish ITG would've gotten a license because like Mike said they are all about the collector.

 

[Sly]

I was really hoping ITG would get the license instead of Panini.

I've never seen their basketball products. does anyone know if they do a good job with the NBA?

Check Blowout, they've got some sell sheets and checklists for some upcoming basketball products. Some of them are DLP stuf (Absolute, Classic)...seriously, can you imagine an Absolute product for Hockey???

They are also putting out a Crown Royale set in Basketball, which includes the Die-Cut crown on each card...Old Pacific products would be awesome!!

If they carry some of these products over to Hockey, I think they could be pretty good.

EDIT: Also just saw they put out a "Panini Certified" product (ie. Leaf Certified)...one of my favorite baseball products!!

I just checked the Blowout website and saw most of the products you mentioned and if they do carry these over to hockey then I will definitely be excited about it but again I really wish ITG would've gotten a license because like Mike said they are all about the collector.

Unfortunately I wasn't doing hockey in the days of ITG, so I'm not too terribly familiar with them, other than the products I've seen this year.

I am excited though to see if Panini brings back some of the old Pacific lines. I wasn't collecting in the Pacific hey-day of baseball, but that is definitely one product line I do wish I had gotten into...plus I've always been a DLP supported, so I'll gladly get behind Panini.

 

[thehamiltonian]

To me, ITG is still hockey and their last year of licensed stuff was basically the best of the era in my opinion. They are and always will be a company the truly makes things for the collector first...and something I will always believe.

Absolutely, their product is top notch.

But, part of me wonders if the NHL and NHLPA have some lingering resentment over the fact they (ITG) have been making money off players and the league without shelling out for a license since UD got the exclusive.

 

[pghbuccos]

that's a very good point that I never thought of.

 

[G $MONEY$]

Definitely happy that UD gets to continue making products and the extra competition is good as long as the NHL will limit what the two companies make. Don't really need them flooding the market with too many products, like in 03/04. I can't remember the exact numbers off hand, but the top rookies that year (like Staal, Ruutu, Horton and MAF) had something like 37 different true RCs. That was just way too much.

As far as Panini goes, i guess we will just have to wait and see how they do. I was a big Donruss fan, but i haven't been overly impressed with Panini ever since they took over. They did a fairly good job with National Treasures in Football, but i have yet to see anything from Basketball that has overly impressed me. I do agree with Sly though, that if they do it right, Absolute Memorabilia in Hockey could be really insane!!

Definitely disappointing that ITG did not get their license, but like Trish said maybe they have burnt some bridges over the last few years or perhaps the NHL thought that they were doing just fine without a license. I know ITG will continue making products anyways, so for the collector it is really, win, win, win.