I miss the hobby......Don't you remember a time when we had variety in the card market? Multiple companies putting out many products. The fun feeling of going into the LCS or local retail outlet and having to make the tough decisions of what you wanted to walk out with and what you would have to leave behind....possibly for the next trip. Now, you get just a handful of options and it's all from one company for one sport. In my opinion, it's awful.
I want to have variety and options. I want to see some Upper Deck MLB, NBA and NFL cards. I want to see Topps NFL, NBA and NHL cards. I want to see Panini MLB and NHL cards. And while we are at it, give SA-GE a CLC license and give Leaf a chance at the other licenses. I would love to see a Fleer/Pacific/Classic/Press Pass return though I know there is no chance of that as all were sold/bankrupt.
As you can tell, I can't stand exclusives. It limits us and doesn't force the companies to do their best because there is no competition and they know we are forced to buy whatever they stick out there. It lessons the fun in the hobby and as a collector of multiple sports, it forces me to want to only collect one.
I know I am not the only one who feels this way. I have seen and heard the rumblings throughout the hobby but I think exclusive licensing in the hobby will be something we will always have to deal with from here on out. Why? Like most things related to sports, money does the most talking.
I could go on forever about this topic and tell you how much I miss it but I am cutting it short as I made my main points. Below, I turn the table and let you do some ranting. Hope to hear some great responses and thoughts on this topic and to see if you Miss The Hobby like this as well.
***********************************************************************************
TOPIC:
How do you feel about exclusive licenses? Do you agree with my thoughts? What would you change and like to see happen?
I hate the exclusive license because it makes the other companies that don't have the license make the crappy unlicensed stuff that has to photoshop/airbrush out logos and only list the city with a "wink wink" to say what the team is. Next thing we know they won't even be able to print the player's name on the card because of the exclusive license.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it makes the quality cheaper. I miss days of just before and a little into the "Junk Wax" years. When real cardboard was used for cards. The thinner card stock just doesn't feel like cards anymore. Its like modern comic books with adds every other page. Or sports illustrated with 20 pages of ads before the dang table of contents page.
Unfortunately the trading card hobby, like Hollywood and the entertainment "business", is no longer about The "Hobby" or the sports it is all about the Benjamin$ as Hollywood is no longer about the "Entertainment". Or music about the Sound. Everything now is just about making a buck.
Very well said!
DeleteNot a huge fan of exclusives either. However I wish that companies were limited to 2 or 3 products a year for that particular sport. I was one of those guys who had to have everything back in the day... and it drove me nuts (and to the poorhouse) buying packs of all the different products out there.
ReplyDelete