Filed under: Beckett Media, Donruss, MLB, NBA, NFL, Panini, Pro Sports, Topps, TriStar, Upper Deck | Tags: CLC, MLB, MLB Properties, NBA, NFL, Panini America, Players Inc, Sports licensing, Topps, Upper Deck
The trading card landscape has changed dramatically in 2009 as business decisions, legal challenges and the struggling economy have altered what collectors will find on store shelves.
Here’s a look at some of the notable events of the year so far …
January 27: The NBA selects Panini as its sole licensee of basketball cards beginning this fall.
January 27: MLB sues Donruss over unauthorized trademark use in its 2008 baseball sets.
March 13: Panini buys Donruss and forms Panini America.
March: Long-running non-sport manufacturer Inkworks ceases production.
April 15: Topps sues Upper Deck over O-Pee-Chee design use on MLB and NHL cards.
May 11: NFL announces it is canceling the NFL Experience exhibits at the 2010 Super Bowl.
July 2: Upper Deck receives license renewal from MLBPA.
August 5: MLB Properties opts for Topps as its sole trading card licensee.
August 13: Upper Deck reaches exclusive agreement with Collegiate Licensing Company to produce cards using NCAA logos.
August: NBA players sue Topps over autograph deals.
August: TRISTAR’s Minor League Baseball license expires (new licensee has not yet been announced) and later announces an unlicensed prospects product in late-October.
September: MLB, Donruss settle lawsuit over logo use.
Late October: F+W Media announces that it is canceling the 2010 Annual Hawaii Trade Show because of “economic conditions and a lack of industry support.”
Monday: Topps loses NFL Players Inc football card license.
— Chris Olds
2 Comments so far
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what goes up…..must come down !! for quite a few recent years now, card companies have gotten too greedy and are paying the dividends now.
Comment by steve archer November 10, 2009 @ 8:20 pmthe only ones that are paying are the collectors
Comment by John Zenga November 12, 2009 @ 1:20 pmprice goes up product quality and design go down
and you never get the cards you want due to short prints who’s idea was that