2011 Upper Deck Football was released late last week, with collectors getting their first look at the company’s first-to-market “Evolution” video trading cards, which are randomly inserted into various boxes.
Each of the video cards, which measure 2.5” wide x 3.5” high x 0.5” thick, includes 60 seconds’ worth of highlight reel footage featuring one of four standout players: running back Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma), quarterback Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois), wide receiver DeSean Jackson (Cal Berkeley) or linebacker Patrick Willis (Ole Miss).
“We’re excited about this release on so many levels, but certainly the release of the Evolution inserts, the industry’s first-ever video trading cards, represents a real coup for Upper Deck,” said football brand manager Brandon Miller.
Upper Deck utilized its agreement with Collegiate Licensing Company, signed in 2009, to unveil the new technology. That’s why each of the players in the set – and their video footage – is shown during his collegiate playing days. The NCAA has a large amount of virtually every Division I college game at its disposal.
“Our partnershi
p with Upper Deck has allowed us to create many opportunities in the collegiate trading card category,” said David Kirkpatrick, CLC’s Vice President of Non-Apparel Marketing. “We are excited to bring the many top collegiate brands of our partner institutions to this program.”
Autographed cards of Heisman Trophy winners Cam Newton (Auburn, 2010) and Mark Ingram (Alabama, 2009), Jake Locker (Washington), Ryan Mallet (Texas) and Blaine Gabbert (Missouri) fall at at an average rate of three per box. Rookie autograph cards come v
ia three different inserts: “Rookie Letterman Signatures,” which include hard-signed versions of varied numbering; “Star Rookies,” which falls 1:10 packs; and “Ultimate Collection Rookie Signatures,” which is the scarcest of the three autograph inserts.
Upper Deck has created a special 200-card “20th Anniversary” insert collection that features past, present and future football stars utilizing the design from Upper Deck’s original football offering in 1991. The throwback cards, which showcase former college greats like Troy Aikman (UCLA), Steve Young (BYU), Alan Page (Notre Dame), Bo Jackson (Auburn) and John Elway (Stanford), fall at an average rate of 1:2 packs.
