One month after being served with a lawsuit over its marketing materials, Leaf Trading Cards has answered claims by the Topps Company with a counterclaim. In mid-August, Topps sued Leaf in federal court, saying its smaller rival didn't have the right to use images of Topps cards or the players it has under contract. A sell sheet for Leaf's 2011 Best of Baseball includes … [Read more...]
Sports Memorabilia Company Ranks High Among All Retailers
Online sports memorabilia e-retailer, SportsMemorabilia.com , was recently named to the 2011 Internet Retailer 500 list in two categories. With projected sales of $16 million in 2011, company executives have transformed a small website, purchased in 2006, into one of the fastest growing e-retailers in the sports memorabilia market. SportsMemorabilia.com specializes in … [Read more...]
Upper Deck Asks Court to Get Blowout Off Its Back
There hasn't been a legal challenge against it so far, but Upper Deck is putting its new distribution policy in front of a federal court anyway. Last month, attorneys for the trading card manufacturer filed documents asking a southern California district court judge to declare that the policy doesn't violate anti-trust laws. Blowout Cards and its parent company, Frontline … [Read more...]
Grey Flannel Inks Deal with Ruth Foundation
Grey Flannel Auctions has entered into a multi-year marketing and promotional deal with the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation Inc. As part of the new arrangement, Grey Flannel will conduct two annual events at the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards, located adjacent to Baltimore’s Oriole Park. The first of this year’s jointly sponsored events will be an appraisal fair … [Read more...]
Do Gold Baseballs Mean End of Recession?
If plain old cowhide just won't cut it, Rawlings has announced a joint venture with New York based Gold Sport Collectibles that will bring official Major League baseballs made with 24-karat gold leather to the baseball collectors' market. Rawlings will serve an integral role in the development and marketing of the baseballs, which are being sold at $325 each. ""The … [Read more...]
eBay Bucks a Success But VIP Program Will Stop
It's not a windfall, but for active buyers of sports cards and sports memorabilia, it makes the bidding process a little less painful. The eBay Bucks program offers a 2% rebate on virtually any purchase. The funds accumulate over a three-month period upon which time they can be used on future purchases for a period of 30 days. The cap for the rebate was $500. On average, … [Read more...]
2011 Bowman Baseball Preview
Whetting collectors appetites for spring, Topps has released preliminary information and photos for its 2011 Bowman Baseball issue. The company relaunched the Bowman line launched in 1989 by featuring Ken Griffey Jr. in its marketing. This year, it's another teenager in the spotlight. Bowman is always a rookie-centered product and this year, Topps leans heavily on … [Read more...]
Ornstein Gets 8 Months for Selling Super Bowl Tix, Fake Jerseys
The former marketing agent for Reggie Bush has been sentenced to eight months in prison for selling scalped Super Bowl tickets and selling or consigning NFL jerseys he falsely claimed were worn in games. Mike Ornstein, 57, slumped as the judge in a Cleveland courtroom handed down the sentence. As Sports Collectors Daily reported last month, Ornstein was found guilty in … [Read more...]
Panini Signs Card, Autograph Deal with Pro Football Hall of Fame
Panini America has reached an exclusive, multi-year marketing and licensing agreement with the Pro Football Hall of Fame that names Panini as the Exclusive Trading Card Partner. As part of the relationship, Panini will be the presenting partner of three autograph sessions that will take place during the 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival in August. … [Read more...]
Offering Incentives Helps Boost Dealer’s National Traffic
Dealers from coast-to-coast are packing up their inventories and preparing for the 31st National Sports Collectors Convention, held for the first time ever in Baltimore. With hundreds of booths, competition for collectors' business is fierce. The card companies all produce wrapper redemption programs that encourage pack-buying. Wrappers are exchanged for … [Read more...]