He won’t be eligible for the NHL Draft until 2020 but Alexis Lafrenière now has an endorsement and autograph contract with Upper Deck. Believed to have the skill to become the league’s next young superstar, Lafrenière signed a multi-year agreement with Upper Deck, giving the company exclusive rights to his autographs. At 17, he's the youngest athlete Upper Deck … [Read more...]
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Upper Deck Grandeur Hockey Coin Collection Launches
Upper Deck is launching a set of legal tender hockey player coins this week, the first collector coins to be distributed in pack form. The company was scheduled to unveil the Grandeur Hockey Coin Collection at a special event inside the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Tuesday night. The first series of limited-edition coins are minted in one of four … [Read more...]
Upper Deck Partners with COMC on ePack Program
Upper Deck has unveiled a new revenue-producing online pack buying platform that aims to marry digital cards with physical ones and they’ve brought COMC into the process. ePack and COMC The new e-Pack website allows users to instantly purchase and open digital “packs” online. While some of the digital cards are just that—pixels on an electronic screen that can be … [Read more...]
Upper Deck President Jason Masherah Settles In
The Upper Deck Company became famous for its groundbreaking 1989 baseball card set featuring Ken Griffey Jr.'s rookie card but as the southern California-based collectible company celebrates its 25th anniversary, there is no Upper Deck baseball brand. Not yet anyway. Since losing its MLB license, Upper Deck has been content to focus its sports efforts on the NHL … [Read more...]
Welling Joins Panini
Panini America has hired collectibles industry veteran Martin Welling as its new Vice President of Operations. Welling spent the previous 18 years at The Upper Deck Company, most recently as that company’s Senior Vice President of Creative Services. At Panini America, Welling will oversee the product development, production and creative departments for the company and will … [Read more...]
Upper Deck vs Abdul-Jabbar Set for December 12
There has been no settlement in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's lawsuit against the Upper Deck Company over the use of the Hall of Famer's photo on its 2010 Greats of the Game trading card set. A trial date of December 12 has been set. Abdul-Jabbar claims Upper Deck didn't have permission to use his name or likeness in the set and says he's had to turn down autograph requests from … [Read more...]
Upper Deck Company Lays Off Five
The loss of its major trading card licenses has forced Upper Deck through several rounds of layoffs over the last three years. A few more workers were let go last month including public relations manager Terry Melia. "On Friday, July 22, I was laid off from the Upper Deck Company," Melia wrote in an email. "After 14 years of dedicated service, my number finally came up. I … [Read more...]
2009-10 OPC Hockey Boxed Update Set Released
As the hotly contested action in this year’s NHL playoffs continues to light up arenas across North America, the Upper Deck Company has just released its latest NHL-licensed trading card set: 2009-10 O-Pee-Chee Update. This 200-card update box set features the latest cards of rookies who debuted in October, including No. 1 pick John Tavares (Islanders), Matt Duchene … [Read more...]
Upper Deck Founder in Tea Party Dispute
Bill Hemrick, who made millions launching the Upper Deck Company in the late 1980s, is suing the National Tea Party movement's leader for backing out of a partnership deal and spreading defamatory comments about him. Hemrick, who now lives in the Nashville, Tennessee area, is a Tea Party backer. His suit claims he loaned money to the organization's founder, Judson … [Read more...]
PSA/DNA Authenticates 7500 Autographs for Upper Deck
PSA/DNA Authentication Services recently certified the more than 7,500 signatures offered in the Upper Deck Company’s latest trading card release, Prominent Cuts. The partnership also includes random pack inserts for free grading and authentication through the California-based third party authenticator. To accommodate collectors and recognize the large scale of the … [Read more...]
