Upper Deck has agreed to a long-term license extension with the NHL Alumni Association.
The deal maintains the partnership that allows Upper Deck to be the exclusive licensed producer of physical trading cards for the NHLAA, which includes over 1,000 former players.
“The NHL Alumni Association has proven to be an important catalyst in our business, differentiating our product portfolio to include trading cards and autographs from some of the greatest players to ever play the game of hockey,” remarked Jason Masherah, President of Upper Deck.
The NHL Alumni Association is based in Ontario. In June 2017, it launched a group licensing program which enables the NHLAA to use the collective personality rights of members in the marketplace for the benefit of NHLAA programs. Among those who have signed on are Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Ray Bourque, Patrick Roy, Steve Yzerman, Jean Beliveau, Mats Sundin, Teemu Selanne, Johnny Bower and nearing 100 other Hall of Famers.
Upper Deck is one of a sizeable number of businesses with whom the NHLAA does business.
Beyond the Group Licensing Program, the NHLAA utilizes other key initiatives to support NHL Alumni members, including, player appearances, pro-am tournaments, career transition program, annual stick auction, and much more.
“The NHL Alumni Association is excited to continue ‘Honoring the Past’ alongside our long-standing partners at Upper Deck,” stated Glenn Healy, Executive Director of the NHL Alumni Association. “Upper Deck trading cards have always played an integral part in preserving the legacy of hockey. This announcement ensures that fans and collectors of all ages can celebrate the iconic NHL Alumni, who built the game we all love. We look forward to working with Upper Deck to keep bringing fans one step closer to the history of our game.”
Upper Deck says digital cards will also be part of the assortment of licensed products offered in the future. They’ll be sold through Evolution, Upper Deck’s digital collectibles platform.
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