Corporate Background
From the simple concept of trying to make a better baseball card, The Upper Deck
Company has revolutionized the sports trading card world, capturing the attention
of card collectors everywhere. Although the idea for The Upper Deck Company was born
many months before, The Upper Deck Company officially became a force in the trading
card industry on Dec. 23, 1988, when Major League Baseball granted this upstart company
a license to produce baseball cards.
Applying passionate attention to product detail, The Upper Deck Company raised
long-time industry standards by producing an exceptional series of upscale cards
featuring cutting-edge photography, high-resolution lithography, eye-catching formats
and the highest-quality materials.
The superb quality of an Upper Deck trading card begins with its unique high density
white card stock. This special material is perfect for the crisp, full-color photography
that characterizes both sides of each card and for creating a durable collectible.
All Upper Deck trading cards feature a one-of-a kind trademark hologram-conceptually
similar to those found on major credit cards - instantly identifying the trading
cards that have earned The Upper Deck Company a unique position in the hobby with
the integrity of its products. The Upper Deck Company also wraps its cards in tamper-resistant
foil packaging that eliminates the practice of "cherry picking." Finally,
the manufacturing process ensures the cards are randomly collated just before packaging.
More than any other attribute, sports card collectors want pictures; bold, exciting
and riveting shots of their favorite players. Photographic quality, content and variety
distinguish Upper Deck cards. Using a team of professional sports photographers,
the company selects an imaginative mix of candid and action pictures that tell the
whole story of the sport by capturing its talented players, its rich traditions and
the drama of the game. In addition to vibrant, high-quality photography, Upper Deck
limited-edition trading cards and checklists feature illustrations by noted sports
artists.
Company History
The first case of Upper Deck Baseball Cards was delivered Feb. 28,1989, to George
Moore of Tulsa's Baseball Card Store in Tulsa, Okla. The Upper Deck Company sold
out its baseball cards midway through this inaugural year, then pre-sold its entire
1990 baseball stock before the year began. That 1990 Baseball set contained another
surprise for collectors. In an industry coup, The Upper Deck Company pioneered the
practice of randomly inserting personally autographed and numbered cards of sports
superstars in its packs. In a special, limited-edition, ten-card set highlighting
Reggie Jackson's illustrious career, "Mr. October" signed and numbered
2,500 cards. Jackson, who is an avid card collector himself, also serves as an Advisor
to the President.
On March 20, 1990, The Upper Deck Company was granted licenses by the National
Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) to produce
hockey cards. Those first cards received an enthusiastic greeting by collectors.
The company also obtained licenses from the National Football League and the National
Basketball Association in 1990, making the Upper Deck Company the first trading card
company in 10 years to be licensed by all four leagues.
In 1995, the company produced its first racing product. In '96, it expanded its racing
parameters to when it absorbed Maxx.
Also in 1990, The Upper Deck Company introduced Comic Ball cards, in which Looney
Tunes characters are depicted in Major League Baseball uniforms. The following year,
baseball greats Reggie Jackson and Nolan Ryan joined the Looney Tunes All-Stars in
Comic Ball 2, and Ken Griffey Sr., Ken Griffey Jr. and Jim Abbott in Comic Ball 3.
In 1992, the action moved to the gridiron, with football greats Dan Marino, Jerry
Rice, Lawrence Taylor and Thurman Thomas taking part in Comic Ball IV.
The Upper Deck Company's involvement with sports is not limited to producing trading
cards. In 1991, The Upper Deck Company became the title sponsor of the Heroes of
Baseball Series, in which greats of the game get together for exhibition games at
every Major League stadium. As part of its sponsorship, The Upper Deck Company donates
$10,000 per game to the Baseball Assistance Team (BAT), which assists members of
the baseball family in need of financial help.
The Upper Deck Company also aided a number of charities in Iowa through its sponsorship
of the Field of Dreams. This event pitted a team of retired baseball greats against
Hollywood celebrities on the same field used in the 1988 motion picture "Field
of Dreams." All money raised went to charities in that area. Also that same
year, the company began its sponsorship of the Upper Deck Classic, a tournament bringing
together 16 of the top high-school baseball teams from across the country in a unique
round-robin tournament.
In October 1991, the company moved from its birthplace in Yorba Linda, Calif.,
to its present state-of-the-art corporate headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif., 30 miles
north of San Diego. Card design and production are performed in-house, while rigid
quality control -- from photo selection and color separation through packaging and
shipping (also performed in-house) - ensures the finest products available.
In October 1992, the Upper Deck Company moved into the growing field of autographed
sports memorabilia when it joined forces with Bruce McNall and the McNall Entertainment
Group to form Upper Deck Authenticated, Ltd. This new company offers collectors the
opportunity to purchase guaranteed authentic memorabilia through a unique process
that includes witnessing each signature and affixing a numbered hologram to every
item of memorabilia. A detailed record of each article, including the date it was
autographed, the date it was purchased and by whom, is kept on file in the company's
computer system.
Based in Carlsbad, Calif., The Upper Deck Company oversees all production, warehousing
and distribution of its cards from its state-of-the-art manufacturing and corporate
office facility. The plant is located 30 miles north of San Diego off Interstate
5 and Palomar Airport Road.
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Card Company Profiles