[rjcj2017]

So I just saw the announcement about Simmons signing with Upper Deck.

I wish these agents and players would consult with an actual dealer or collector before they sign with an unlicensed company.

So this means there will be no Simmons autos in his 76ers uniform, and every Upper Deck card for the next 10 years will feature a picture of him when he was 18 years old in his LSU uniform.

It's bad enough there were never any LeBron autos in his Heat uniform, but now this.

This will basically kill this year's card sales for Panini, because this was a pretty weak draft to begin with.

Man, I hate exclusives. Oh well, this will save me a lot of money this year, as his Sixers autos were the only ones I was going to chase out of the class.

[vgqv]

I doubt the agents and/or players could care about having autograph cards that are NBA licensed. What do they care about? Money. I'm sure Simmons' people got their share and they made sure Simmons got his.

In the end, exclusive deals really suck. It's asinine that if you go buy a box of NBA basketball cards today that you have zero chance of pulling a LeBron James autograph card or Michael Jordan autograph card.

Upper Deck really screwed Panini but also us collectors too. I'm actually hoping that this brings UD and Panini together like how Leaf and UD cut a deal to have Damian Lillard sign for Panini. Maybe, just maybe UD and Panini can cut a deal with Simmons and parlay that into something else special that I don't even want to whisper for fear of jinxing it, lol.

[rjcj2017]

I doubt the agents and/or players could care about having autograph cards that are NBA licensed. What do they care about? Money. I'm sure Simmons' people got their share and they made sure Simmons got his.

In the end, exclusive deals really suck. It's asinine that if you go buy a box of NBA basketball cards today that you have zero chance of pulling a LeBron James autograph card or Michael Jordan autograph card.

Upper Deck really screwed Panini but also us collectors too. I'm actually hoping that this brings UD and Panini together like how Leaf and UD cut a deal to have Damian Lillard sign for Panini. Maybe, just maybe UD and Panini can cut a deal with Simmons and parlay that into something else special that I don't even want to whisper for fear of jinxing it, lol.

I agree. And it would be one thing if Upper Deck still had a license. Great, I would buy Upper Deck products to get Simmons in a Sixers uniform.

It's just my opinion, but having modern cards of a guy like LeBron, who is 31 years old, still picturing him as a 17-year-old high school kid are just kind of weird, I don't know how else to put it.

That's how it will be for Simmons unless something changes.

I'll pass.

[taffster74]

apparently, the only UD set to feature Ben will be goodwin champions. and, because LSU is with Panini, it won't have any NCAA/CLC info or emblems on it - just be an artist card.

[TBarn291]

apparently, the only UD set to feature Ben will be goodwin champions. and, because LSU is with Panini, it won't have any NCAA/CLC info or emblems on it - just be an artist card.

Yup. The only card autos will be of him in a suit. Does that just apply to cards though? Can UD still sell signed photos where he is in Philly jersey or signed Philly memorabilia?

[rjcj2017]

apparently, the only UD set to feature Ben will be goodwin champions. and, because LSU is with Panini, it won't have any NCAA/CLC info or emblems on it - just be an artist card.

Yeah, I didn't think about that ... no more SP Authentic, SPx, etc.

Wow.

---

Yup. The only card autos will be of him in a suit. Does that just apply to cards though? Can UD still sell signed photos where he is in Philly jersey or signed Philly memorabilia?

I believe so ... LeBron has a bunch of nice signed Heat pieces, it's just that none of them are cards.

I prefer cards for autos because they're easier to store and display.

[jonathani]

I love it when people (including athletes) don't fueled shackled to a company. Besides, I suspect this choice may have had something to do with the highest bidder, but that's only a guess on my part. I'm probably not alone in saying I would do the exact some job I'm doing now for more money someplace else.

[rjcj2017]

I love it when people (including athletes) don't fueled shackled to a company. Besides, I suspect this choice may have had something to do with the highest bidder, but that's only a guess on my part. I'm probably not alone in saying I would do the exact some job I'm doing now for more money someplace else.

Yeah, I get it, I just always assumed that the more products you can sign for, the more money you make.

I mean, say he signed with Panini ... how many card sets per year times how many years he plays (plus cards issued after he retires) ... versus signing for one Goodwin set per year plus however many non-card pieces he signs for Upper Deck.

In other words, how many thousands of cards would he sign for Panini versus how many basketballs for Upper Deck?

[grumpywriter]

I wonder how many years he's committed to Upper Deck. Haven't read anything beyond "multi-year deal."

[jplarson]

I dont blame UD for trying to make money after losing their license. I blame the organization that decided there should be an exclusive rights company to produce cards.