[hempick]

For baseball cards, Panini doesn't have a MLB license, but Beckett still considers the cards they produce to be rookies.

For basketball, Upper Deck does not have an NBA license and Beckett doesn't consider the cards they produce to be rookies.

How in the fudge does that make any sense?

[taffster74]

With the baseball comparison, Panini does - technically - hold the NCAA/CLC license so they're doing all of the draft sets. With baseball, most of the players drafted never wind up in the bigs and from those who do, a number of them spend at least one season in the minors. So for a lot of "Draft" picks, the panini cards would be their only cards and thus they're true "Rookies." At least, that's my understanding of how the baseball draft works.

[hempick]

With the baseball comparison, Panini does - technically - hold the NCAA/CLC license so they're doing all of the draft sets. With baseball, most of the players drafted never wind up in the bigs and from those who do, a number of them spend at least one season in the minors. So for a lot of "Draft" picks, the panini cards would be their only cards and thus they're true "Rookies." At least, that's my understanding of how the baseball draft works.

I'm not talking about draft products, though. I'm talking about products like Diamond Kings, Donruss Optic, etc. Those are major league sets. Besides, in baseball players aren't allowed to have actual "RC" designated cards unless they've played in an MLB game.

Like... Aaron Judge has "rookie" cards in 2017 Diamond Kings, Donruss, Donruss Optic, Immaculate Collection, Chronicles, Flawless, Gold Standard, National Treasures, and Prizm.

Those were all made by Panini and none of them feature MLB logos because they don't have a license. Beckett gives them all the "RC" designation.

Meanwhile, in 2013-14 Giannis Antetokounmpo had cards in Fleer Retro, SP Authentic, and UD Black which were both made by Upper Deck. Upper Deck didn't have an NBA license at that point. Beckett does NOT give those cards a "RC" designation.

It is a double standard.

[taffster74]

Ah, Gotcha. With the Giannis example, Back then Upper Deck only had the NCAA/CLC license and thus all cards were of players in their college uni's. Therefore, all the Upper Deck stuff was - officially - draft pick stuff and not pro-league hence no "RC" designation. With the panini and baseball situation as you've explained it ... because they were still "Major league" issues (even without the MLB logo), they still count as rookies.

[hempick]

So they were akin to Press Pass at that point, eh? Okay. Interesting. Thanks for the clarification.

[taffster74]

So they were akin to Press Pass at that point, eh? Okay. Interesting. Thanks for the clarification.

Press Pass, SAGE, Classic, Score Board, Pacific prisms, etc ... yeah