If you are a football collector and you aren’t familiar with the 1997 Upper Deck legends set, you are not someone I consider to be well informed. Its by far one of the most iconic modern sets ever produced, and it is not surprising that Upper Deck decided to use the design as inspiration for a new product. What is even better, is that all the autographs are on card, and the extra buybacks from the actual 1997 set are a perfect treat for the people who remember the heyday of opening box after box of the stuff.
Here are some of the cards I like the most:
2011 College Legends Cam Newton SSP Auto
2011 College Legends Demarco Murray SP Auto
2011 College Legends John Elway SSP Auto
2011 College Legends Barry Sanders SSP Auto
I really like the design of this product and I think that Upper Deck made the right call re-doing these cards again. Although we have gotten updates in Ultimate football and other products over the last few years, collectors do love these cards enough to bring them back. However, to have them as a standalone product may not be something I would have done. With the way content is structured these days, its tough to keep people interested through opening a box unless there is some differentiation. Of course, the brand alone is recognizable enough that it could end up transferring well.
As for the buybacks, I think it’s a great idea. Not just a great idea, but an idea I would suggest using more often if I am UD and its legal. I wasn’t aware they could sell anything with any NFL logos, regardless of previous release dates, but if they can, more power to them. There is so much potential in general for buy back cards, that I think I would do it for a number of my products.
Even better, if its possible to get the cards signed even after the fact, I am sending Exquisite base cards to be signed and included in future releases. Those things would sell like they are printed in gold. I would chase them down with a tenacity that would be shared by a lot of collectors, in my opinion.
In general, retro sets have a market because collectors have a gland in their body that requires frequent doses of nostalgia. Its just one of those things. The key becomes marketing them appropriately to ensure that they don’t become stale. With the previous cards in Ultimate, freshness was never an issue. With these, so far, its not either. The question is whether or not they can keep squeezing this fruit for more juice. Who knows.
You know what one of my most vivid memories of 1997 UD Legends is? It’s leaving cases worth of it on an endcap at a freaking K-Mart. Sealed boxes, open boxes being sold by the pack.. the whole damn shelf. Had to be about a year after hobby release. For whatever reason, I go in there one day and can very clearily remember thinking, I should buy all of this, why is this here? The auto odds were 1:6 packs, remember it perfectly. Being a kid with little more than an allowance, I had to pass. That damn endcap probably would’ve paid for college. Got it paid off but probably could’ve done it 10 years ago, now. LOL!
Is 2011 Exquisite Football ever going to come out? It’s nowhere to be found on pre-sell sheets. I here it’s supposed to be “awesome,” but I don’t find that hard to believe when it doesn’t exist yet.
“Hear”
“I do find it hard to beleive . . .”
It would have been a better product if they didn’t load it with low end 2011 rookies.
yes, 2011 Exquisite Football is coming. I previed a few more images on Twitter
Thanks. Just wondering, as I hit the “pre-sell” links for football products over at Blowout Cards and nothing came up for it. Kinda getting late in the “season” for a 2011 product as it is.
yes, it is very late trust me I hate that it is this late…but you will not be disappointed
The first thought I had was about the legality of the buy back autos as well. If they can pull it off without the “legal” card makers or the league smacking them down, good for them.
If only they would use the creative mind who thought of this to figure out ways to pay the players on time for their autographs, return redemptions in a timely manner, run a business cost effectively and get back into the licensed league game the hobby would be better off.
As far as the product, I will never have interest in any cards showing players in their college days but to each their own.. Vote with your $$$$