Over the last few years, low end football has become a lost art. Even the once lower end Topps Flagship brand has become higher end, forcing some collectors to stop buying it. Score is the last of its kind in that respect, and though its content is barely worth mentioning on a blog like this, it is a product that serves as a throwback. The problem is, other than last year’s retro homage, its been a design disaster.
The 2012 set is now live on eBay, and this year’s look seems to be a combination of the previous year’s sets and last year’s retro look alike:
2012 Score Justin Blackmon Auto RC SSP
2012 Score Robert Griffin III RC
2012 Score Andrew Luck Gold Zone RC SP
2012 Score Doug Martin Hot Rookies Auto RC
I would never be someone interested in buying a product like this, unless it were free, and even then I would most likely leave the box results at the shop for anyone to take. In terms of value, the base cards are rarely worth the card board they are printed on, but set collectors do testify to its ability to be affordable.
Panini has stood behind this set as a way for kids to stay involved, but we all know that no child wants to be targeted in a way that reduces value in the way that Score tends to do. They enjoy the opportunity to buy packs with valuable cards in them, something that this is unavailable to do.
Honestly, I think that if Score is going to succeed, it needs to rely on the collectors that loved the product as a kid. If Panini were to resurrect a retro themed product that chronicled the history of non-Topps football cards, that would be the direction I would go. However, without a respectable autograph program in the set, its not even worth producing.
The Rookie cards look nice
I totally agree. I don’t know why they can’t add some type of value to this set. The idea that it’s a “great” value just because you get a boat load of cards for $30 a box is absolutely insane. I’d have never bought this stuff when I was a kid as there’s nothing of value in it. 4 autos a case and that’s it?
I have the same feeling for anything retail as well. Put something in the retail boxes that you can’t get in the hobby stuff. Put some kind of value (REAL value, not some asinine copper parallel that isn’t worth a damn thing) in it that makes me say, “There might really be something in there I want”. I am amazed that Target and Wal-mart sell anything at all, considering your chance of getting anything of value is probably along the line of Powerball odds! Just my rant, though… There seem to be a lot of very uninformed people out there shopping for this stuff at Target.
I like the rookie cards as well, even the hot rookies insert. It’s just fun to be able to break something this inexpensive. I broke a box and pulled an AJ Green base auto. Yes, it was a sticker auto but it looks nice and could sell decently in my opinion. Other interesting fact is that the cards are selling fairly well on Ebay…
Every sport needs to have 1-2 products like this…i.e. simple, clean, and cheap. Yeah you can’t pull anything valuable, but this is not a product targeted at people who are looking for big hits…it’s targeted at people who enjoy the simple pleasures of an affordable and nicely designed product.
I too think that Score has it’s place in the hobby. With such a big checklist (400 cards) it allows Panini to include a few of the lesser know rookies and veterans that dont make it into any other set for the year. Also, they are including 1600 Printing Plates this year to give it a bit more bang!
I for one bust quite a few boxes of this stuff simply because it is cheap and is a fun break. Believe it or not there are still collectors out there that love busting pack after pack even if you dont hit some 57 color patch auto in every pack. Those collectors are the ones that Panini keeps making Score for.
One more thing….did you see the Rookie Reprints they are including this year as well? Pretty sweet set of 50 cards to collect!