In the 2009 season, something changed that made me very unhappy. So unhappy that my standards in the card industry have dropped drastically. In 2009, Upper Deck produced its last NFL licensed product, and the flow of on card signatures for non-rookie players came almost to a complete hault. In fact, Panini hasn’t produced a product with hard signed cards from current (non-retired) players in a ridiculously long time. Topps has made a conceded effort to create a product in Five Star that fills a small part of this non-HOF void, but it is one product that doesn’t come out until the year is already over.

Both companies have ramped up on their on card rookie content over the last few years, and even I will admit that is the best thing for their business. Even over more on card auto content from existing players. However, without a continued dedication to securing more autographs for products on the level of SP Authentic, and other low(er) cost products, I have to believe the level of product success has a ceiling.

Of course, this ceiling has more to do with products like Topps Triple Threads, Bowman Sterling, Gold Standard, and National Treasures, who’s MSRP hovers at almost 175% above what SP Authentic, Ultimate Collection and others used to cost. That is just plain unforgivable – ESPECIALLY with National Treasures at a crazy 400 per box. The fact that collectors don’t avoid these products like the plague is sickening to me, as they reinforce the use of stickers for non-rookies with their wallets.

In Baseball for Topps and Basketball for Panini, there has been advancements in getting cards signed for packout. Topps even posted some AWESOME looking cards that can be redeemed with codes from the golden giveaway. In Football, these types of programs are non-existent, which is incredibly frustrating. For someone like me, who collects autographs, not cards, and on card autographs over stickers, I am lost.

Now, the excuse that is being used by Panini is that they have a huge inventory of stickers, and that collectors don’t like redemptions. The excuse from Topps is that collectors don’t like redemptions. Let me correct the latter part of the statement with a more simplified response. Collectors don’t like redemptions because of what happens when they don’t get what they want. What they want refers to both the card and the replacement for the card that isn’t produced. If companies give them the card within a reasonable timeframe, everyone is happy. If the reasonable timeframe has expired and they get something they want as a replacement, everyone is happy. That’s it. Very simple.

As for the beginning part of the statement that I have heard from Panini lately and have stopped hearing from Topps, stickers in the inventory should not be an excuse. Stickers are the result of companies trying to make the most of signings when they occur, as a signing done in 2010 can be used for as long as the player is productive and supply meets need. It’s a crutch, because with 18 products on the calendar, its impossible for companies to plan far enough ahead and produce cards to get signed without drowning. The answer might be 10 products instead of 18, and much more attention to getting the cards done in a time that everyone can sign. Five Star got done 2 years in a row. It also was conceived and produced WELL ahead of its release. In terms of autographs, the set speaks for itself.

This situation is getting to me, both with Topps and Panini. I understand the league’s limitations and I understand the licensing limitations of producing cards. I think there HAS to be some solution out there, because I have yet to hear privately that anyone likes stickers. Publically, I see Panini still rolling out the drool gallery for stickers, but even behind closed doors they have to know that its not an acceptable way to get autograph content into products.

The caviat to that closing statement is that I may feel its not acceptable, but as long as collectors keep buying, that’s all that matters to them. Good thing is, I have actually met quite a few people in the last year who view this as more than just a business, even though it is a business to them. Others, not so much. Maybe that means certain things will be more successful, because when one’s heart is in the right place, rewards come in spades. Usually.