I want to start off this post with a very simple statement. The way this product is built and priced is an embarassment. Expecting people to spend 130 dollars a box for college sticker autos on an old design is a fucking slap in the face. Not only should this product feature a new design, but it should feature hard signed cards, at least from the bigger draft picks.

Here are some of the cards up so far:

2016 Contenders Draft Ezekiel Elliot Cracked Ice Auto Ticket

2016 Contenders Draft Carson Wentz Auto Ticket

2016 Contenders Draft Jared Goff Auto Ticket

2016 Contenders Draft Derrick Henry Auto Ticket

Although I like the 2015 Contenders design, its clear that Panini is obnoxiously choosing to recycle a design. I feel like this is just the start of this stupid set. Being that this is the first of many products Panini will release this year, you would think they would want to set a tone, and not build another draft picks set that will sell for half of MSRP come mid season. They could have done a new ticket design, at least to show that they arent just looking to skate through the beginning of the year.

I mean, last year, we didnt get a predominantly rookie on card set from Panini until fucking thanksgiving almost, and that in itself is just as bad as this abomination. For whatever reason, Panini doesnt seem to put value in getting hard signed cards from a group that is easy enough for Leaf to get done, and I just dont get it. This dilutes the Contenders brand for them, and that also makes no sense.

We also are going to get an element of NCAA in so many NFL products this year, the college thing is being shoved down our throats in such a hardcore way that Jenna Jameson would be impressed. Upper Deck found out the hard way that CLC is a tough license to manage, and an even tougher license to sell to an ever shrinking group of college collectors. Here we get Panini walking around with a gigantic NCAA boner, not realizing that no one really wants to see that. Two dick jokes in one paragraph, nice.

The right way to do this product is at 85 bucks, hard signed, with a new design. Not 130 bucks for stickers on a retread. Regular Contenders sells for 130 with on card, and the same content, so why should we pay this much for leftovers? Not only that, but leftovers that will be in the bargain bin in a few months? That’s exactly what happened last year with a better rookie class.

Im upset that Panini has the exclusive, but I wouldnt be as upset if they werent so fucking dumb with their choices. If you cant get it done the right way, wait. Wait like normal people do. Who knows, maybe your brand legacy wouldnt be garbage with collectors then.

For this exclusive to work, quality needs to be at the forefront of each product. Not just in the checklist, but in the construction of the product. I dont see that happening for 10 products a year with Panini, let alone 30+. Sad sad sad.