Upper Deck Opens Up About Their 2016 National Plans

UPDATE – Here is a list of the qualifying products for Upper Deck’s Wrapper Redemption Program.

In an interview with John Broggi of the National Sports Collectors Convention, Upper Deck unveiled some of their plans for the industry’s biggest annual event.

VIPs will receive a 5-card set that features LeBron James, Martin Brodeur, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, and Michael Jordan.  Collectors taking part in Upper Deck’s wrapper redemption program will find (10) Prominent Cuts multi-sport base cards.  Autographs and cut signatures will randomly be thrown in.  Wrapper redemption packs and case breakers exclusive cards will also contain ten top NHL rookies.  Autographed versions of those can be found as well.

Without going into too much detail, Upper Deck did mention that they will have a special trading card tribute for Mike Berkus.  Berkus co-founded the National and passed away last year.  I’d like to see their tribute card designed to look like something you’d pull from 2016 Goodwin Champions.  Upper Deck traditionally doesn’t design their National promos around already existing products.  Topps does, and perhaps that’s why Upper Deck chooses not to.  Yes.  Prominent Cuts was a product they released in 2009, but it wasn’t seen again.  Goodwin Champions on the other hand is a product that Upper Deck continues to make.  It has a good following, and feels like their version of Allen & Ginter.  To those collectors who have never attended the National, the name Mike Berkus may not be that easily recognized.  At least not at first.  Issuing a card(s) of him in the 2016 Goodwin Champions design would help drive demand for it.  Set collectors want everything.

The 37th National Sports Collectors Convention takes place in Atlantic City, NJ Aug. 3-7.  I plan to be there with handfuls of my Sports Card Info pins to give out.  Find me!