Outline · Standard · [ Linear+ ] Upper Deck not paying players for Autos!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/17/sports/b...ll/17cards.html?

Major League Baseball’s players union told agents in an e-mail message on Friday that the trading card company Upper Deck was experiencing financial difficulty and had not paid a large number of players money it owed them.

The union said it was working with Upper Deck to ensure that the players would be paid. The union strongly advised players not to return to Upper Deck any autographs they had signed for the company or to enter into any new agreements with the company until the payments were made.

The e-mail message was from Evan Kaplan, the union’s director for trading cards and collectibles, and was sent to all player agents. A person who received the e-mail provided a copy of it to The New York Times on the condition that the person not be identified.

A spokesman for the union declined to comment. A spokesman for Upper Deck did not respond to an e-mail message.

About a month ago, Upper Deck settled a lawsuit by agreeing to pay Major League Baseball Properties a “substantial” but undisclosed amount for issuing three sets of cards since last year without a license. It also agreed to pay baseball $2.4 million to settle previous debts.

In the lawsuit filed in January, M.L.B. Properties accused Upper Deck of trademark infringement and asked that it be restrained from using teams’ uniforms, helmets and cap logos.

Last summer, baseball chose Topps as its exclusive licensee, leaving Upper Deck without a license for the first time since 1989.

Upper Deck is DUN!!

You reap what you sow.

Thanks for the article Peter.

what does UD care about baseball..

they cant release any sets so..

WOW! Were they just dropped on there heads or what! One thing after another. They better get it together and FAST! They are hitting rock bottom so fast they might not rebound!

I mean... they've lost SO much business.. they're going to have to make a LOT of cuts to become profitable again.

I heard that Upper Deck will be filing for bankruptcy on Monday

I heard that Upper Deck will be filing for bankruptcy on Monday

Please tell me this is not true?

Also, I agree with Steve, why pay for autos you cannot use for products. The MLB screwed over UD, once they did that it made virtually all the contracts with MLBPA worthless. I would think the lawyers for UD would have been smart enough to include that clause in those auto contracts with players. Then again who knows they might not have. I would think they would have to pay for the autos issued and return the unused portion to the MLBPA.

Is Upper Deck no more? Will it be going the way of Fleer, Pacific, etc? Looks that way.

The thing is UD owes them money for autos they already used(Im guessing). If this is the case then im would be willing to bet that they are going to end up being taken back to court for what they owe.

Is Upper Deck no more?  Will it be going the way of Fleer, Pacific, etc?  Looks that way.

why would you say that?

why would you say that?

All the trouble they are having.

Losing licenses. Can't (or won't) pay athletes. Plus, I've heard rumors of an upcoming bankruptcy.

There certainly will be some restructuring!

Please tell me this is not true?

Also, I agree with Steve, why pay for autos you cannot use for products.  The MLB screwed over UD, once they did that it made virtually all the contracts with MLBPA worthless.  I would think the lawyers for UD would have been smart enough to include that clause in those auto contracts with players.  Then again who knows they might not have.  I would think they would have to pay for the autos issued and return the unused portion to the MLBPA.

I don't have a source to confirm it, but that was what was going around this weekend at Frank & Sons. (Mini card show every weekend, with about 30 dealers)

I hate to see them go but I truly feel that they are nearing the end! But there auto/memorabilia business is big and might help them! But they just have so many things stacking up against them. The biggest and best can only take so many blows before they fall! And that applies for anything! UD is not untouchable. I would be sad to see them go and I was with Fleer, Pacific, Collectors Edge, etc. But on the flip side if you do shady and crappy things, this is where it gets you! And you make your bed and now you must sleep in it!

Well whatever happens i am glad i dont have any redemptions. Thinking if something happens more than you may see a fleer type dump.

Everyone is so quick to bash Upper Deck, but when we face facts, this hobby can't survive without them.

Upper Deck is the definition of high-end. Sure Topps and Panini have a fwew sets, but what is the hobby looking like without products like SPA and Exquisite?

Everyone is so quick to bash Upper Deck, but when we face facts, this hobby can't survive without them.

Upper Deck is the definition of high-end. Sure Topps and Panini have a fwew sets, but what is the hobby looking like without products like SPA and Exquisite?

The hobby existed before Upper Deck and it will exist after Upper Deck.

Everyone is so quick to bash Upper Deck, but when we face facts, this hobby can't survive without them.

I never bashed them! But if you run your business like a joke the joke will be on you! You have to do everything you can to make sure you business doesn't belly flop, but that doesn't mean doing shady things!

And the hobby will go on. Maybe not at as high of a level but it will go on! Some new company will come along or one of the other will make a new sister brand!

Everyone is so quick to bash Upper Deck, but when we face facts, this hobby can't survive without them.

Upper Deck is the definition of high-end. Sure Topps and Panini have a fwew sets, but what is the hobby looking like without products like SPA and Exquisite?

Well....Looks like we all have to go back to buying packs without hits and boxes with a guaranteed "average" hit percentage. I had no problem going into a hobby shop and buying packs or boxes with no hits and those excellent inserts that fell 1:4,000 packs. Putting base sets together and collecting that certain player. In the early 90's when I did collect I didn't mind opening a box of 30+ packs and getting commons of my favorite players. Products now are washed up and almost everyone chases that 1 hit that is released in a product.

OH no??


NO more 500 dollar packs of 8 crappy single color patch cards and worthless Omar Jacobs like autographs! Oh know, no more 24 packs of ud spa base crap cards with a damaged or missing patch autograph, oh no????? NO more 150$ one hit packs of Upper deck ultimate garbage Oh well oh NO...

I used to open 1992 score, 1986 Topps and Stadium Club! ALl i want is base, give me base, yeh right!

ANYWAY
who cares

Like andrew said

Hobby before UD
Hobby After UD

no difference

end it now UD

blah