2011 Upper Deck Football Live, With Video Cards

The mid-April release of Upper Deck Football has collectors excited for a number of reasons, including the first video cards to hit the market. there are three autographs per box, including the upcoming rookie draft class.

Author:
Sports Collectors Digest
Updated:
Dec 3, 2019
Original:
Apr 18, 2011

Inside its just released 2011 Upper Deck Football set, the California company has opened up the floodgates with this year’s standout rookie class in terms of autographs. With autograph cards from this year’s top football freshmen like Heisman Trophy winners Cam Newton (Auburn, 2010) and Mark Ingram (Alabama, 2009), Jake Locker (Washington), Ryan Mallet (Texas) and Blaine Gabbert (Missouri) falling at an average rate of three per box, Upper Deck’s newest sports card release is certain to be a crowd-pleaser.

This week’s launch also signals the official unveiling of Upper Deck’s “Evolution” video trading cards, which are randomly inserted into various boxes of 2011 Upper Deck Football. Each of the video cards, which measure 2-1/2 inches wide by 3-1/2 inches high and a half-inch thick, includes 60 seconds’ worth of highlight reel footage featuring one of four players: running back Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma), quarterback Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois), wide receiver DeSean Jackson (Cal Berkeley) or linebacker Patrick Willis (Ole Miss).

“The hobby’s best football rookie card product delivers the top rookies from 2011 before they’re drafted,” said Brandon Miller, Upper Deck’s Football brand manager. “We’re excited about this release on so many levels, but certainly the release of the Evolution inserts, the industry’s first-ever video trading cards, represents a real coup for Upper Deck.”

Upper Deck has an exclusive agreement with the Collegiate Licensing Company, signed in 2009, and used that license to unveil the new technology. That’s why each of the aforementioned players – and their video footage – is shown during his collegiate playing days.

“Our partnership with Upper Deck has allowed us to create many opportunities in the collegiate trading card category,” said David Kirkpatrick, CLC’s vice president of Non-Apparel Marketing. “We are excited to bring the many top collegiate brands of our partner institutions to this program.”

The includes a special 200-card “20th Anniversary” insert collection that features past, present and future football stars utilizing the classic 1991 design from Upper Deck’s original football offering. The throwback cards, which showcase former college greats like Troy Aikman (UCLA), Steve Young (BYU), Alan Page (Notre Dame), Bo Jackson (Auburn) and John Elway (Stanford), fall at an average rate of 1:2 packs.

As for the coveted rookie autograph cards, they come via three sought-after inserts: “Rookie Letterman Signatures,” which include hard-signed versions of varied numbering; “Star Rookies,” which falls 1:10 packs; and “Ultimate Collection Rookie Signatures,” which is the scarcest of the three autograph inserts.

Upper Deck’s 2011 Football set holds six cards per pack and 20 packs per box and is currently available on store shelves.