NFL Players Association opts not to renew Topps license

Apparently 53 years in the hobby doesn't mean as much as some believed, as the news about the NFL Players Association decision not to renew Topps' license in 2010 hit the hobby Nov. 9.

Viewed by many collectors as one of the top companies in the football market with its staple products like Chrome, Bowman and Finest are all highly regarded within hobby circles. Topps has produced football sets dating back to 1956.

The move is just the latest in rash of recent moves to contract the card companies in the hobby and eliminate the over-saturation of products. In September, it was announced that Topps would be the lone licensee for baseball, with Upper Deck holding the exclusive rights to produce Hockey cards and Panini the sole licensee in the basketbal card market.

Upper Deck will continue to produce baseball cards although it won't be permitted to use league trademarks and team logos and at least for the forseeable future, it appears Topps will be relegated to a similar fate in the football card market.

Players Inc's NFL agreements with Panini, Topps and Upper Deck are set to expire at the end of the season.

Licensors have stated that the weak economy has played a major factor in its recent decisions to reduce the number of licensing partners but the moves have been received with mix reviews as collectors and dealers don't necessarily believe that less will in fact be more.