After 20 years in the baseball card market, Upper Deck has been granted a new trading card license agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association.

“We are thrilled to renew our commitment to the baseball card market and look forward to working closely with the Players Association to further grow the category,” said Richard McWilliam, CEO of Upper Deck. “Upper Deck has an unsurpassed record of delivering the most innovative, premium and authentic baseball trading cards, and we are poised to continue that tradition into the next decade."

Added Evan Kaplan, MLBPA category director, “Our goal is to provide collectors with great baseball card products, while continuing to grow the market with an infusion of new consumers. We’re confident Upper Deck can help us realize those goals.”

Since early 2006, Upper Deck has worked closely with the Players Association to co-sponsor several marketing initiatives, including the highly successful Boys Scouts’ Clubhouse program and the current Big League Blast hobby shop sweepstakes promotion.

“During the term of our current agreement, Upper Deck consistently demonstrated their dedication to achieving long-term sales growth for the baseball card market. Their kid-focused and online marketing programs, like UpperDeckU, combined with a long line of exceptional products, is a testament to their pursuit of sustained long-term growth for this category,” Kaplan said.

The first release of the new license term will be Upper Deck Series One Baseball, currently scheduled to launch on
Feb. 6, 2010.

“Needless to say, we are extremely eager and very excited to put our 2010 baseball trading card product and marketing plans into motion,” said Jason Masherah, director of Sports Brands for Upper Deck. “Baseball fans and card collectors have a lot to look forward to.”