NFL rookies are the focal point in new UD website

Upper Deck has a new football website designed to get collectors guessing and possibly earn prizes for figuring out which rookie will emerge as a top threat. Collectors who enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards for the first-year player who has the best performance each week will be entered into a drawing to win a box of 2009 Upper Deck NFL cards.

“Rookies are the key driver for football cards each year so we felt it was important to come up with a platform that allows collectors to interact with the cards like never before,” said Kerri Kauffman, Upper Deck’s director of marketing. “To allow our customers to look at matchups for the week and make an educated guess as to which rookie will have the best performance is something that hasn’t been done before and we think it will be a big hit.”

Football fans can enter codes from any of Upper Deck’s 2009 NFL rookie cards for the player they think will have the best performance up until Monday of any given week by visiting http://sports.upperdeck.com/football. Upper Deck will reveal the “Rookie of the Week” on that Tuesday, and any collector who entered card codes of that player for the week will be entered into a drawing to win a box of a 2009 Upper Deck Football release. The promotion will run all 17 weeks of the 2009 NFL regular season.

The website it not just about the “Rookie of the Week” promotion. It also features a rookie card management system that allows collectors to track which cards they have and what cards they need from any of Upper Deck’s 2009 NFL products. The website will also spotlight new NFL products, feature a new video interview with a different rookie each week and have direct links to Upper Deck’s NFL blog and forums.

“We felt it was necessary to embrace new technology and provide our collectors with tools and interactive features that enhance their collecting experience,” said Chris Carlin, Upper Deck’s sports marketing manager. “This website is just another example of Upper Deck’s continuous drive to bring innovative new programs to the industry. Based on how collectors enjoy the experience, we hope to expand this online initiative to other sports like hockey and baseball once those seasons begin.”