Set-Building Will be the Theme of Upper Deck’s Upcoming Releases

During its meetings with retailers at last week’s Hawaii Trade Conference, Upper Deck officials said the company will still offer some of its most successful high-end products. But the main emphasis on the remainder of its 2009 product lineup will be on products with lower price points that cater to the interests of set builders.

Senior product development manager Karvin Chueng said Upper Deck is focused on “delivering more products with more bang for the buck.” He cited the company’s upcoming O-Pee-Chee Baseball set as an example. The product will consist of a 500-card base set. Among other releases with names that harken back to brands of the past are the debuts of Goodwin Champions Baseball and Philadelphia Football, the latter of which features a design similar to the cards issued in 1964.

Other areas of emphasis for Upper Deck this year will be improving communication within the hobby after a product has launched, creating a new area for dealer feedback on products on its website, and adding items to enhance the value of its product contents beyond autographs and game-used materials.

For high-end collectors, products such as Exquisite Basketball will return. This year’s offering will feature a redesigned vertical format and carry the new Kobe Bryant Career Portfolio cards.