Wednesday, September 1, 2021

How One Baseball Card Company Is Proving It Can Survive Without An MLB License

 

Shohei Ohtani / 2021 Onyx Vintage Extended

The baseball card collecting world was turned upside down when both MLB and the MLBPA announced they would not renew Topps' licensing deals. This was a tremendous blow to Topps, as it foiled its merger deal with Mudrick Capital just one day after the announcement was made. 

Fanatics will get the MLPBA license starting in 2023 and the MLB license in 2026. The MLBPA license will allow Fanatics to use the entire active MLB roster on its trading cards, while the forthcoming MLB license will give them use of the coveted team logos. 

Onyx Authenticated, a small trading card company from Orlando has been producing trading cards without either license for nearly a decade, specializing in top tier minor league players. Speaking with Onyx's president Lance Fischer for my Forbes Sports Money column, click here to read what he shared their vision for the hobby's future will look like and their playbook for success in the interim


Monday, August 23, 2021

2021 Topps Allen Ginter Baseball Review and Box Break


Topps' Allen and Ginter Baseball set traditionally appeals to a broad spectrum of collectors with it's vintage design and celebrity infused checklist. This year's 2021 Topps Allen and Ginter Baseball set stays true to form featuring the likes of Marc Anthony and Jason Biggs, alongside current stars and retired MLB legends. Old school collectors will be happy to see names such as Dick Allen, Vida Blue, Mo Vaughn, and Kent Hrbek in the set, as well as Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry getting his first Allen and Ginter card.

We took a look at the entire set, as well as spoke with Topps' communications manager Emily Kless about the set for our Forbes Sports Money column. Click here to read the review.

2021 Topps Allen and Ginter Box Break

Sunday, August 22, 2021

NL West Race: Will the Giants Hold Off the Dodgers?

San Francisco Giants / Pixabay

The NL West race has been fascinating all year. Tension is increasing as the playoffs approach, with the Dodgers and Giants practically shadowing each other’s results since the trade deadline. The Dodgers have been atop the MLB World Series odds all season long. It’s a different tale for the San Francisco Giants, who were widely tabbed as a .500 team at the start of the year. San Francisco has the advantage in mid-August and they keep finding a way to win even when games appear to have escaped them. Tussling in the standings, the teams also dueled at the trade deadline. Los Angeles was victorious on that occasion, landing Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. San Francisco was not left empty-handed, however, as they added Kris Bryant and Tony Watson to their roster of resurgent veterans and surprise breakouts. 

Schedule Challenges 

Holding a lead in the division, the Giants have margin for error. They can lose their three remaining games against the Dodgers and still be ahead. The schedule is not kind to Gabe Kapler’s team, though. The Giants have the fifth-toughest remaining schedule. There are 10 games against the Padres, six with the Braves and four with the Brewers. San Francisco has seen off the best MLB has to offer, beating the Dodgers, Brewers and Astros in recent weeks, but there are plenty of stern tests to come. Sitting middle-of-the-pack in schedule difficulty, the Dodgers also see a lot of the Padres. Crucially, they have 12 games against the Rockies and Diamondbacks. Dave Roberts’ club are the runaway leaders in run differential, contributing to a 50% chance of winning the division at FiveThirtyEight. Although doubted for months, there’s no question the Giants are the real deal. Holding off the Dodgers is going to take a special effort, however. They are on course to win over 100 games, which is a pace they need to maintain. The rotation must be strong, and the health of their veterans is crucial. 

Going Deep Into September 

Even pushing for a wildcard would have been a good season for the Giants. Looking to defend their World Series crown, the prospect of a one-game shootout just to make the Division Series will scare the Dodgers. The 2021 season has already been a great one for San Francisco. The entirety of the NL West race has been enthralling. It’s not over yet, and there are bound to be more twists and turns before the regular season wraps up on October 3rd. This division race is going to the final days of the regular season. After months of hype about the Dodgers and Padres’ fledgling rivalry, it is the old foes in The Bay who pose the real threat to the Dodgers’ NL West supremacy. This battle has history, it has massive fan bases, and it has star power. Projections might still give the Dodgers the upper hand, but it would be brave to bet against the Giants given what they have already achieved in 2021.

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

2020 Topps Team USA Olympic & Paralympic Team & Hopefuls Set Review And Box Break

April Ross 2020 Topps Team USA Cards

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were nothing short of a miracle. Delayed a year by a global pandemic and devoid of fans at the live events, the Olympics gave many hope in a year filled with darkness. The athletes survived the uncertainty and pushed through an extra year of training to pursue Olympic glory. 

The United States emerged victorious at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, with 41 gold medals en route to a leading 113 overall medals. With attention in the athletic realm most often going to the ESPN mainstays, Topps has provided a stage in the trading card market for many of the amazing United States athletes with its 2020 Topps Team USA U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Team  & Hopefuls trading card set

Base Set and Checklist

Tokyo gold medalist April Ross headlines the 76-card set, and is backed up by other familiar names including USA softball's Cat Osterman, as well as USWNT members Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle. In a somewhat ironic twist, men's beach volleyball star Taylor Crabb, who had to withdraw from the Olympics due to a positive COVID-19 test gets his rookie card in this set, as well as Tri Bourne, who was selected as his replacement. Collectors will also find cards from debut sports such as 3-on-3 basketball, skateboarding and surfing are also included. Click here for the entire checklist

Parallels and Inserts

Topps sticks with its Olympic theme by creating parallels in bronze, silver and gold colors, as well as serial numbered cards wrapped in the United States flag. Notable inserts include the For Pride and Country set, which detail the hometowns of the Olympic stars, as well as the New to the Games set, which gives collectors a primer on the new sports in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Cat Osterman 2020 Topps Team USA Flag Parallel

Autographs and Relics

Each box advertises three major hits including at least one autograph. The box provided for this review yielded two relics and an autograph of karateka Sakura Kokumai. The Olympic Champions autograph subset gives collectors a chance to get signatures from heralded Olympians such as Amanda Beard, Kerri Strug and Kurt Angle. 

Sakura Kokumai Autograph
 

Box Break And Final Thoughts

After watching the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, collectors now have another reason to familiarize themselves with the many athletes who worked to propel the United States to Olympic victory. While the set lacks the household names from Team USA Basketball (most likely due to Panini's NBA contract), it allows kids who compete in the lesser televised sports across the country to dream of having their own Topps card in the future.

Saturday, July 31, 2021

Athletes Unlimited To Release NFTs For Its Softball And Lacrosse Seasons

Cat Osterman / Jade Hewitt 


Athletes Unlimited announced they will be partnering with GigLabs to produce exclusive NFTs for both its women's lacrosse and softball leagues this season. The NFTs will only be available for those who attend the matches and games in-person. 

The NFTs debuted during the first week of Athletes Unlimited's lacrosse season, with a different one being released during the subsequent weeks of the season. The set will expand during softball season which begins August 28th, 2021 in Chicago. 

Multiple 2020 Tokyo Olympians will be playing in Athletes Unlimited's softball league, including Team USA silver medalists Cat Osterman, Amanda Chidister, Kelsey Stewart and Janie Reed, as well as Team Canada bronze medalists Victoria Hayward and Sara Groenwegen.