Archive for Entertainment
Featured Collector: John Stever Assembled The Avengers!
Posted by: | CommentsEach month Upper Deck spotlights one of its valued collectors to showcase their collection or pursuits. The great thing about sports collectors is that they are all very different in what they collect, how they collect. With Marvel fans getting more and more excited about the release of The Avengers movie this summer, there seems to be renewed interest in a product Upper Deck released this summer called The Avengers: Kree-Skrull War. Assembling this set required patience, problem solving skills and a key comic eye; which are all attributes John Stever possesses. Here is his story:
“I have been a Marvel comic fan for close to 40 years now and I bought my first trading cards 35 years ago. For over a decade I wasn’t really interested in either. Then one day I went into a Toys “R” Us in search of football cards for one of my younger brothers and I discovered Marvel cards. Sure, I bought the old Marvel sticker cards back in the ‘70′s, but these new cards had fantastic art. I bought some packs of the Marvel cards for two of my other brothers and one for myself. Well, before I left the parking lot all the Marvel packs were opened. My wife and I were instantly hooked. We’ve bought all the Marvel sets from the ‘70′s to present day.
“So naturally when Upper Deck announced The Avengers: Kree-Skrull War series, we had to have it. It seemed like it would be difficult to put together and there were not the same ratios for pulling rare inserts like sketch cards like in other UD sets, but I got three boxes figuring that I would be able to get an entire set of the story from that.
“I opened the boxes immediately when they arrived and realized this was a different kind of Marvel set where you are basically putting together the story yourself. The album would be a big help in doing that so I sent the redemption certificate for the albums in right away. I was pretty busy last summer, so I put off collating a set.
“While it did take awhile for the album to arrive, I was happy when it did as it drew me back to the cards. I finally sorted out my cards and found I was short 21 cards. I posted my want list on the NSU forum. I traded for 19 cards I needed and another forum member gave me the last two to finish off the set. During my first attempt at sorting I found I had extra character and retro character cards. I gave many of the triplicates to my nephews and nieces. After a long search on eBay, I was finally able to pick up a sketch card for a reasonable price since I didn’t pull any. Their rarity is keeping the price quite high.
“When the 19 cards arrived I figured it was time to put them into the albums. Thinking there might be too many, I stared backwards. The comic cards were a perfect fit. The album comes with the nine promo cards that I left in, which where the same cards being given away at select conventions last year. There was no room for the character cards, the retro character cards, and the cover cards; which is unfortunate. I will probably put mine in with my Marvel Beginnings cards.
“The comic book compilation cards are a neat idea, but not for everyone. The cover cards are nice. I really like the art in The Avengers: Kree-Skrull War set. Last, but not least, I love the character and retro character cards.”
Popularity: 1% [?]
Marvel Slingers™ Are the Hit of the Chicago Toy & Game Fair
Posted by: | CommentsUpper Deck recently shared news about the exciting launch of Marvel Slingers, and since then it has been talked about on a number of popular entertainment sites including MTV and ICV2. It really is a product that consumers need to get into their hands to appreciate, which is why the Upper Deck team took the show on the road for the official debut of Marvel Slingers at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair. Once kids got the product in their hands, they couldn’t stop slinging.
The Marvel Slingers Battle Packs were big sellers at the show and have everything players need to get started with the game.
Situated in the center of the hall, the Slingers booth was one of the most sought after destinations at the show. Many consumers saw Slingers on the local news before the show even opened, and had to check out the new product for themselves. Kids and parents alike filled every inch of the booth, practicing their Slinging technique and skills. An enthusiastic group of girls set up camp in the Slingers booth and worked on their trick shots, while the boys battled it out for a cool new Slingers shirt.
Tournament winners were thrilled with their prizes.
The tournaments had wait lists and the sales counter was a flurry of activity. The show exclusive – The Slingers Battle Pack (2 Slinger box set) – sold out just 5 hours after the show opened. Slingers Starter Packs flew off of the shelf, with Captain America selling out first – he was a clear favorite with the girls – and Spider-Man and Hulk close behind. Thor, Wolverine and Iron Man were also popular choices. Parents stood in line to purchase 2 Starter Packs and a Medallion Booster, since more medallions equal more fun.
The scouts all went crazy over Marvel Slingers!
On Sunday morning, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts took over the hall. They battled each other and then protested when their troop leaders tried to get them to move on to see the rest of the show. The weekend went by in a flash, and even as the lights were dimmed as an indicator the show was over, folks rushed over to buy the last few Slingers we had left and play with them for just a few more minutes.
Media loved it when the beauty queens started slinging!
Local Chicago press, including WGN, CBS Chicago, ABC Chicago and The Rosie Show previewed and promoted Slingers during their TV newscasts starting on Friday before the show even opened.
Derrick Young from CBS Chicago proudly wore his Slingers “VIG” (Very Important Gamer) badge during all of his interviews, and at the end of the day personally called to ask us if he could “Please Please Please” have a Slinger for his nephew. It was the one and only toy he wanted from the show. Another newscaster from ABC came back to the show on Sunday with her boys, just so that they could play with Slingers and sign up for tournaments. She wound up purchasing Slingers for all of the boys in her family.
Mommy Bloggers loved the idea of putting Slingers under the Christmas Tree.
ChiTAG also attracted close to 200 Mommy Bloggers for the event. We presented Slingers to this incredible group on Saturday morning, and offered up a challenge for the Fastest-Slingin’ Mom at the show. The moms loved it and they posted some great Tweets about us over the weekend:
”Holy cow, my kids went to sleep with their Slingers last night! You guys were a big hit with the bloggers too!”
“It’s gonna be really hard 2 keep Slingers hidden until Christmas – mostly bcuz I wanna play with them!”
“Looking for the hottest new game this season? Check out Slingers and remember you saw it here first!”
Even the Emperor sent his Imperial Storm Troopers to seize some Slingers for him.
So how do you get your hands on the must-have toy of the holiday season? You can pick the Slingers Starter Pack and Medallions up exclusively at your local Toys “R” Us retail location, or order the Battle Pack, in addition to these 2 other products, direct from Upper Deck by clicking here. And if you are already a fan, make sure you “like” the Slingers Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.Slingers America is now on YouTube as well where we are challenging our fans to show us your best trick shot. Check out some our team put together recently:
Popularity: 2% [?]
Marvel Slingers; I’m Hooked
Posted by: | CommentsAt Upper Deck we are always looking for the next big thing. Whether it is with regard to creating innovative sports memorabilia, trading cards, toys or games, we are always on the hunt for products that will galvanize our fan base; both young and old. I have been with Upper Deck for fourteen years now and I have really enjoyed witnessing first-hand the company’s drive in pursuing these types of properties. Sometimes they take off and sometimes they don’t, but we have one now that I think has a lot of potential.
It is called “Slingers” and we are partnering with Marvel Entertainment on bringing it to market exclusively this month through Toys “R” Us. It will be available in hobby shops in December from there. Trading card games have been popular for a long time, but this is almost like the Nintendo Wii where users become a more active participant in the game. It inspires gamers to get up from the table and slinging their game unit to pick up Marvel Entertainment branded medallions with different point values. Check out one of the first commercials for the product.
Once you get one of the game units in your hand, you can’t stop messing around with it. You just keep slinging. It is very habit-forming and more importantly; fun. I was on a conference call last week where we were talking about the product, but I’m just looking at one of the game units and it was calling to me. People are talking about distribution on the product and all I want to do is grab it and start slinging. So I did. And you know what? Nobody in the room could blame me. The people on the call however may have thought I have a serious case of ADD.
This weekend we are debuting and demoing Marvel Slingers at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair this weekend on November 19-20 at the Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. This will be one of the first times consumers can get the game units in their hands, I just wonder if they will give them back. Here’s more information about the show:
Will Marvel Slingers become the next big thing? It’s too early to tell, but it has all the elements of a great property. Stop in to Toys “R” Us and grab one for that Marvel fan on your Holiday gift list. Until then, I’m going to keep slinging.
Popularity: 1% [?]
The Internet Continues to Change the World of Sports Card Collecting
Posted by: | CommentsA lot has changed from the Civil War era when sports cards first debuted to today, but none has had more of an impact on the industry than the internet. Initially many feared the internet would signal the end to the way trading cards are bought and sold, but for the most part, it has been a positive tool for collectors, hobby shop owners and trading card manufacturers who have chosen to embrace this technology to find new levels of engagement in this hobby. It is clear that Upper Deck has done a great job of engaging their fans through online tools like this Blog, their company website, their Facebook page, their YouTube channel and their Twitter accounts for sports, hockey and entertainment. The tools Upper Deck provides make it a lot easier to be a trading card collector and to stay up to date with the latest happenings with the company.
There used to be trading card clubs where collectors could get together to trade with each other and share their latest trading cards. That is all done online nowadays as there are a variety of online communities where collectors share their great pulls and trade with each other on various forums. And how awesome is that to see the internet bring like-minded collectors together to experience the hobby on a whole new level no matter if they live in Topeka, Kansas or Moosejaw, Saskatchewan. Fans of sports cards today use these communities to learn the hobby which may be a reason why you don’t see sports cards in bike spokes anymore. People realize sports cards are collectible.
Another major change is how sports cards are priced. While I enjoy reading printed sports card publications, most do not put a lot of merit in the traditional price guide anymore. These days if you have an eBay account you can just peruse completed auctions for a card you wonder about the value of and get a very accurate appraisal on the value. And if your item is super rare, people often just put it up on eBay with a ridiculous “Buy It Now” price to get a better feel for what someone would pay which is what we saw recently with the 2010-11 NHL The Cup Sidney Crosby dual autograph shield card. The buyer relisted that card at a much more rationale price after gauging interest by posting it the first time.
Arguably the biggest change from before the internet era was how cards are bought and sold. Instead of walking down to your local hobby shop, today you can buy or sell trading cards with a few clicks of the mouse. Unfortunately with internet sales of collectible items come unscrupulous buyers and sellers looking to make a quick buck by taking advantage unsuspecting collectors. Upper Deck has definitely adapted to the times by creating their Authorized Internet Retailer group as a way of protecting consumers from these online predators. If you live in the United States and purchase sealed product online, make sure you are only purchasing your Upper Deck cards through these Authorized Internet Retailers.
OC Sportscards is a new Authorized Internet Retailer for Upper Deck that routinely brings athletes in for signings. Here Reggie Jackson signs at the popular Southern California store.
| Collect and Save | Grand Rapids, MI 49512 | (866) 975-2518 | www.collectandsave.com |
| Dave & Adams Cardworld | Tonawanda, NY 14150 | (888) 440-9787 | www.dacardworld.com |
| DCS Sports Cards | Wantagh, NY 11793 | (516) 946-6334 | www.dcssportscards.com |
| East Coast Connection | Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 | (201) 438-4327 | www.eastcoastconnection.net |
| Fox Sports Cards | Marion, IL 62959 | (618) 997-3800 | www.foxsportscards.com |
| OC Sportscards/OC Dugout | Anaheim, CA 92804 | (714) 761-6414 | www.ocsportscards.com |
| Pittsburgh Sports Cards | McKeesport PA 15132 | (412) 672-6200 | www.pittsburghsportscards.com |
| Republic Jewelry & Collectibles | Auburn, ME 04210-6150 | (877) 422-7979 | www.republicjewelry.com |
| SportsCards Etc. | McKees Rock, PA 15136 | (412) 352-3468 | www.sportscardsetcpgh.com |
And if you live in Canada, make sure to check out these Authorized Internet Retailers for your Upper Deck purchases.
D&M Sports Cards in Canada is a huge retail sports store that also has a strong online presence.
| Boutique l’Imaginaire | Sainte-Foy, PQ G1V 4P7 | (418) 658-5639 | www.imaginaire.com |
| Clouts’n'Chara | Kitchener, ON N2H 5G3 | (519) 574-1445 | www.cloutsnchara.com |
| D&M Sports Cards | Moncton, NB E1C 9R1 | (506) 852-3244 | www.dmsportscards.com |
| Maple Leaf Sports | Calgary, AB T2K 0G2 | (403) 338-0668 | www.mapleleafsports.ca |
| Superstars | Winnipeg, MB R3J 0H3 | (204) 831-9001 | www.superstarssports.com |
| Wayne’s Sports Cards | Edmonton, AB T5T 1L6 | (780) 483-3177 | www.waynessportscards.com |
The trading card industry was slower to adapt to the internet, but it is clear Upper Deck and others are using other industries as a blue-print for what works best in this digital age. I’m not sure what new online invention will be next to blow customer’s minds, but I’m sure it will serve to make the hobby better and keep the industry alive. How do you think the internet will change the world of sports card collecting next and how else to you think it has changed the hobby?
Make sure to look for the Upper Deck Authorized Internet Retailer logo when purchasing sealed UD product online.
Sam is currently a Junior in High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When’s he’s not watching sports he’s tweeting about it. You can follow Sam on Twitter @Chinookverify.
Popularity: 2% [?]
My Internship at Upper Deck was a “Super” Experience
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve been working some long hours here at Upper Deck this summer, but you won’t find my name on the company roster nor am I on a first name basis with any of the athletes we work with. I was lucky enough to be selected as a summer intern for Upper Deck working behind the scenes in the marketing department. There is a lot of interest among college students to work with Upper Deck because it is really cool to get to work with a well known brand while working on sports or entertainment all day long. Last summer I worked as a camp counselor and the year before I was selling ice cream so this internship gave me a real taste at what it is like to work in an office at a “real” job.
I was relieved that I came into a situation where there were some other interns who could show me the ropes. It was nice to have a group of us to work through projects and brainstorm new ideas. This internship experience allowed me to really refine my communication skills and work as part of a team with a really diverse group of passionate colleagues.
In her time with UD, Stephanie was instrumental in helping to plan for our annual Hockey Summit, UD's plans for the National Sports Collectors Convention, Soccer promotions and much more! Even she's not sure how she did it all.
In my time here I worked a lot on sports, but my most memorable experience took place on the entertainment side of our business. My fellow interns (Mark Kramer and Andrew O’Neill) decided to head down to Comic-Con in San Diego to work at promoting Upper Deck’s newest Marvel product; The Avengers Kree-Skull War. We were assigned to make a video interacting with fans opening up promotional packs of the product.
We wanted to get some costumes so we could play the part, but you would not believe how hard it is to find outfits down there during the Comic Con event. They were sold out everywhere. We should have known, but after canvassing the city we were able to track down a “Spider Girl” costume and a “Wolverine” mask. I tried my best to get the boys in the “Spider Girl” costume, but they wanted no part. We worked it out though and after we each made a trip to the phone booth, we were ready.
Our main goal was to attract comic fans by handing out Upper Deck’s Avengers Kree-Skull War promotional packs. We had the fans compete to assemble the puzzle and the winner received two packs of Captain America trading cards. It was exciting to see how competitive and enthusiastic the fans were. People were especially excited about our limited edition Kree-Skrull War trading card binder that is available now with the purchase of The Avengers Kree-Skrull War trading card box.
We had a great time meeting fanatical Marvel fans and I even got used to being in front of the camera interacting with them. It was really great for me to see first-hand the reaction fans had to the product after experiencing it with us. I really saw the value in promoting a new product through sampling. It’s a day I know that I will never forget.
Stephanie (Spider Girl) poses with Upper Deck's other two super interns; Andrew O'Neill (left) and Mark Kramer (right) at Comic Con in San Diego.
When we got back to Upper Deck the next day, it was fun to relive that experience by watching all the clips we got. And now that it’s live on YouTube, I hope it gets a good response!
As I head back to the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington for my junior year, I return with some amazing experience from working with a huge global brand. This is perfect as I was accepted into the Foster School of Business so I’ll be spending the next two years in business classes with an emphasis on marketing and sales. I can take all the experience I received from Upper Deck and apply it immediately to my classes. I want to thank all my friends at Upper Deck for giving me the chance to work with you and for allowing me the opportunity to learn from some really inspirational teammates.
Are you in college and looking for an internship with Upper Deck? We are currently interviewing for interns for the Fall 2011 semester. If you are interested, please email your resume to upperdeckmarketing@upperdeck.com.
Popularity: 1% [?]
