With Topps recently announcing that they have become the “Official Trading Card Company of MLB”, Upper Deck has not sat by idle and have made their own announcement about their future in the baseball market. Upper Deck CEO Richard McWilliam today stated, “Looking ahead to 2010, we are 100% committed to building the highest quality and most innovative baseball cards in the industry…”
Additionally Judy Heeter, the Director of Business Affairs and Licensing for the MLBPA, said "We believe strong competition is generally good for consumers, and expect that our ongoing relationships with both Topps and Upper Deck will ensure consumer choices that lead to category growth."
Upper Deck will not back down and the MLBPA is supporting them. I, along with many other collectors, am relieved to hear that Upper Deck is committed to continuing in the baseball market. The MLBPA is absolutely correct by saying that competition is good for the consumers and it is situations like this that bring about brand loyalty. I have said all along that signing exclusive contracts is just good business but in this hobby it could adversely affect the consumer in the end.
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