Sole-Licensing or Multi Company Competition???

Gambit · 10-29-2012, 04:04 PM

The recent news of Panini extending their NBA license definitely makes an impact on the future of the hobby whether you like it or not..

Panini has owned the NBA-license for the past a couple years now and some collectors, including myself, are not amazed with the quality/creativity of the designs that they have been pumping out. I believe that a single company taking sole-ownership of the NBA license as somewhat deteriorated the creativity and diversity that was once present in the hobby.

Will sole-ownership of the NBA license still spark motivation to create unique card designs in the future or does it take industry competition to promote innovation?

Don't get me wrong, innovation can still happen when one company has a strong choke-hold of an industry, but I feel like it happens at a much slower rate. Kind of like Intel releasing a brand new chip that is only slightly faster and smaller than the last one that came out a couple of years ago.

Panini is in its 4th year owning the NBA license, and now they're finally coming out with fresh designs like Prizm. With the lack of competition from other card companies, Panini has no pressure whatsoever to do anything drastic with their designs for more years to come.

One thing's for sure, only time will tell if this continuation of sole-licensing is a good move or bad move for the hobby...

SportsItUpCards · 10-29-2012, 04:06 PM

PAH-KNEE-KNEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tristan20 · 10-29-2012, 04:15 PM

Competition = Better Products and lower prices

When there is no competition Panini can charge as much as they want and pump out garbage.

Imagine if UD didnt bring out Retro, Panini only stepped it up because of that.

gamboooler · 10-29-2012, 04:20 PM

The justifications for an exclusive license are ridiculous and are nothing more than meaningless talking points. I'm sure they'll say it creates higher quality products as Panini isn't rushing products to market, better customer service, and makes sure the NBA's image is maintained as a beacon of excellence. In reality, it's just a tool that allows Panini to set its own price and breeds laziness. I actually think Panini basketball products are headed in the right direction, so I'm not anti-Panini, I'm just 100% against an exclusive license.

SportsItUpCards · 10-29-2012, 04:24 PM

I'm from the time of "here is product A and here is product B, which one do you want?" haha so less sets that come out the better it is imo. This hobby has been flooded with cards after cards after cards..... I say limit have many sets that come out, so maybe UD will not come out with so many since they will still not have the license. And maybe they'll slow down a lot more since it's finally kicking in that they may never get it back.... I think they might just give up more and more slowly on basketball cards, if they don't go out of business all together!

I think Panini should keep making their amazing releases, cut back on the crap products, but do make some lower end of course... this hobby is for everyone! Not just the $200+ box customers. But I think they should focus more on quality over quantity, and I think some people are tired of seeing the lower end stuff come out so frequantly. I think if they limited it, they would be fine. They're already making KILLER products and will continue to come up with more ideas for amazing products. They've already done a lot in my book, but I think it's still scrapping the surface... I think they have some amazing stuff to come that will shock a lot of people. But anyway, as always, they willl sell out anyway, so doesn't really matter.

Orangejello727 · 10-29-2012, 05:41 PM

I voted for competition. Never hurt anyone

bigcwd2000 · 10-29-2012, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tristan20

Competition = Better Products and lower prices

When there is no competition Panini can charge as much as they want and pump out garbage.

Imagine if UD didnt bring out Retro, Panini only stepped it up because of that.

This. I voted for competition.

Fraser9698 · 10-29-2012, 05:49 PM

I enjoy most Panini stuff, but at the same time miss certain products such as the Chromes and SPA, Exquisite, etc.

clipperboy24 · 10-29-2012, 05:52 PM

competition all the way

Dobber2330 · 10-29-2012, 06:19 PM

Who cares?? This is already water under the bridge....

jeff152380 · 10-29-2012, 06:44 PM

Speaking as somebody who is buying a card shop.... it hurts not to have more then one option to sell to customers....

Brad · 10-29-2012, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tristan20

When there is no competition Panini can charge as much as they want and pump out garbage.

Not if the rubes finally got smart and stopped buying. But Panini knows you all need your fix, hehe.

Drdduet · 10-30-2012, 02:00 PM

This just means I can narrow my collecting focus(topps and bowman chrome refractors and UD autos (exquisite, sp authentic, black). For me there's nothing that compares to a Kobe, Jordan, or Lebron chrome refractor or any gold chrome refractors. Now it appears there won't be any new ones coming out, not for a while at least. I can live with that, I'll just spend my card money on topps and ud singles of the past.

hrad_23 · 10-30-2012, 02:13 PM

Competition

GA0 · 10-30-2012, 02:25 PM

Competition obviously. Buy at the same time, Panini's the one that paid up the most for the license, UD's struggling as a company, and Topps doesn't care enough to stay in basketball.

Would y'all be mad if UD was the sole distributor of basketball? Just think about it. The situation is bad period, not because of panini.

View Poll Results: Which is more beneficial for the hobby?
Sole-Licensing	5	8.62%
Industry Competition	53	91.38%
Voters: 58. You may not vote on this poll

10-29-2012, 04:04 PM	#1
Gambit Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 204 toolzofthetrade	Sole-Licensing or Multi Company Competition??? The recent news of Panini extending their NBA license definitely makes an impact on the future of the hobby whether you like it or not.. Panini has owned the NBA-license for the past a couple years now and some collectors, including myself, are not amazed with the quality/creativity of the designs that they have been pumping out. I believe that a single company taking sole-ownership of the NBA license as somewhat deteriorated the creativity and diversity that was once present in the hobby. Will sole-ownership of the NBA license still spark motivation to create unique card designs in the future or does it take industry competition to promote innovation? Don't get me wrong, innovation can still happen when one company has a strong choke-hold of an industry, but I feel like it happens at a much slower rate. Kind of like Intel releasing a brand new chip that is only slightly faster and smaller than the last one that came out a couple of years ago. Panini is in its 4th year owning the NBA license, and now they're finally coming out with fresh designs like Prizm. With the lack of competition from other card companies, Panini has no pressure whatsoever to do anything drastic with their designs for more years to come. One thing's for sure, only time will tell if this continuation of sole-licensing is a good move or bad move for the hobby...

10-29-2012, 05:52 PM	#9
clipperboy24 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,628	competition all the way __________________ Looking for nice cards of Mfiondu Kabengele

10-29-2012, 06:44 PM	#11
jeff152380 Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Vermont Posts: 2,795 Main-Street-Sports-Cards-Vt mainstreetsportscardsvt	Speaking as somebody who is buying a card shop.... it hurts not to have more then one option to sell to customers.... __________________ Owner of MAIN STREET SPORTS CARDS In Vermont

10-30-2012, 02:13 PM	#14
hrad_23 Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 2,843 maxdog_23 hrad_23	Competition __________________ LOOKING FOR JAMES CASEY 2009 TOPPS FINEST NAMEPLATES /10

10-29-2012, 04:06 PM	#2
SportsItUpCards Banned Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Collector since 1992 Posts: 13,733	PAH-KNEE-KNEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10-29-2012, 04:15 PM	#3
tristan20 Banned Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 12,906	Competition = Better Products and lower prices When there is no competition Panini can charge as much as they want and pump out garbage. Imagine if UD didnt bring out Retro, Panini only stepped it up because of that.

10-29-2012, 04:20 PM	#4
gamboooler Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 8,064 gamboooler gamboooler	The justifications for an exclusive license are ridiculous and are nothing more than meaningless talking points. I'm sure they'll say it creates higher quality products as Panini isn't rushing products to market, better customer service, and makes sure the NBA's image is maintained as a beacon of excellence. In reality, it's just a tool that allows Panini to set its own price and breeds laziness. I actually think Panini basketball products are headed in the right direction, so I'm not anti-Panini, I'm just 100% against an exclusive license.

10-29-2012, 04:24 PM	#5
SportsItUpCards Banned Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Collector since 1992 Posts: 13,733	I'm from the time of "here is product A and here is product B, which one do you want?" haha so less sets that come out the better it is imo. This hobby has been flooded with cards after cards after cards..... I say limit have many sets that come out, so maybe UD will not come out with so many since they will still not have the license. And maybe they'll slow down a lot more since it's finally kicking in that they may never get it back.... I think they might just give up more and more slowly on basketball cards, if they don't go out of business all together! I think Panini should keep making their amazing releases, cut back on the crap products, but do make some lower end of course... this hobby is for everyone! Not just the $200+ box customers. But I think they should focus more on quality over quantity, and I think some people are tired of seeing the lower end stuff come out so frequantly. I think if they limited it, they would be fine. They're already making KILLER products and will continue to come up with more ideas for amazing products. They've already done a lot in my book, but I think it's still scrapping the surface... I think they have some amazing stuff to come that will shock a lot of people. But anyway, as always, they willl sell out anyway, so doesn't really matter.

10-29-2012, 05:41 PM	#6
Orangejello727 Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 19,096	I voted for competition. Never hurt anyone

10-29-2012, 05:49 PM	#8
Fraser9698 Banned Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: @FraserMemGroup Posts: 3,800 frasermemorabiliagroup	I enjoy most Panini stuff, but at the same time miss certain products such as the Chromes and SPA, Exquisite, etc.

10-29-2012, 06:19 PM	#10
Dobber2330 Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Oswego, IL Posts: 3,569 cardsbydoby	Who cares?? This is already water under the bridge....

10-30-2012, 02:00 PM	#13
Drdduet Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,706	This just means I can narrow my collecting focus(topps and bowman chrome refractors and UD autos (exquisite, sp authentic, black). For me there's nothing that compares to a Kobe, Jordan, or Lebron chrome refractor or any gold chrome refractors. Now it appears there won't be any new ones coming out, not for a while at least. I can live with that, I'll just spend my card money on topps and ud singles of the past.

10-30-2012, 02:25 PM	#15
GA0 Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,444 GA0	Competition obviously. Buy at the same time, Panini's the one that paid up the most for the license, UD's struggling as a company, and Topps doesn't care enough to stay in basketball. Would y'all be mad if UD was the sole distributor of basketball? Just think about it. The situation is bad period, not because of panini. __________________ Check Out My Cards on COMC 15% off Auto-Accept! KD 2 Wiz 2016?? John Wall sucks, send me all his autos for $5 a piece