First Buzz: 2023 Topps Update baseball cards

[imbluestreak23]

A case of this should probably be around $400. Heck, maybe $350.

[notoriousrmb]

Originally Posted by imbluestreak23

A case of this should probably be around $400. Heck, maybe $350.

That can be said for almost any product produced since 2019 - all prices are high and its not going to suddenly drop.

I don't disagree, there isn't a target top name to chase in this, but I can't say there has ever been a product lately where the general community was like "wow yeah that is priced perfectly!"

This is the new Fanatics normal.

[SupermanBrandon]

If I was running Fanatics...this would be one of the rare instances where I would throw the hobby a big bone. Update isnt a game changer for Fanatics. There's not anything big in it. Price this super low. Peak some interest. Get people buying and ripping this stuff. You would gain more goodwill all around.

[LVDan]

I think $80 and $150 would be 2023 palatable. The biggest problem for people ripping isn’t just the cost(inflation- everything is up) it’s the bloated PR and punitive odds. It’s hard to be excited about opening a product where the main value target pulls(RC parallels) are 2-4? Times harder to find than just 5 years ago.
I don’t have the odds but I think I read that they are similar to last year. It’s not like the singles market for foil/ gold/black etc has adjusted way up in recent years to follow the odds..
Without big young phenom RC names to chase I agree Brando this could and should be cheaper if they want to sell a good portion at release.

[parkerj33]

Originally Posted by SupermanBrandon

If I was running Fanatics...this would be one of the rare instances where I would throw the hobby a big bone. Update isnt a game changer for Fanatics. There's not anything big in it. Price this super low. Peak some interest. Get people buying and ripping this stuff. You would gain more goodwill all around.

Here's some alarming insight...I was speaking with a long-time Topps employee and they were touting how excited they were about this year's update product because of all the "All-Star" content they were able to add. If they really believe that sort of content gets people excited about a product they are very misled.

[SupermanBrandon]

Originally Posted by parkerj33

Here's some alarming insight...I was speaking with a long-time Topps employee and they were touting how excited they were about this year's update product because of all the "All-Star" content they were able to add. If they really believe that sort of content gets people excited about a product they are very misled.

Not surprised. Id be wanting people ripping for 2018 prices while pulling enough to cover the boxes. Create new, young (or old) gamblers for cheap.

[smanzari]

Originally Posted by imbluestreak23

A case of this should probably be around $400. Heck, maybe $350.

I remember complaining to someone that I paid $375 for a case of 2017 Update Jumbos on release day and being shocked at the price of $450 for 2018 Update

[tyrith]

Originally Posted by SupermanBrandon

If I was running Fanatics...this would be one of the rare instances where I would throw the hobby a big bone. Update isnt a game changer for Fanatics. There's not anything big in it. Price this super low. Peak some interest. Get people buying and ripping this stuff. You would gain more goodwill all around.

All they'd be doing is throwing scalpers a big bone. There's still going to be plenty ripped even at the current prices, and if they have to clearance some of it out at the end, so be it.

[LVDan]

Originally Posted by tyrith

All they'd be doing is throwing scalpers a big bone. There's still going to be plenty ripped even at the current prices, and if they have to clearance some of it out at the end, so be it.

I don't necessarily agree on this product specifically. It seems like just about every flagship release post pandemic boom except maybe 21 s2 has had one or two rookies considered top flight prospects at the time - i.e. at $400+ Black parallel value. It may sell well the 1st week but people will be less excited when they see Nolan Jones, Matt McClain and Eury Perez best cards come up well short of that and lose interest IMO.

I think if they hold firm on those prices and someone doesnt become a surprise MVP/CYA frontrunner these could drop like a rock by next summer or sit collecting dust with little interest.

[Jolten Joe]

Noticed BO dropped the price $5 already to $94.95 and $174.95

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by parkerj33

Here's some alarming insight...I was speaking with a long-time Topps employee and they were touting how excited they were about this year's update product because of all the "All-Star" content they were able to add. If they really believe that sort of content gets people excited about a product they are very misled.

Well, the reality is that due to a lack of innovation on the part of Topps/Fanatics, there is very little to get excited about in general when it comes to their products.

Most products follow pretty much the same formula (tons of low-value autos, endless color parallels that nobody really cares about, a few "case-hit" type SSP's, and a bunch of tired inserts).

Heck, this year Topps actually removed one of the coolest things about flagship (the HOFer SP/SSP's)...

The only thing to really get excited about is the rare occasion when Topps comes up with a cool design for a new product (Cosmic?), but even then the product is usually overpriced anyway.

Heck, what's the most innovative insert Topps has come up with recently? Anything?

[LVDan]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Heck, what's the most innovative insert Topps has come up with recently? Anything?

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[BBases31]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Well, the reality is that due to a lack of innovation on the part of Topps/Fanatics, there is very little to get excited about in general when it comes to their products.

There's only so much you can do to a card and no one seems to like when they add parallels. I think the way they could've kept some excitement is keeping a few sets limited and special. It would've done alot for the hobby if they kept Sapphire as limited as even 2019 to keep the specialness to it. Have an undisputed aspirational card for every player. They made alot of money expanding the brand but they also could've charged alot more for the product if they kept the print run limited. Their target market is not hobbyists though, it's the masses and any idea of keeping a product printed under real demand is probably going to be anything up to "let's not completely flood the market junk wax-style"

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by BBases31

There's only so much you can do to a card and no one seems to like when they add parallels.

Panini has managed to create literally hundreds of different well-designed inserts for it's basketball & football products (I collect affordable Stephen Curry inserts and have about 80-100 in my collection), as well as high-value SSP's like Kaboom, Color Blast, Downtown, etc.

Topps/Fanatics.....nada......

[Zauron]

Originally Posted by Jolten Joe

Noticed BO dropped the price $5 already to $94.95 and $174.95

Should've dropped by $50 to make it interesting enough to consider opening

Flagship should be dirt cheap.

[BBases31]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Panini has managed to create literally hundreds of different well-designed inserts

LOL. Yea the baseball crowd would love to have a Purple Disco Sparkle Prizm /36! Or an Elephant Sparkle Prizm /8! 99% of what Panini has created when it comes to inserts or parallels is trash

as well as high-value SSP's like Kaboom, Color Blast, Downtown, etc.

Kaboom and Downtown are garbage. They look ripped from a cheap comic book. Color Blast is nice

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by BBases31

99% of what Panini has created when it comes to inserts or parallels is trash

Kaboom and Downtown are garbage. They look ripped from a cheap comic book. Color Blast is nice

Then I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.....Panini's inserts/parallels are a lot better looking than anything Topps/Fanatics is putting out....

[tyrith]

The inserts in Prizm, Mosaic, and Optic are pretty much just generic hot garbage, IMO. Panini has some nice case hit inserts, although they are blasting their value into the ground, and the modern Downtowns just aren't as cool as the first year or two were. Most of Topps inserts are garbage too, but they've done some cool ones in Bowman (It Came for the League in particular) and Cosmic the last couple of years. To me, it's pretty much a draw - both have a bunch of trash and a few really nice ones.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Then I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.....Panini's inserts/parallels are a lot better looking than anything Topps/Fanatics is putting out....

I prefer these types of parallel/inserts to what panini is offering. I just wish Topps would make more of these as parallels instead of making them inserts and making the parallels a colored border with a pattern. (I know the green grass is a parallel, but the other two are inserts that look like parallels).

[rwperu34]

Originally Posted by notoriousrmb

That can be said for almost any product produced since 2019 - all prices are high and its not going to suddenly drop.

I don't disagree, there isn't a target top name to chase in this, but I can't say there has ever been a product lately where the general community was like "wow yeah that is priced perfectly!"

This is the new Fanatics normal.

2022 Logofractor.

[Americards]

Originally Posted by DylanPowers92

Forgive me if this has been mentioned but has anyone noticed how Topps is shrinkflating this product? Here is what I mean for retail:

Hanger boxes are now 59 cards versus 67 last year and 72 in previous years before

Display boxes are now 20 packs instead of the usual 24 packs

Blaster and retail box packs are now 12 cards versus 14 cards as in years past

But prices are the same as they have been. Not good


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Hobby boxes are also 20 packs with 12 cards unlike Series 2

[Hockey24xx]

Originally Posted by Americards

Hobby boxes are also 20 packs with 12 cards unlike Series 2

Wow, almost 100 less cards per hobby box. That's nearly 1/3 less cards. I had not noticed this, thanks for pointing it out.

[Bunny Hop]

Originally Posted by Hockey24xx

Wow, almost 100 less cards per hobby box. That's nearly 1/3 less cards. I had not noticed this, thanks for pointing it out.

Yeah that's pretty bogus. Flagship was all I was buying this year but I guess Topps talked me out of Update (at least at release day prices).

[Americards]

Originally Posted by Hockey24xx

Wow, almost 100 less cards per hobby box. That's nearly 1/3 less cards. I had not noticed this, thanks for pointing it out.

Originally Posted by Bunny Hop

Yeah that's pretty bogus. Flagship was all I was buying this year but I guess Topps talked me out of Update (at least at release day prices).

But the sales sheet says 24 packs per box (but does have the disclaimer)

[LVDan]

They should've waited until Jassson's flagship RC logo card series to shrink the number of cards per box. Or Holliday or some other top chase rookie..
Doing it in an Update series without any big rookie headliners just increases the odds of very few people digging in to rip IMO.