In my opinion Topps is getting a little big for it's britches. Putting out an insert set in 2018 depicting their own "print as needed" Topps Now best sellers is the last straw. Pat yourself on the back on your own time, don't waste a spot in my pack for a card of a card you suckered people into buying. I know how big of a deal licensing has become and many people don't give unlicensed product the time of day. I don't think that is the other companies faults 100% and they put out some great looking cards even without logos. Here are two moves I would make if I controlled Donruss to give the company a little shot in the arm and take a shot at Topps.
1. I would make up mock teams to fill in for the lack of licensing. The Detroit Kittens, Kansas City Princesses, New York Federals and Suburbans in the NL. I would create logos of these made up teams to fill in the blank spots until I got a license agreement. I would sell hats, jerseys and shirts of these fake teams too. This is probably illegal in a million ways so as soon as the lawsuits came flooding in like TTM requests in spring training, I would start selling ad spots where logos should be.
2. Topps likes to "celebrate" its own designs from the past every single year. This year the 1983 design is being shoved down our throats with so many variations its not even worth collecting, I just trade them for junk wax.
If I was Donruss I would make a set called Donruss Deja Vu. This set would use the design of the most overproduced, most nostalgic, and least valued set of all time: 1990 Donruss.
Instead of making countless numbered and variations I would reproduce the errors from the original set. Aaron Judge would have a reversed negative picture like the Juan Gonzalez card from '90. Justin Verlander would have a King of Kings diamond king card like Nolan Ryan with all the error variations. Garrett Cole's picture would be on Lance McCullers's card like the Glavine/Smoltz error from '90. The MVP cards and the Diamond Kings inserts would be there along with the Rated Rookie set. There would have to be a puzzle so I guess it should be....Jim Thome in an Indians uni.
I like your ideas... especially the Thome puzzle. I wonder if they ever decided to evertedo another puzzle if it would become more of a collector's item than the Yaz puzzle. I have plenty of those pieces being used as box fillers.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if your mock team names would fall under parody, a la Topps' own Garbage Pail Kids?
ReplyDeleteEven without a license, some major consumer brands should bring back cards. Post cereal didn't use the logos in the late 80's/early 90's. Denny's used Upper Deck and later Pinnacle, though they both had licenses at the time. With the tricky visuals on those old hologram cards (or even Sportflics), I might not even notice a lack of logo. While its not the best option, its also not necessarily a death knell with a good design.