Try to imagine a 41-year-old rookie. Topps was exactly that last month in Atlanta at the National Sports Collectors Convention.
While Topps can`t be classified as a rookie in terms of trading-card manufacturing-the company began making baseball cards in 1951-it never had attended a national convention until this year.
More Top Picks Onewheel Gt
Corporate involvement in the hobby`s annual major show began in the late 1980s. Until this year, Topps and Donruss were two of the few major forces that didn`t participate.
”We waited until we thought the timing was right,” said Bob Ibach of Lesnik Public Relations in Northbrook, Topps` representatives. ”This year`s national was right. It gave Topps an opportunity to meet customers, see the competition and learn more about the hobby industry.”
Despite its first-time national status, Topps came through like the veteran it is. In product (primarily Stadium Club), personnel, presentation and public relations, Topps outclassed the rest. And its presence in Atlanta signaled that this veteran will be just as aggressive as its younger rivals.
The appearance also demonstrated a new openness at the Brooklyn-based company. In the past, Topps has deferred to its outside public relations agency when dealing with the media. At the national, President J. Langdon, among others, was personable, helpful and open.
The Topps brass all made it to Atlanta, led by Langdon, Administrative Vice President Bill O`Connor, Sales Vice President Ron Boyum, Director of Sports Phil Carter and Vice President of Sports/Licensing Sy Berger, who has been with Topps for 40 years.
Dealers and collectors flocked to the Topps booth to meet the nearly 25 Topps employees present.
Souvenir preproduction mini-sheets of Stadium Club football cards, Topps` upscale product, were given to dealers. Collectors and dealers were offered special sheets of 12 non-baseball personalities shown on baseball cards.
With its appearance, Topps made it clear why it has been an industry leader. It`s Match-the-Stats shopping spree gave the grand-prize winner five hours to buy $100,000 worth of Topps or Bowman cards at the national.
A former executive at M&M Mars candy who joined Topps in 1990, Langdon was positive about the sportscard industry.
”This is a great business and I see it continuing to grow,” Langdon said. ”I do see more product segmentation. People can`t collect everything. Tastes have evolved and people will collect specific things. It`s fun to be an expert in something.
”Manufacturers have to make products to appeal to various segments of the hobby. They have to be aware of the hobby dealers. Hobby dealers were, in much of the 1980s, the missionary. They had the cards. Now, all types of retail stores have cards. But you can`t go into a 7-11 or K mart and get knowledge (of cards).”
Langdon also understands that the people who pay his salary-Topps`
More Top Picks Best Wyze Camera Alternatives For Caregivers
customers-are vital.
”Consumers in every category are really smart about value for their dollar,” he said. ”They want the best possible products. Consumers see change in this industry. They`re sorting it out. They`ll buy what they like and what they feel is a good value.”
While Langdon was upbeat, he acknowledged a small slowdown in the industry. Several manufacturers are scaling down (Upper Deck has cut one of three shifts at its factory), and collectors aren`t spending as much on cards. ”People say the card business isn`t what it used to be,” Langdon said.
”I think it`s that retailers are going through a little decompression chamber. Retailers will just have to get smarter at merchandising the right product in the right way. As some of the planets come into alignment, there may be more growth. But we all have to be cautious. We have to work harder and we have to work smarter.”
– Ex-Blackhawk Grant Mulvey announced the issuing of Seasons Action Player Patches, a set of 70 NHL cloth card-like elements to be available in the fall. Mulvey says Philadelphia`s Eric Lindros will be included in the set.
– With the release of this year`s 400-card minor league set, Classic Best unveiled innovative packaging. Unlike most companies, whose wrappers are paper or foil, Classic has made a crush-proof box for each 12-card pack. The box, which has a flap that can be tucked in, is reuseable for storage.
– Fleer, recently bought by Marvel Comics, announced the purchase of minor-league manufacturer Pro Cards of Pottstown, Pa. This year`s Pro Cards are the first minor-league cards issued by a major manufacturer. Pro Cards is seven years old. Upper Deck said early this year that it would manufacture a minor-league series of cards. By buying Pro Cards, with 148 different team sets, Fleer beat Upper Deck to the marketplace.