Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Is Panini Buying Donruss?

Well, looks like the football market just changed considerably. I dont have a legit source yet, but it is expected today that Panini will announce the acquisition of Donruss. If this is the case, the NBA card line should get a major boost with the facilities to produce both NBA cards, MLB cards, and NFL cards in the US. Up until now, it was pretty much expected that the NBA cards that Panini is producing would suck beyond belief.

If the announcement comes some time today or tomorrow, that idea goes out the window. Everything is fair game with the ability to continue to make the typical cards, as well as being able to cater to the people who collect high end basketball. That is probably the biggest problem I see that would be solved with this purchase of DLP. Basketball is pretty much a high end sport because of the international ties, and the way that people collect the players. Exquisite has a cult following of people all over the world, and it shows on eBay. When Panini bought the license, I saw the basketball card industry wither and die. Im not sure if that is the case anymore.

As for the football part of the hobby, I think I am done with Panini as a card brand unless there is something major to move me. I just dont see National Treasures being the same without DLP at the helm. If DLP continues to put their name on it and remains in power creatively, this could turn into a huge boost for a company that was slowly losing its grip on football.

I know I was hoping for DLP to get their baseball license back after the success of Prime Cuts this year, and with new ownership, it becomes a slightly better chance that it will happen. However, I think its still a longshot.

Overall, this couldnt be better for the industry, and promotes DLP's involvement in the hobby as much more likely to flourish with more money behind them. As always, time is the only true test of a company's staying power, but we will see what kind of chops they have if this goes down as expected.

Here is a very interesting look at the deal.

Posted by Gellman at 11:22 AM
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23 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 8:46 AM

    Um, I believe I called this weekd ago and was met with mocking disdain...

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  2. Wax HeavenMarch 10, 2009 at 8:49 AM

    If it's true... how many times has Donruss been bought by another company? Nothing about Donruss/Panini screams stable. I'd rather stick with Upper Deck & Topps.

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  3. GellmanMarch 10, 2009 at 8:55 AM

    Well, fead, looks like the mocking disdain was not in order.

    Mario, I completely agree.

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  4. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 9:11 AM

    Panini should be great as long as they don't hire all the morons who ran UD into the ground. They have a huge market and the cash to do things right. Let's hope it happens...

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  5. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 9:30 AM

    It would make much more sense for them to buy UD than donruss.

    Both companies are very much for sale.

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  6. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 9:50 AM

    The gamers are clearing out their desks now ann powell is gone,,,good ridence......ud lost yugio.... the nba...rumor has it baseball too!!! ...topps is being run by the sklar brothers and their product suck,,,,,panini is everyones only hope

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  7. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 9:53 AM

    Topps makes SOME good product. Bowman draft and sterling gets my attention every year.

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  8. Wax HeavenMarch 10, 2009 at 9:59 AM

    Topps' product is great, UD is hit and miss.

    You are way too jaded.

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  9. GellmanMarch 10, 2009 at 10:03 AM

    Topps Sterling? Ugh, dont get me started on that.

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  10. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 10:05 AM

    Topps sterling had a lot of things to like in it. Every product has cons.

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  11. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 10:06 AM

    and gellman, i was referring to Bowman Sterling.


    Although personally I think topps sterling had a lot to like.

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  12. GellmanMarch 10, 2009 at 10:09 AM

    My bad, though I completely disagree on Topps Sterling having a lot to like. Thats another post all together. Just search it at the top to see how I feel.

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  13. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 10:28 AM

    Lol, Adam, I am well aware about your feelings about topps sterling. I disagree, no harm in that right? :-)

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  14. GellmanMarch 10, 2009 at 10:30 AM

    Dude, you can think whatever you want. However, I will make fun of you, of course. Sorry, those are the rules.

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  15. DaveMarch 10, 2009 at 10:31 AM

    Wow, this would be huge news. Sports Card File was reporting last week that Panini might buy Upper Deck. I guess that's out the window now.

    This might be a good thing IF the creative people at DLP are retained. Topps was bought by Eisner in 2007, but they're still Topps. I wonder if Donruss-Playoff will keep the same name. They might as well just become "Donruss" to make it easier.

    I also hope that the possible new management of the company helps them to get a MLB license again. It should be very interesting to see how this all plays out.

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  16. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 10:38 AM

    I am no stranger to being made fun of, fire away!

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  17. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 1:50 PM

    This could really change my football collecting. (Meaning I might have a lot more cash if Donruss sucks it up now)

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  18. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 2:21 PM

    your source (probably Judd)was correct.

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  19. AlexMarch 10, 2009 at 4:16 PM

    "Up until now, it was pretty much expected that the NBA cards that Panini is producing would suck beyond belief."

    Really? I know I and others didn't think that. Of course, maybe that's because I'm not a bigot who thinks that only my country can make good things, while foreigners can't make anything good.

    Of course, as someone rightly pointed out, you and Mario constantly whinge about the products Upper Deck and Topps put out, so what would make you happy? You could pull an Exquisite 1/1 Adrian Peterson Autographed, multi-coloured patch out of a pack Gellman, and I suspect that you would still whinge and whine about that.

    Until we see the product that Panini puts out, let's give them the benefit of the doubt, especially given much of the crap that Upper Deck and Topps put out on a regular basis. I mean, can it be any worse than Upper Deck SP Chirography or Topps Progression?

    Or is this post an attempt to suck up to Upper Deck and Gregg in the hope that he will return your calls instead of ignoring them like they are from a girl he went out on a date with who he doesn't want to see any more?

    Seriously, until we see what Panini puts out, we don't know whether it will be great like National Treasures (I'm sorry, Exquisite is the second most over-rated product on the market, right after SP authentic) or crap like SP Chirography. Until then, it makes sense to not do a chicken little and proclaim that the sky is falling.

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  20. GellmanMarch 10, 2009 at 4:36 PM

    Whoa, that is a lot of hostility there. Usually that's my job, haha.

    Well, to your comment, I think that a lot of people think that Panini in the NBA market would be extreme suckage for US collectors. I think that its one of the toughest card markets to do well in because the collectors only like very particular things.

    As for my whining, I think its pretty stupid that there is so much going on to whine about. However, I really do think this is a good thing for the industry, the hobby, and the collectors of DLP stuff. I think without Panini, Donruss would be in the toilet before the end of 2009. Thats why this is a good situation for them. Plus it helps out the NBA because they wont have to set up US distribution. Dont get me wrong, I support this.

    As for my relationship with Gregg, it sucks that he hasnt returned my emails, but I have a feeling there is way too much going for him to worry about me.

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  21. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 5:16 PM

    I think paninis are great! I like mine grilled, with pesto, artichoke and prosciutto. They're "tops" with me, so take a "bow, man" because you've reached the "Upper Deck" of sandwiches!
    ha ha ha LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

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  22. AnonymousMarch 11, 2009 at 3:51 PM

    If Panini would vow to never use sticker autographs then they would already be half way to impressing me. Sticker autos are an abomination to the hobby. I disagree that NT is better than Exquisite based solely on the fact that NT still uses stickers. Matt Ryan 1/1 Patch Auto on a sticker...what a terrible mix of awesomeness and suckiness. Many of the NT autos are on-card but they need to cut the stickers completely.

    Kudos to UD for going stickerless on SPA, Ultimate, and Exquisite. On the other I hand I regret to this day breaking SP Chirography Football. I think I'm a high-end collector by default, because if a product has sticker autos I'd rather not break it.

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  23. AnonymousMarch 25, 2009 at 8:44 AM

    Hello there, im posting this article i wrote for the website of my hobby store here in Spain about Panini new ACB (spanish basketball Association) Basketball trading card collection. You can check there i scanned some pictures and added a paragraph in English because im a fellow collector as well and i thought this can help . If you feel this is kinda spam-ish, just admin pls delete :-) But my website is not up and running really yet (only the huge Magic section) so im not really selling anything, just want to share with the world our local info. Regards, and chek the link:

    http://www.top8.es/index.php?action=fullnews&id=57

    Pau

    ReplyDelete

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