Day #4 At The NSCC
In Baltimore, MD

Saturday August 4, 2012

• #NSCC Hashtag Tweets

• @SportsCardNews

• @AllAboutCards

• @FieldLevelView

• @natsportsshow

NSCC Location: 1 W Pratt Street - Baltimore, MD 21201 - Google Map

According to the NSCC Official Website - The Saturday Show Hours Are 10am - 6pm EST

11:00 Rod Carew
11:30 John Havlicek
11:30 Barry Larkin
11:30 Brooks Robinson
11:45 Barry Sanders
12:00 Emmitt Smith
12:00 Reggie Jackson
12:00 Cal Ripken Jr.
12:15 Carlton Fisk
12:45 Earl Weaver
1:00 Rickey Henderson
1:30 Eddie Murray
2:15 George Starke
2:30 Jim Rice
2:45 Mike Hargrove (VIP)
3:00 Gordie Howe
3:15 Mariano Rivera
3:30 Randy White
3:45 Paul Blair (VIP)
3:45 Kevin Nash

- Cancelled Jim Palmer
- Cancelled Frank Robinson

Day #3 At The NSCC
In Baltimore, MD

Friday August 3, 2012

• #NSCC Hashtag Tweets

• @SportsCardNews

• @AllAboutCards

• @FieldLevelView

• @natsportsshow

• @Twitter List Of Attendees

NSCC Location: 1 W Pratt Street - Baltimore, MD 21201 - Google Map

According to the NSCC Official Website - The Friday Show Hours Are 10am - 6pm EST

11:00 AM Steve Largent
11:15 AM Wes Unseld
11:30 AM Steve Cauthen
12:00 PM Ton Turcotte
12:15 PM Jean Cruguet
12:30 PM Buster Douglas
12:30 PM Bruce Sutter
12:45 PM Elvin Hayes
12:45 PM Juan Marichal
1:00 PM Roy Jones Jr.
1:00 PM Ozzie Smith
1:30 PM Bob Gibson
1:45 PM Rod Woodson
2:00 PM Lou Brock
2:00 PM Jim Bunning
2:15 PM Jamal Lewis
2:30 PM Whitey Herzog
2:30 PM Milt Pappas (VIP)
3:00 PM Joe Washington
3:00 PM Bill Mazeroski
3:15 PM Dominique Wilkins
3:30 PM Al Bumbry (VIP)
3:30 PM Gary Payton
4:00 PM Ozzie Newsome
4:30 PM James Worthy

- Cancelled Red Schoendienst

Topps employees held a discussion with dealers but mostly collectors from around the industry at the 2012 National Sports Collectors Convention on Thursday. Ryan from Sports Card Radio attended the event, and tweeted lots of the topics that were discussed. A video of the event might be posted as well - but here are the Tweets from @SportsCardNews during the panel discussion with some added context/links.

Topps: Mark Sapir VP of sports opening presentation. (1)

Topps: we don't like redemptions. We call the agent of a player all the time to get signing session (2)

Sapir: how do u define the value when sending a 'replacement' card. (3)

Redemption extra hit? Don't think so says Sapir (4)

More we do on card (autographs) - harder to ship product on time

Topps: use Beckett and eBay to determine replacement cards. (3.1)

Topps: eBay more real time then Beckett value (3.2)

Topps: 3m stickers cost a lot.... That's why they don't use them

Topps: we try! (to get athletes to sign) We tweet athletes now to sign.

Topps: We deal with the agents. Not the athlete typically. (to get cards signed)

Topps: Minor league sets are tougher to make autograph content.

Topps: 2013 Topps Archives Baseball will include autos picked by collectors.

Topps: 2013 Archives Baseball will have different card stock

Topps: only a certain amount of products we can make. Need to maximize calander

Topps: we used to release unlimited sku's (Products) (5)

Topps: I go to @FCBsportscards (Forum) a lot

Topps: airbrush images are necessary at times

Series 2 we may have been lazy with Prince Fielder image... But its tough with timetable to release product

Topps: willow cove was made up. But Topps employee was at wedding in Willow Cove

Topps: depends on product to decide which cards to short print

Topps: We messed up the Tony Gwynn Sp card in 2012 Gypsy Queen.

Topps: The editor of 2012 Gypsy Queen. That was his 1st product he worked on

Topps: we don't release case print runs because its a business decision (6)

Topps: 5 star baseball is going to be a beautiful product (when it comes out later this year)

Topps: if we didn't put Bryce Harper in S2 we would have taken heat from collectors

Topps: we know people will be unhappy. But we have to make tough decisions on product content

Topps: when Bryce Harper got called up everyone had to work the weekend to get him in the sets.

Topps: we don't want to flood market w/ UFC Cards. Keep it at 3 releases

Topps: John F. Kennedy hair relic in 2012 Topps Allen & Ginter was bought from collector

Topps: we don't cut corners when it comes to authentication

Topps: no plans for factory set for new mini set.

Topps: we can't just do a Beatles card. (7)

But they would love to do Beatles set if $$$ is right

Topps: yes true story all those 52 Topps cards in Hudson river..... Where Lineage went. (8)

WWE cards are entertainment side. Don't ask any (sports) employee about that stuff

2012 Topps Olympic product. Luke warm sales at 1st

Topps got Olympic product done in short window. From license with USOC to pack out

Topps: value box big hits are not on purpose (9)

Topps: add value with wrapper redemption. S1 went well. Cost us a lot of $.

Topps: underestimated demand for Bowman wrapper redemption

Topps: case breakers sent in packs early. Ended up bring frustrating to collectors.
Threw out early wrappers that got sent in

Topps: hopefully we improve with wrapper redemptions in future

Topps: we have so many distribution channels its tough to regulate people who get product early (10)

Topps: Bowman Draft hard to sell at retail after season. That's why they made it hobby only (11)

Topps: Target Walmart can ship product back. Then gets destroyed (12)

Topps: moving forward less 4 players 'rookie cards' like in 2012 Heritage

Topps: we don't love that we run out of nscc wrapper redemption cards. We need a better way. Line for hour. Then we run out if cards (13)

Topps: always a chance at NHL license. We would love it

Topps: we'd love to be in every sport

Topps: process of getting feedback on Bowman TV ads from dealers. Initially good signs

Topps: hard to quantify TV ad success

Topps: look for a big Bowman set next year.

Topps: etopps is dead. Done. Finished

Topps: we don't like redemptions. We call the agent of a player all the time to get signing session
(2) As sports fans well know, agents will typically handle all marketing requests and endorsements for the athletes they represent. Some high profile athletes even have special "marketing agents" that only handle endorsements and do not get into the contract negotiations of that player. The leagues like the NBA and NFL limit the amount of money an agent can take from a player from a contract negotiation. But an agent with Sun West Sports told me that when they get a deal with Topps (or another card company) the agent can take "30-40%" of that compensation.

Sapir: how do u define the value when sending a 'replacement' card.
Topps: use Beckett and eBay to determine replacement cards.
Topps: eBay more real time then Beckett value
(3) This refers to when you pull a redemption card, and Topps will not be able to send you that card. Sapir was saying it's tricky to decide the card you will get as a replacement. Maybe the card you were waiting for was of your favorite player and you didn't care about eBay or Beckett value. You really wanted that card. So it's tough for Topps because they know collectors look at the hobby in different ways.

Day #2 At The NSCC In Baltimore

Thursday August 2, 2012

• #NSCC Hashtag Tweets

• @SportsCardNews

• @AllAboutCards

• @FieldLevelView

• @natsportsshow

• @Twitter List Of Attendees

NSCC Location: 1 W Pratt Street - Baltimore, MD 21201 - Google Map

According to the NSCC Official Website - The Thursday Show Hours Are 10am - 6pm EST

• 11:00 AM Roger Wehrli (VIP)
• 1:30 PM Dexter Manley (VIP)
• 2:00 PM Chris Hoiles (VIP)
• 2:15 PM Tom Matte (VIP)
• 2:30 PM Tippy Martinez (VIP)
• 3:00 PM Darryl Dawkins
• 4:00 PM Norm Snead