Friday afternoon Upper Deck issued a statement outlining their plans to discontinue the practice of publishing Suggested Retail Pricing rates for their Trading Card Products.  The change will only effect Upper Deck Hobby Products, with MSRP remaining in effect for all Upper Deck retail card products

Chris Carlin, Upper Deck's Marketing Manager, was quoted in the statement as saying, "Upper Deck has made the decision to no longer publish a suggested retail price on hobby products.  Hobby shops have not been using Upper Deck’s suggested retail pricing, as they determine the pricing that works best in their store based on current market conditions, supply and demand. SRPs were removed from sales materials to hobby customers some time ago. Collectors interested in pricing on new Upper Deck products should continue to consult with their local hobby dealer."

Collectors Universe Inc., owners of the highly respected Authentication & Grading Company PSA Authentication, announced that the company's CEO, Michael Haynes, was forced to liquidate his company stock.  The company claims the sale was made by Haynes in order to meet some personal loan obligations.  Haynes sold 120,000 shares at $4.033 per share, and now has a little under 30,000 shares of the company's stock left in his portfolio.

In a statement released by the company late last week they said,“The recent turmoil in the financial markets — combined with an inability of Collectors Universe’s Chief Executive Officer, Michael Haynes to quickly access assets — triggered the need to sell Collectors Universe stock related to collateralized loans of Mr. Haynes.”

In the same press release Haynes stated that the stock sale was involuntary and related to his “personal planning objectives”and the current market situation. “This event is in no way a reflection of my perception of the company,” said Haynes.

Following the recent conviction of O.J. Simpson, Newsweek charged reporter Brian Braiker with the task of investigating the shady underbelly of the multi million dollar sports memorabilia industry.  Braiker turned to Bill Huggins, owner of the House of Cards memorabilia shop in Silver Spring, Maryland for the inside scoop.  Huggins is well known throughout the hobby for his high profile online memorabilia auctions.  Here are some highlights of Braiker's interview with Huggins:

NEWSWEEK: You may have heard that O.J. was convicted.

Bill Huggins: I watched the whole thing last night! Thomas Riccio [who set up the meeting between Simpson and the memorabilia dealers], I've known him for years. He's always been a little on the shady side. When I heard his name was involved in this thing, I knew something mysterious was going on. I don't know who the legal owner of this stuff is.

NEWSWEEK: Is there a very shady element to the sports memorabilia trading business?

Huggins: In relation to autographs and or counterfeit or reproduction cards being passed off as originals, absolutely.

NEWSWEEK: How much of your job involves sussing out what's real and what isn't?

Huggins: We're a big auction company and all of our autographs and cards go through major third-party authentication before they reach our catalogue. It's hard to tell some guy that, gosh, he has had this card in his family for 40 years and the story that dad and grandpa have been telling him just isn't right. It's tough sometimes.

NEWSWEEK: How much sports memorabilia is owned by the players themselves typically?

Huggins: It's up to them, how much they keep and how much they sell. Back when O.J. was playing, they weren't changing uniforms every 10 minutes-or every inning in baseball or every timeout in basketball-so they would be truly "game used."

NEWSWEEK: Do they do that? Change uniforms a lot so they can sell them?

Huggins: Cal Ripken, when he was doing the streak, was changing jerseys every inning. Changing socks, changing bats, changing hats. They literally had a wardrobe ready for him so they could say, "Hey this jersey was worn by Cal Ripken in a major league game when he was approaching the end of the streak." A lot of it comes down to meeting demand. A lot of guys have this phobia where they don't want to sign, they don't want their stuff out there. If there's no supply and big demand, guess what: somebody's going to fill that supply with bogus stuff.

NEWSWEEK: What's the demand for O.J. memorabilia today?

Huggins: Very little.

What's a rookie card worth?

Huggins: Book value, it would probably list for $75 or $100. I don't know anybody who's collecting O.J. memorabilia right now. If they're buying an O.J. Simpson card, it's to fill a set and he is classified as "another card I need," rather than the "O.J. rookie card that I need."

NEWSWEEK: So why would he go to such lengths to get his stuff back?

Huggins: If you ask me: bad advice, or he made a horribly bad decision. How dumb can he be? I just don't get it. Especially with his past, you would think this guy would be squeaky clean for the rest of his life. Go get a U.S. Marshal if you have the rights to this stuff. Go get the state police.

NEWSWEEK: You go to a lot of trade shows. Have you seen him make an appearance?

Huggins: We were at the national convention in Chicago two years ago. All of a sudden there was a buzz: O.J. Simpson was in the room. From what I understand he walked in with his little entourage, set up at a table, and they were signing autographs and taking money!  The show promoter found out about it, got some security and ordered him out of the building. All he did was walk across the street to the Embassy Suites hotel where I was staying. And they set him up in there and there was a line there for a couple of hours-people paying money to get his autograph.

Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner has some big plans for The Topps Company and they go beyond cards and collectibles. Eisner, whose Tornante Company, along with Madison Dearborn Partners, finalized a $385 million purchase of Topps last October after winning a year long legal battle with Upper Deck.  Eisner sees the Internet as the future of entertainment and seeks to turn Topps into multimedia giant complete with movies, series, and more.

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Eisner talked about his plans for Topps.  Here are some of the highlights:

AP: What inspired your interest in Topps?

Eisner: It's a 60-some-odd, 70-year-old company with a great heritage and brand that ... elicits a Pavlovian reaction as Coca-Cola or Disney or other well-known brands do — in this case a fond feeling for sports and childhood and collecting cards. I thought there was an opportunity to turn it into a media company that grows out of sports and into wider things.

AP: Where does this series [Back On Topps] fit into the transformation of Topps?

Eisner: This is the first video, big-time Topps production. And there will be more to come on the Internet, on television, theatrical movies, documentaries, whatever. It's the beginning, a small step in turning Topps into a media company. But it's also very much part of the strategy that (my company) Vuguru has, which is to show and to prove that the Internet is not just user-generated video. It's not just repurposed short pieces from network television ... This is the new world. This is the world of mobile entertainment, Internet entertainment and the like.

AP: So the Web is your new focus.

Eisner: I like the idea of trying things that are new. It's fun trying to be innovative. You fail, you succeed. If you fail, you get up and start over again. Not only is the individual product interesting, which it always is for me, whatever medium you do, but the medium is interesting. I've been there, done television and motion pictures and cable, and the products are interesting on those platforms. But I've done the platform, and this is a new platform.

The rest of the interview can be found on the Associated Press' Website.

Tristar announced late Monday that their corporate office in Houston, Texas has officially returned to full operation.  The Memorabilia Company's epicenter had been shut down for two weeks and had been without electricity as a result of Hurricane Ike.

Tristar released the following statement ,"We want to thank you for your patience, understanding, concern and support, and we are happy to let you know that we are now once again open during our business hours of 9 AM-6 PM CT. If you have any questions, please contact TRISTAR. Thank you!"

Early Thursday Morning TrackBets International, a media company that specializes in the Brazilian horse racing industry, announced their intentions to enter the $2.5 billion per year sports memorabilia industry.  They are actively pursuing the purchase of an United States Sports Memorabilia Company, and have already found a handful of strong acquisition candidates.  Currently TrackBet's sole revenue stream comes from Brazilian wagering and simulcast, but they seem intent on changing that sooner rather then later.

TrackBet's President and CEO, John D. Samuel, had this to say about the company's future plans, "The retail sports collectible and memorabilia concept is an ideal opportunity for TrackBets to cross-promote our future Brazilian gaming services and facilities, as well as diversify into the broader and congruent verticals within the sports and entertainment industry, here in the Unites States. Sports memorabilia has been a rapidly growing industry for the past decade and authenticity is crucial. An acquisition candidate with existing inventories, strong retail and online sales as well as distribution capabilities is ideal to improving our balance sheet for our shareholders. We are particularly impressed with some of the companies we have identified and plan to proceed with our due diligence in the near future."

This move could be the catalyst that propels the Sports Memorabilia Industry to the next level in terms of worldwide growth and proliferation.  Additional information on TrackBet's International can be found on their corporate website.

Forbes recently wrote an interesting article on the state of the Sports Collectibles Industry, which was prompted by the latest sale of a Honus Wagner T206 Tobacco Card.  The Sports Collectibles Market has progressively drawn more interest from the business news giant due to the continued growth and maturity of the industry, as well as the positive publicity that has resulted from high profile sales.  I've included an excerpt from one of their articles below:

Despite hitting its peak of popularity in the early '90s, when the card industry set a record with $1.1 billion in sales, baseball card collecting remains big business. One reason for the relative decline in sales is a simple example of supply and demand. There are so many companies producing cards, some loading their packs with hot players to satisfy the buyers' need for instant gratification, that they have diluted the cards' values.

Another reason for the decline in sales is a lack of ''heroes.'' Tarnished by tabloid tales of steroid abuse, unbecoming behavior and infidelity, many of today's top players lack the aura and mystique that surrounded so many of the greats of the last century.

Two pieces of Babe Ruth memorabilia are among the most expensive--and famous--pieces of baseball memorabilia ever sold at auction. The original 1919 contract selling Ruth to the New York Yankees from the Boston Red Sox, allegedly dropping the "curse of the Bambino" on the Sox, sold on eBay (nasdaq: EBAY - news - people ) for $996,000 in 2005. In December 2004, the bat Ruth used to hit the first home run at Yankee Stadium in the third inning of a game against his former team was sold by Sotheby's (nyse: BID - news - people ) for $1.265 million.

In the baseball card trade, collectors tastes vary, but Mickey Mantle's rookie card from 1952, the Topps Hank Aaron card from 1958, the 1971 Milk Duds Pete Rose card and the 1961 Post cereals Joe Cunningham card are eternal favorites.

They have an interesting take on the hobby.  It is certainly refreshing to see a major media outlet give our industry the respect it deserves.

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Donruss has announced that they they have signed high profile 1st rounder Gordon Beckham to an autograph deal.  The former Georgia Bulldog Superstar Shortstop is sure to be the main draw of their upcoming 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Baseball Card product line.  Donruss went out to say that Beckham will appear on the packaging of the eargerly anticipated 2008 product.

As part of the deal, Donruss also has obtained a Beckham game-used Georgia jersey worn during the 2008 season in which the Bulldogs reached the College World Series final before falling to Fresno State.

Gordon Beckham is currently a member of the Chicago White Sox, and figures to be a popular target for Prospecters for many years to come.

"Gordon Beckham is a perfect fit for Elite Extra Edition, and he's been a great guy to work with," says Donruss Brand Manager Ben Ecklar. "He's taken interest in the product, wanting to make sure we had everything we need."

Since Donruss has been unable to repurchase the rights they need in order to make MLB Licensed products, they have gotten is licensed by the Collegiate Licensing Company.

Anyone familiar with the trading card industry is at least somewhat familiar with Beckett Media.  Beckett has become synonymous with the hobby itself and their pricing is the standard by which most sellers and dealers price their cards.  Recently they went live with their highly publicized redesigned site.  The results were initially quite disastrous with collectors jumping ship in droves.  After the initial shock however, many collectors are jumping on the New Beckett.com Bandwagon.

Beckett has been scrambling to do damage control in an attempt to slow down the mass exodus of collectors headed to other forums and websites.  Their underlying message to customers is to give their redesigned website a chance before bad mouthing it and heading elsewhere.  The new features are numerous and are at the very least worth trying.  Technologically Challenged?  Can't figure out how to complete a trade or view the pricing on that brand new Jay Bruce RC Auto you just pulled?  No problem, just check out their virtual library of free video tutorials or post a message in one of their support forums.

The overall improvements made to their site are substantial and should be a catalyst for continued long term success as the hobby becomes more and more dependent on technology and the Internet.  Many collectors who initially scoffed at the Next Generation of Beckett.com are, upon closer inspection, using the site more then ever.  Regardless of how you feel about Beckett's overhall it will benefit the hobby long term.  The world is not getting any less dependent on technology or the Internet.  Industries that ignore this fact are destined for mediocrity, or even extinction.  The new Beckett Website is destined to introduce the hobby to legions of new collectors who would have otherwise never been exposed to the hobby.

Beckett recently wrote an informative post on their blog in which they wrote a controversial (but informative) analysis of the situation.  This is great reading for anyone effected by Beckett's new site - especially those collectors who remain skeptical, confused and/or bitter regarding the changes.  Here is an exerpt from the post, which can be found in it's entirety on Beckett Behind The Scenes:

1. Way too many people just got on the new site and started doing things without using the tutorials. This new site is a totally new CONCEPT, and it works, but you have to understand HOW to use it. This is not a revamped Beckett.com, and this is probably not like anything you have used before…anywhere. This new site is not hard to understand, but you can’t just start “fooling around” trying to use it and expect to be able to get anywhere. It’s not like anywhere people have ever been before (most of them).

Throw away all the methods you used to use. Stop asking where this or that is. Don’t look for a p

age of links anywhere. The “message boards” are gone. This is a new type of message board, one that is not exclusive…it is all-inclusive. It’s all gone. It’s all different. It’s all new. Asking where things are from the old site are pointless now, they are gone. You have to change your entire thinking process, and thankfully, adopting the new one is not hard–it is just different.

Just think that this is your very first time on Beckett.com, this is your very first time for everything here (well, there I mean).

Take the time to learn what it is, and how to do it, before you make a, “This sucks!” post.

Having said that, and this is terribly important, we understand completely that many people were not able to even do what I just said yesterday. There were issues nobody could have predicted that snowballed…a vicious cycle started.

How is one supposed to learn how to do something when there is no way to get to the teacher?

Our complete apologies on that, we know it was a mess! We are not hiding from it. It stunk (or “sucked” since we read that 200+ times), but it is at very least a good sign there are more folks in the hobby than anyone thought. (yes, that is 100% spin).

2. The price guides- they are there, they are everywhere. Everything has it’s own page–from top-level general pages (Baseball, Upper Deck, Football, Topps–on and on) all the way down to an individual player. The pricing is there. Take the time to watch the videos, ask the right questions, and you will “get it.” It is not at all a hard concept, if I can understand it, then a 3 year old can. After all, I am not known as the sharpest pencil in the box, but at least I am sharp enough to know that I am not.

Slow down and take the time to figure it out. Don’t just say something “sucks” because you don’t instantly understand it. I am probably the worst person in the world about that. When my daughter was coming, and right after she was born, I had to put together 453 things, and not once did I use the directions.

This web site is not like that. You have to slow down long enough to grasp the concept, and once you do I swear you will understand it.

With that, there is no way in heck I can say you will LIKE it.

That would be terribly arrogant and big-government-ish. However, understanding it is the key to explaining what it is you don’t like…not a post of “This sucks.”

Again, there is much I am writing today that may not apply directly to you. You may be one of the many who has given us rational feedback, and we are listening and sincerely thank you for it. However, I have to address everyone, and it’s often the “squeaky wheel” you have to aim at, and hope that the level-headed ones in the crowd don’t get offended.

We know about yesterday, no need to deny it, or hide it. It was quite confusing, even to some of us.

Everything on the site is integrated. You may only want to come to Beckett.com for one thing, but that entire concept is dead and gone. This is the wave of the future…eventually that is.

Everything fits together. Once people grasp that they will grasp everything. Long rows of links do not exist anymore.

The search bar is everything on the new Beckett.com. It’s too bad it “broke” yesterday, because when all that happened…chaos ensued amongst some folks. Some people were not bothered, they understood. For every “you suck,” (OK, maybe for every 5 of those) there was a note from another person about how they understood because they had been there (in another company obviously) before in a site launch and seen what can happen when something breaks.

The site works…but it sure didn’t yesterday afternoon. Making up your mind on a broken product is not helping anyone. It broke, we’re sorry, and we are fixing it.

3. Rumors: half-truths, spam and false information…trade fees.

Rumors are great. There is an entire industry devoted to rumors and half-truths–it’s called the mass media…not Beckett Media.

We dropped the ball on something and did not realize we were doing it due to all of the madness, messages and crashing.

Beckett Media is not in the business of the bait-and-switch. Eventually there will be fees to trade, we are not hiding that. We want you to try the trade tools while they are free. We want you to like them, and we want feedback on how to improve them.

Trading has long been confined to the message boards. Many people, for whatever reason, are hesitant to join a message board due to the often clannish behavior on them. It’s often hard for a “newb” (forgive me if that is not the current term, I am soooo 2005) to start up on message boards, and some people flat out hate talking (writing) at all.

That is not to say our boards were rough places at all. They were pretty darn civilized, and do not fit the overwhelming stereotype that so many message boards have. Also, older folks are still collectors, you darn kids out there cannot forget that. You may have grown up with that concept, but other people didn’t and are not comfortable with it.

We wanted everyone to trade, not just the message board people…everyone. Does that increase our revenue…you bet it does! More traders = more trades = more revenue –pretty simple concept.

The thing we missed, and not intentionally, was to say, “Trading is free UNTIL AT LEAST THE END OF 2008, please go try it out.”

Again, it was taken as a bait and switch, or a scam, or a trick…which it was not. We had no intention of starting to charge next week, or next month. To be completely honest, we are not sure it will happen Jan 1, 2009. It very well may not happen then, but for sure it will not happen before then.

We need the feedback. We want to improve on the trade function. We want to make it better. We cannot charge someone for something new if it does not work. We cannot have a certain group of members trading and nobody else.

So, go play with it, see what could be done better, and let us know about it. Please don’t say, “it sucks,” unless you can tell us WHY it sucks.

Message board traders, we know you don’t like the change…but try to look on the bright side…more people to trade with now…more interest = potential to grow the entire hobby…

*Gasp!* Does that mean more money for Beckett? Of course it does. This is a business. If you people could see my paycheck you would wonder why I’d work here–it’s called love. Plain and simple. The vast majority of the people here are here for that same reason.

That is the same reason many of YOU came to the boards on Beckett.com, you love the hobby. We love the hobby, too. I promise you that.

4. Deleted posts (goes with the #3 the rumors)

Has anyone noticed the same messages being repeated in all of our discussion boards? There are a few spammers from other forums trying to capture traffic–ignore them as you would any other spammer. Spammers are roughly the same people that try to sell you something during your dinner, or flood your email inbox with junk mail.

They are not helping the situation, and if everyone took the time to understand all of this new stuff, they would be driven out just as they are anywhere else. With that, we need to make sure that WE let people know that we are aware that not everyone talking about other sites is spamming, and we are not deleting peoples posts because they are saying things we don’t like, but we are deleting the spammers.

I say that because it would be impossible to deny that we are/have been/will be deleting posts. We are.

If there is cursing (another thing that broke was our cursing filter)-DELETED. If a post is spam-DELETED.

If a legit person makes a real and clean statement and got deleted, that was a mistake and sorry. However, I would venture to say 99.9% of it fit one of those two things. We are not here to hide things. If people hide things, then eventually they are found out and the problem is WAY worse than it would have been had the truth been told in the first place.

5. Collection Queue- It should not have taken this long.

You are right. It should not have. It’s taking a long time, and it’s not going to be fixed “right now.” The system is working through them, and will continue to do so, and we will keep doing all we can to help the process along. Be patient. If your stuff is not there (all of it) AND you show the transfer is done, then let us know. Flooding us with “how long” questions is only going to make you madder, and us more exhausted.

The information is there, it is just not moving very fast right now. Things just broke. This is a hardware issue, not a problem of the site, and we are doing all we can to get it hammered back into place.