2015 NFL Rookie Premiere: Things to Watch For This Week

Starting today and getting going tomorrow through Saturday, the top rookies of the year will be in Los Angeles for one of the biggest events of the football card year. For the list of players attending, here is my post from yesterday. Now that we know who will be there, there are a LOT of things that will be going down. Here are some of the things I am most looking forward to seeing.

Player Autograph Quality

The Rookie Premiere is a time where autograph content has almost become more important than taking the pictures for the cards. Each of the rookies will sign over 2500-3000 autographs in a weekend, some even more than that. As a result, we will get to see how much they decide to adjust their autographs to relieve some of the pressure of having to sign so many cards. From what I have gathered, not every rookie is excited about getting a million cards to sign put in front of them, but almost all of them find a way to get it done. Pretty remarkable in a lot of ways.

As mentioned earlier, some of the players have already started to shorten their signatures:

2015 Contenders Draft Picks Todd Gurley Auto Ticket

2015 Leaf Clear Melvin Gordon Auto Acetate

2015 Topps Inception Previews

Every year, there are a few products that are based on content received almost exclusively at the rookie premiere. In my opinion, Inception is at the top of that list, and I am beyond sad that this is likely the last year it will be in production in the same format. It has made a name for itself since 2011 with extremely high end on card content at a point in the year where the competition is just getting the ball rolling. Player collectors go nuts over the inscriptions (as do I), and it looks like there will be a big focus on generating unique content again this year. Cant wait to see how it turns out.

Here are some of my favorites from 2014:

2014 Inception Blake Bortles Drawn Play Inscription Auto 1/1

2014 Inception Sammy Watkins Booklet Letter Auto

2014 Inception Johnny Manziel Inscription Auto /10

2015 Topps Previews

Unlike Panini, Topps has been really good at showcasing a lot of the cards that will be signed at the premiere. We know that Inception is a big part of it, but the ever popular rookie premiere autos and retro throwback cards are also a big deal. I would guess that this is a time where Topps is going to do their best to set their early products up for success, and I cannot wait to see what they have in store. Being that this will be their last rodeo in a lot of ways, going to be interesting to see if they pull out all the stops.

2015 Panini Previews

Here is the thing. We know relatively nothing about Panini’s offerings at the event, and that really doesnt do much for people who are curious about what is going to be displayed. Im guessing there will be on card elements to Elite and Prestige, but Panini has weird obsessions with having players sign those stupid manu-patch autographs and oversized versions of their ugly Score cards. Last year’s Elite product was easily one of the best of the run, and I am interested to see if they can recreate the lightning in a bottle, or if we are going to see them fuck it up like they have so many times in the past.

Will Panini College Products Be A Focus?

We already know that they didnt really put as much work into Contenders as they should have, rehashing old designs and using sticker autos. Prizm is a bit of a different story, but we havent seen it in real life yet – only mockups. So, it goes without question that Panini is going to want to take their new toy and exploit it like a kid in a sweatshop, thus peaking my interest. Just how far will they go with it? From what we have seen so far, decision making on strengthening brands hasnt exactly been one of their strong suits.

How Much Will Collectors Respond to This Class?

The Premiere is really the first time we get to see the rookies on stage. Last year’s class was front and center, and during this event, they really looked like they were primed for the spotlight. In previous years like 2013, the buzz was almost non-existent. Curious to see how collectors react, and what this might mean for the upcoming NFL card year.

Will Topps Go Out With a Bang?

This is THE question I am looking forward to seeing answered over the course of the year. Topps has been in football for decades and decades. It was the brand I collected when I was a kid, and the same for my dad. To think that Topps is losing the ability to produce NFL licensed trading cards is so depressing that I think this industry will be impacted more than people think. With that in mind, im curious to see if they use this event as the start of their locomotive that will barrel down the track in 2015, or if they are not going to answer the bell for the final round. From previews we have already seen this year, looks like they are not going to go down without a fight.

Collector Reaction to the Event Used Jerseys

Each time the Rookie Premiere rolls around, there are a group of people who pull back the curtain and see what really goes on with the player worn material that is obtained at this event. Yes, we know that the players only wear the jerseys for less than a second, as it has been well documented. It is shocking that there are still people that are part of the online community that have no idea how a rookie jersey is obtained for their card released in July, despite the fact that they havent played in a real game yet? Here is the thing. Game used jerseys are a hot commodity for every player, ESPECIALLY rookies. Some teams dont use more than a few game used jerseys all year. Considering that the NFL has programs to resell the jerseys, as do the teams themselves, that doesnt leave much left for the collectors and the card companies to fight over. Therefore, if you want a patch card of your favorite rookie, the premiere is a necessary method to the madness.

Now, for me, I dont buy event used cards unless there is an autograph on it. Its my policy. I also put very little value in patch colors or logo patches, except for certain circumstances. Other people dont feel the same way. They dont care that the jersey is only worn for less than 5 seconds, and will assign enormous value to a card based on patch content. Whatever floats your boat, as long as you are aware of the methods. Bottom line, I actually like that Mark Ingram picture, because it means he wore the jerseys for a significant amount of time. Not like others who just put the collar over their head and take it right off (yes, that’s what really happens).

Pretty much, if you enjoy event used jerseys because they are player worn, like sausages, best to avoid watch them being made.

This weekend is going to be a treat. Its going to be fun, and there will be lots of action. Follow me @SCUncensored, as I will be following along very closely and adding comments to what is posted from the manufacturers all weekend.

Update: 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Previews

I thought that there was a huge opportunity to do some major damage in draft sets for Panini, especially with Upper Deck being forced out of the college game. Its an exclusive that may not make them a bunch of money, but it could bring more people to their products if used correctly. Instead of using retouched photos like their competition will have to use, they get the full breadth of the spectrum, including non-rookie players. Now that we are getting more of a clear look at their flagship product, its safe to say that they fucked up big time.

We knew early on that Prizm was going to be stickers. Its par for the course with that set anyways. We also knew that Contenders was going to have stickers for the older players – which has always been the way Upper Deck approached this part of the year as well.

To this point, in order to compete with other companies, they needed to match the success of these on card examples:

2015 Upper Deck Inscriptions Jameis Winston Auto RC

2015 Upper Deck Inscriptions Marcus Mariota Auto RC

2015 Leaf Ultimate Draft Amari Cooper Red Auto /5

2015 Leaf Metal Draft Melvin Gordon Red Refractor /5

Even though other smaller sets have featured some really nice cards, Panini did not change course on their publicity. They refused to address whether or not the rest of the rookie stuff would be on card to compete with the other companies who have already put out some pretty awesome stuff. Today, it looks like Contenders is going to be stickers as well as Prizm.

So, lets lay it out there:

  • New license
  • New opportunities
  • Old design?
  • Sticker autos?
  • Competition looks better?

How do you not put your best foot forward in this situation? How do you not want to start your brand off right? This is an exclusive license that could add some flavor to your products in the coming years and instead of going balls out, you want to use an old design and sticker autos? Cmon. Really?

I mean, Upper Deck's Inscriptions product will lay waste to this shit, and Leaf Trinity is going to make both look like inferior turds. It has been a great looking product for years. If your competitors and their tiny operations are going to make you look like bush league amateurs, that is not the way to start your line. If the license’s start date puts a limitation on the way your products can be built, adjust your calendar or dont risk the biggest brand in your arsenal. Horrible decision making.

Personally, I would say Elite Extra Edition is ripe for this territory. Its a new brand for football, it doesnt damage other brands if it tanks, and Elite Football can be pushed back to allow for a buffer zone. I dont get Panini’s plan here one single bit.

If you are looking for a draft product to buy, I would highly suggest Upper Deck Inscriptions or Leaf Ultimate Draft. Both have great looking cards with on card autographs. Dont waste your time and money on a set that offers nothing special. In less than 2 months, there will be pro products on the shelves, and college stuff will drop. If you have to open something, at least find a box that offers unique content. Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota will have THOUSANDS of sticker autos all year. These ones from Contenders and Prizm wont even make the top 100.

On the Radar: More Info on Contenders Draft Picks Football

Despite the fact that Contenders has produced some of the worst looking modern cards I can think of, it has a legacy as the first product to really focus on RC autos. Collectors have a nostalgia attached to the product, and Panini has already taken the opportunity to exploit that legacy for the first product of its NCAA exclusive.

Yesterday at the Panini adver-talk at the Industry Summit, they previewed some of the cards from the upcoming product. To say I was shocked by their decision making is something that should not come as a surprise. Not only did they decide NOT to create a new design for the set, but they chose to go with stickers from what it looks like. This is after Upper Deck had already released a stellar product in UD Inscriptions that was live before the summit began.

Check out these UD cards:

2015 Upper Deck Inscriptions Jameis Winston Auto RC

2015 Upper Deck Inscriptions Marcus Mariota Auto RC

Compare to what the Contenders mock ups look like, at what seems to be an identical price point:

panini-america-2015-contenders-draft-picks-football-season-ticket-preview-9panini-america-2015-contenders-draft-picks-football-season-ticket-preview-41Capture

In my opinion, Panini has lofty standards to meet when releasing pre-draft products while competing against companies that offer nothing but on card autographs. Seeing that this product could potentially be stickers for the rookies is a disaster. Secondly, they could have made a statement by creating a bold new look for the first of many NCAA collegiate based products, but instead they pooped out a retread of one of their ugliest versions of Contenders to date. Someone (or many of the people) at Panini just doesnt fucking get it.

We already saw some incredible work from Upper Deck and Leaf with their first products of the 2015 draft class, and we havent even seen previews from 2015 Trinity yet. To see that Panini isnt taking this seriously is a slap in the face to all the collectors who loved Upper Deck’s college products over the last five years.

For the umpteenth time, Panini has used daddy’s money to bully their way into an exclusive they didnt deserve, which only hurts collectors in the process. I hate exclusives, but at least if you make the best products and get it, its better than making inferior products and receiving the reward. Panini’s stuff is already looking like a watery pile of shit, and its only going to get worse when their NFL exclusive kicks in before the 2016 season.

Hopefully they can get some butter to lube up the opening, so that someone can forcefully remove their heads from their own asses. Im guessing that will be someone from UD or Topps that they can lure away to design better looking cards, and not make horrible decisions in regards to the company’s most important brands.
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