We are being starved!!

[Muzza]

Just a thought during this painful NRL off-season. Collectors in this country are being starved and NRL is suffering most.

Browsing through Cardzone catalogues you can see that AFL is the predominant sport in the trading card world. Cricket has been abandoned (strange, as it is our national sport), A-League is covered on a casual basis and what's left? No NBL or motor-sport or squat!

NRL has had two releases most years, and the product has been hit and miss. Now we have a new manufacturer and their first release IMO was rubbish, but I do expect improvement. Not gunna dig this up again so the rant continues.

Recently I have been indulging in NFL, part serious interest, part withdrawal from NRL. My point is (sorry it took so long coming) the amount of product available (and the incredible standard) in the US for a huge variety of sports is overwhelming, while we wait for months at a time for a mostly sub-par release that satisfies very few.

Is the market for sports cards in this country so minimal that we are fed these scraps that we devour rabidly, or should there be a much wider product of higher standard that would sell simply because there are enough people willing to buy. Are there???

Where are we at???

 

[Matt26]

Give it about 2-3 weeks and the new preview of ESP's traders release (think champions) will be out.

There will be a few releases next year so we will have to see how things pan out. I will say that I'm feeling a bit the same, even the NBA stuff is a bit slow at the moment and been checking out some baseball and NFL cards!

Cheers
Matt

 

[shane_sharks]

Give it about 2-3 weeks and the new preview of ESP's traders release (think champions) will be out.

There will be a few releases next year so we will have to see how things pan out. I will say that I'm feeling a bit the same, even the NBA stuff is a bit slow at the moment and been checking out some baseball and NFL cards!

Cheers
Matt

any updates matt?

 

[Lazlow]

AFL Future Force was a nice little stop gap between Hockey seasons, but thanks to the continuing lockout its hard to get excited about the 12/13 releases.

Do wish there was a bit more choice from the domestic market, not just in the number of releases but the range of sports covered. But then there might be some concern about flooding the market and devaluing cards. I know I'm sometimes surprised at the low value of some of the hockey cards I pull.

 

[1967Sharks]

I actually like the gaps. Gives me a bit of time to focus on other collections.

 

[Matt26]

Terry from ESP said he will be sending out the Nrl traders previews in the next week or so.

He mentioned he has just got back from China.

Cheers
Matt

 

[ooneil]

Sending them to who??

 

[Matt26]

Sending them to who??

Said he will send one to me when they are finalised....assume they will go to all distributors at the same time? If I get it early, ill post it here.

 

[ooneil]

Cool - i thought there may have been a mailing list like Select have with their promo cards.

 

[1967Sharks]

Cool - i thought there may have been a mailing list like Select have with their promo cards.

It seems like you are out of the loop.....You're not the only one.

 

[1967Sharks]

Finally Select almost get it right with Dynasty and now we have to start back at square one with ESP.
Im not that pumped tbh.

 

[#1 Eels fan]

Finally Select almost get it right with Dynasty and now we have to start back at square one with ESP.
Im not that pumped tbh.

i agree, i thought The Dynasty set was arguably their best and they give it away????
the 1st ESP set was innovative but the fact they were not numbered killed it

 

[Muzza]

Hmmm, haven't had to many questions answered but since the original post we now have a cricket release coming up soon and some news on NRL. So that's all good (no sarcasm intended, that really is GOOD). This cricket release has a good look to it and I really hope for all our sake, that ESP come up with the goods in 2013.

 

[ooneil]

i agree, i thought The Dynasty set was arguably their best and they give it away????
the 1st ESP set was innovative but the fact they were not numbered killed it

The funny thing is that Select went all out on Dynasty because they were worried about the ESP release coming out a couple weeks after and it eating into their sales.

And then Dynasty was so good that it put people off buying ESP (like me) because everyone wanted to hit BLL's (and still does).

Ohhhh the irony!!!

 

[footypugs2011]

Yeah but if ESP did a better release then we would be still trying to chase them. At 18 packets a box at $180 a box is a joke.

If they do that next year I not be buying any trading cards.

 

[#1 Eels fan]

yeah i think i will just buy what i need instead of the Case/Box

 

[Muzza]

I bought a base set and folder for the first ESP release and nothing more. They need to show me something much more appealing if I'm gunna get on board for more.

 

[footypugs2011]

Yeah the newsagent had the folders so i got one and just a kept a base set to get signed next year. But will see what they released first then decide.

 

[League Hub]

Certainly hope ESP do pull up their socks.

Regarding the break between releases, a bit of time is actually appreciated to be able to fill other gaps in the collection!

 

[Diggaz TC]

Well ESP have mentioned 4-5 different series next year. Select have introduced a nice little Future Force AFL series to take AFL to 3 series a year (plus Teamcoach i guess??). Select made some Aussie Baseball cards available last month. SEP is releasing the Cricket series next week......so it looks like the Aussie releases are growing.

Like everyone else, i do hope ESP adjust to all the positive ideas and feedback they received. I also hope Select don't butcher the Future Force series next year because it sold so well by pumping up the price, they are cards of u18 kids with no AFL team at the time of signing after all.