2016 NRL Cards
- Thread starter Bronco79
- Start date
I think there is room for 2 major sets per year.
1 - Traders Type Release but at $3.00 a pack
2 - A high end limited set (similar to some of the higher end Basketball sets) aimed at group breakers (where there is still huge potential). Elite did ok in this space however the value in the product wasn't there and I think there was too much of it made.
Cut the production of Elite in half and have some really rare cards for people to chase.
1 - Traders Type Release but at $3.00 a pack
2 - A high end limited set (similar to some of the higher end Basketball sets) aimed at group breakers (where there is still huge potential). Elite did ok in this space however the value in the product wasn't there and I think there was too much of it made.
Cut the production of Elite in half and have some really rare cards for people to chase.
Michael Thomas
OzCardTrader
Whatever they decide is fine with me. My beef with ESP is they need to start putting player photos with their whole body similar to what Select and the old Scanlens cards had. The close-ups of each player are just so similar the cards are boring. Show me a player kicking the ball, fending or tackling. even the new TCM autograph cards show full body photos, C'mon ESP lift your game!!!
thenamesgould
OzCardTrader
Agreed, very boring looking cards the last few years.
Include the actual background to the photo, and have a bit more variation in pose than "player takes a hit up, photo number 4789b".
Michael Thomas
OzCardTrader
Agreed...lets hope someone who has connections with ESP pass on this feedback. It appears their focus is more on the style/layout instead of the actual photo of the player. Lets get some real action shots and I also agree that the actual background to the photos is important - they are all about bloody Photoshop these days. I would even like to see the players position added back on thee front of the cards.......oh the good old days of scanlens!!!
joeyhonson
OzCardTrader
If that is true then it will be 2016 Traders c
Don't laugh.....
warriors_man
OzCardTrader
I agree with you but I'm afraid a lot of rugby league collectors will not, bearing in mind the complaining about the amount of parallels and price of packs/boxes as it is....
In all seriousness though having one set would be the death knell for a hobby already on it's knees. Two sets per year, one low budget like Traders and then the Elite. Dispense with Power Play and as for the sets such as SOO winners and GF winners perhaps the former could have a redemption inserted into Traders for a set /500 and the GF winners in Elite /500.
Traders has been $4 since they started in 2013, the price won't go down and these aren't bad value for money.
The Elite however needs to come back down to $6 or $7 per packet (in line with AFL series 2) so it is not only better value for money but more affordable for the average collector. I would much rather quality over quantity, cut the Traders release from 25,000 boxes to 15,000 for a release and let the hobby recover. There are some good ideas and then plenty more floated by collectors on his site and other forums. If ESP listen I have no doubt they can create a superior product.
Traders has been $4 since they started in 2013, the price won't go down and these aren't bad value for money.
The Elite however needs to come back down to $6 or $7 per packet (in line with AFL series 2) so it is not only better value for money but more affordable for the average collector. I would much rather quality over quantity, cut the Traders release from 25,000 boxes to 15,000 for a release and let the hobby recover. There are some good ideas and then plenty more floated by collectors on his site and other forums. If ESP listen I have no doubt they can create a superior product.
That's why group breaks (like the ones Diggaz ran this year) went through the roof in popularity.
People couldn't afford (and didnt want to) to pay $9 a pack but would shell out $100 a spot in a group break to get 95% of the cards they needed to get.
I do strongly believe that there needs to be a return to a cheap $3 a pack product that satisfies both kids and adult collectors.
Regardless of what they do one or two sets the thing they need to look at is the size of the set.
This year Traders was a total of 697 cards - 162 base, 288 parallels and 247 insert/album/case cards.
Elite was a total of 806 cards - 161 base, 432 parallels and 213 insert/album/case cards.
1,503 cards a year (not including Power Play) is unreasonable to expect any collect to chase which is why so many people are turning their collections to team sets. With team sets it is reducing the value of the cards as the number of people chasing certain cards is significantly reduced. If the value of cards is being reduced then people will be less willing to buy boxes and cases as they may not see value in buying one just wait a few months after release (if you can hold off that long) and buy what you want from people just trying to get rid of them.
Parallels I believe are becoming the biggest bane of the hobby if it is just going to be the same image on a shiny card then drop it back to one set per release if they want to make it a different image ie home and away jersey or even special alternate jersey (ANZAC, women in league, heritage etc) than 3 sets would be fine.
This year Traders was a total of 697 cards - 162 base, 288 parallels and 247 insert/album/case cards.
Elite was a total of 806 cards - 161 base, 432 parallels and 213 insert/album/case cards.
1,503 cards a year (not including Power Play) is unreasonable to expect any collect to chase which is why so many people are turning their collections to team sets. With team sets it is reducing the value of the cards as the number of people chasing certain cards is significantly reduced. If the value of cards is being reduced then people will be less willing to buy boxes and cases as they may not see value in buying one just wait a few months after release (if you can hold off that long) and buy what you want from people just trying to get rid of them.
Parallels I believe are becoming the biggest bane of the hobby if it is just going to be the same image on a shiny card then drop it back to one set per release if they want to make it a different image ie home and away jersey or even special alternate jersey (ANZAC, women in league, heritage etc) than 3 sets would be fine.
saintsforever
OzCardTrader
no f----- pararallels.
ESP have fallen into a parallel trap. They seem to be stuck in no man's land.
Big markets can accommodate sets with a multitude of parallels and the sweetener is that many are numbered.
So ESP bring in the Mojo parallels numbered to 40 and bundle the team sets together, a great idea, no need to chase around for individual cards.
But these are the third set of the same cards and the others aren't numbered so they hold no real appeal. Team collectors get their teams easily enough but full set collectors are dropping off due to the cost and scope of their endeavours.
Bottom line - in this market, numbered parallels or no parallels.
Big markets can accommodate sets with a multitude of parallels and the sweetener is that many are numbered.
So ESP bring in the Mojo parallels numbered to 40 and bundle the team sets together, a great idea, no need to chase around for individual cards.
But these are the third set of the same cards and the others aren't numbered so they hold no real appeal. Team collectors get their teams easily enough but full set collectors are dropping off due to the cost and scope of their endeavours.
Bottom line - in this market, numbered parallels or no parallels.
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