2015 Elite Review & Poll

[stormernumber1]

To be fair I use MS paint a lot and even I can't design something like the Quads what with the gradient and whatever in it

To be fair I believe it was sarcasm with the intent being they are fairly basic. I mean I consider myself to be below average in my design and graphic ability, however I could fairly easily knock something similar to those up in photoshop in about 5minutes and I literally mean 5 minutes.

That doesn't mean they are bad, I actually don't mind the quad design myself, I think they are ok, nothing special.

 

[bar4kids]

I have looked in various newsagents in my area (Parramatta,Blacktown etc),but I still haven't been able to find anyone that sells the new Elite cards.
Does anyone know of anywhere in that area where I could buy some packs from?

Westpoint Blacktown - both Newsagents had them

 

[hobo]

Got most of my Knighta cards last night, and I have to say this is the most boring design for a set of cards that I've seen in my entire life.

I think there has been better sets but there certainly has been lots of sets that are worse and used no imagination at all:

 

[thenamesgould]

I think there has been better sets but there certainly has been lots of sets that are worse and used no imagination at all:

Those 1993 cards were one of the first ones I collected, definitely the first one I got loads of pack of. Great design if only for nostalgic reasons!

 

[hobo]

Those 1993 cards were one of the first ones I collected, definitely the first one I got loads of pack of. Great design if only for nostalgic reasons!

Yep design is a pretty subjective matter, for me the first release I collected was 1977 another set when you look at them not much inspiration design wise but one I love.

Ross

 

[Tony H]

Is it me or is there a very low interest in these 2015 elites. I do agree these cards were overpriced and may have turned some people off from collecting this series but is this the end of the footy card collecting? Interest just seems to be very low out there, wether it is on OZcard, Ebay and even at the fairs. Is ESP out of touch and jacked up the price to prop up the last few years of mass production of traders and trying to recoup their losses for bad sets of cards they produced. The numbers don't stack up when buying packs, boxes or even a case. How can on average the best hit in a box be an unsigned YG be valued at $15 when some have paid well over $175.00. How can a base set be worth less that a packet purchased at $9.00 Isn't this worrying for the buyers, collectors even ESP. Bring back those Scanlens days, where footy cards were footy cards and the value just keeps going up and holding value.
Does anyone know when ESP's contractual rights finish up with the rugby league? Cause they have turned me off from collecting Rugby league cards.

 

[Matt26]

Is it me or is there a very low interest in these 2015 elites. I do agree these cards were overpriced and may have turned some people off from collecting this series but is this the end of the footy card collecting? Interest just seems to be very low out there, wether it is on OZcard, Ebay and even at the fairs. Is ESP out of touch and jacked up the price to prop up the last few years of mass production of traders and trying to recoup their losses for bad sets of cards they produced. The numbers don't stack up when buying packs, boxes or even a case. How can on average the best hit in a box be an unsigned YG be valued at $15 when some have paid well over $175.00. How can a base set be worth less that a packet purchased at $9.00 Isn't this worrying for the buyers, collectors even ESP. Bring back those Scanlens days, where footy cards were footy cards and the value just keeps going up and holding value.
Does anyone know when ESP's contractual rights finish up with the rugby league? Cause they have turned me off from collecting Rugby league cards.

Not a lot of interest in it at the moment it seems.

Almost as though 2 months after release its almost been forgotten about!

 

[P_Phillips]

Is it me or is there a very low interest in these 2015 elites. I do agree these cards were overpriced and may have turned some people off from collecting this series but is this the end of the footy card collecting? Interest just seems to be very low out there, wether it is on OZcard, Ebay and even at the fairs. Is ESP out of touch and jacked up the price to prop up the last few years of mass production of traders and trying to recoup their losses for bad sets of cards they produced. The numbers don't stack up when buying packs, boxes or even a case. How can on average the best hit in a box be an unsigned YG be valued at $15 when some have paid well over $175.00. How can a base set be worth less that a packet purchased at $9.00 Isn't this worrying for the buyers, collectors even ESP. Bring back those Scanlens days, where footy cards were footy cards and the value just keeps going up and holding value.
Does anyone know when ESP's contractual rights finish up with the rugby league? Cause they have turned me off from collecting Rugby league cards.

May have already mentioned but for me there are two big issues:
The size of the set. The price increase wouldn't have been such an issue if the size of the set had of been smaller. Given you can't even complete the base parallel set when you purchase a case. So it really made the secondary market a more desirable option than direct packet/box/case purchase.
Lack of a high quality inserts for all teams. I don't hold the young guns in a high regard as some years you get a player who turns into a star other years you get duds had one good year and then fade into obscurity. Not to say they should be gotten rid of but it shouldn't be the only high end card for the majority of teams. As the other high end inserts were jersey cards where apart from the calibre of player not in keeping with the card there was only 4 so 12 clubs were excluded and mojos which to me (although I believe I am in the minority) was just a third parallel nothing to be excited about. Leaving the young gun signature as the highest insert for 12 teams.

 

[nznrl]

I haven't completed a Warriors base parallel set after 2 cases and an 4 additional boxes through Warriors group breaks! And I only have 4 Warriors golds...

 

[Ivanacrit]

As a 3 or 4 box buyer per release, i can no longer justify paying for elite from now on. As mentioned many times in the thread already, there is no value for me anymore. I did get lucky in the first two boxes pulling an auto then a patch card, but then getting a manly quad card which looks meh for being the box hit is not good enough. At the same Penrith fair recently bought 2 boxes of UFC and jagged a 1/1 auto patch and other short run autos and patches. The quality of selects AFL honors 2 has also turned me over to select.
Looks like ill be going back to UFC / AFL releases as you always cover the box price and the variety with autos, patches and inserts along with the quality finish of the cards themselves are so much better. I may dip my toe with traders in future but doubt it, a shame.

 

[BoondasH1]

Is it me or is there a very low interest in these 2015 elites. I do agree these cards were overpriced and may have turned some people off from collecting this series but is this the end of the footy card collecting? Interest just seems to be very low out there, wether it is on OZcard, Ebay and even at the fairs. Is ESP out of touch and jacked up the price to prop up the last few years of mass production of traders and trying to recoup their losses for bad sets of cards they produced. The numbers don't stack up when buying packs, boxes or even a case. How can on average the best hit in a box be an unsigned YG be valued at $15 when some have paid well over $175.00. How can a base set be worth less that a packet purchased at $9.00 Isn't this worrying for the buyers, collectors even ESP. Bring back those Scanlens days, where footy cards were footy cards and the value just keeps going up and holding value.
Does anyone know when ESP's contractual rights finish up with the rugby league? Cause they have turned me off from collecting Rugby league cards.

I don't believe ESP have helped in encouraging more people to collect NRL cards, everyone knows it all just price gouging. Looks like League collectors are leaving as even the Regal Series 3 cards don't have the hype the previous releases once did.

 

[Muzza]

I bought two boxes and burnt another $100 on packs with this set. I'll probably spend another $150 getting Bulldogs inserts and that's without the Thompson Jersey/signature or the Klemmer YG signature, not worth the $$ or the chase.
I also collect NFL and just spent AU$200 on four boxes of last season's product. I'll get at least 15 signature or jersey cards and a swag of parallels and inserts for about the same price as a box of Elite and a folder.
Come Xmas I'll pick up a few boxes of this seasons new product.
Totally disillusioned with 2015 Elite.
This might well be the end of NRL sets for me.

 

[stormernumber1]

Not a lot of interest in it at the moment it seems.

Almost as though 2 months after release its almost been forgotten about!

I can't believe how bad this has been, will definitely not be buying NRL case/s next year, I'll likely move over to the AFL as the set they released this year has really put faith back into select's products for me. Prices have continued to decline and I really can't see them recovering, really disappointing

 

[hobo]

I don't believe ESP have helped in encouraging more people to collect NRL cards, everyone knows it all just price gouging. Looks like League collectors are leaving as even the Regal Series 3 cards don't have the hype the previous releases once did.

There was hype around Regal? I must have missed it.

 

[Brendan_B]

With the poor showing of this release I think there are uncertain times ahead for this hobby. I am sure Traders 16 is already underway so it will be interesting to see what happens with footy cards in 2016

 

[BoondasH1]

There was hype around Regal? I must have missed it.

LOLL

 

[Tony H]

I agree,
I think this mob currently has damaged or eliminated a generation of young people from collection footy cards because of their high prices and poor marketing and distribution. They are way off the mark and interest has indicated that. Only two months on and people have lost interest already, Why??
If you think back to when you were a kid and bought, swapped and even won cards it was exciting, affordable and accessible. You grow up with an emotional attachment to the cards you collected back when you were a kid, how many grown ups now go back and pick up the old cards for sentimental reasons. These kids today won't have that same kind of attachment because they are way too expensive, too big to collect, you can't just go to your local newsagency and buy a couple of packets. Whoever takes over the next rights really need to do some research into why people would buy their cards. Bring back the rugby league week action pictures and give us more than one imagine if they decide to have a sub set, parallel set or mojo or whatever you want to call it. Not disgruntle, just sadden that footy card collection maybe a thing of the past or only the ones that can afford it. Never the less I think it's a good debate, maybe these companies need to listen to the buyers.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Price for kids is a definite sore point for me.

But my kids, 4 and 6, love Traders. I buy them a binder and we build the sets. And if they get a 'sparkly' one, either I get to keep it OR if its low end like a parallel, I let them keep it.

That said I am a collector, so I'm not sure if mums and dads buy them for their kids if they aren't collectors, but all the newsagents around me have Traders and seem to sell stock. Elite, on the other hand.

I am also lucky to have a dealer who takes very, very good care of me. Without him running his business, I probably wouldn't get the cards from Elite I would.

 

[Brendan_B]

With the small allocation of boxes to Newsagents (my closest 3 received 5 overall) and ESP advising they are sold out either Ikon or some poor dealers must be sitting on a heap of stock

 

[hobo]

We talk about price and it is definitely a concern but I'm not convinced a generation of collectors are lost. I think kids have some reasonable cards to collect, with Traders and Power Play. Elite isn't really available to new collectors anyway. The concern for the hobby IMO is more the dedicated high end, larger spending collectors who are becoming disillusioned and reconsidering their choices.

Ross