Futera multi sport release

Jakenz said:

Hmmm yer a little sceptical myself on weather cricket cards will be issued in all honesty and if they are I could almost guarantee that any player who was involved would be a former player who isn’t under contract. Much like the latest release off Topps cricket cards former players not under contract anymore. From my understanding to it all what cricket still lacks is a proper governing body who may act on behalf of the teams to authorise the rites to such cards to be made much the same as most other sports fifa for football nrl for league ufc for mma. Unfortunately without a governing body to act on behalf off all teams it then becomes almost impossible to cast with the cost of licensing and dealing with every teams sponsors etc… there fore making it close to impossible to delegate through Let alone turn a profit. Then you also have the issue of let’s say you get past licensing and you want to make this a international set of cricket cards how do we make them affordable for all countries when all though there is great wealth within cricket how would these cards be affordable between Australia India Pakistan and England for the likes ? When fans in India and Pakistan come from a lot of poverty. I know recently Indian fans have started collecting cards through images on a website instead of owning the card it stores on your phone. I think the icc is really missing a trick here and a change at the top could really help the sport grow and maybe one day break into the American market. I could not think off a better way to market a game than sports cards we only have to look at how the popularity off the nrl has grown over the past 20 years and that’s not even a highly marketed international sport like cricket. Considering the fact the latest topps cards proved the market is there and waiting for this to happen will it bring change ?

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Matt26 said:

I was involved in trying to get a release that was available to all of these markets and it was a nightmare as you said. Each market has its own issues as you said in terms of pricing and the complex commercial model that would be in place for this.

There is a governing body (the ICC for the major tournaments world cups etc) where releases could be done for current players featuring in those tournaments, but trying to get all countries on board individually would be near impossible......even the IPL had to have individual agreements with teams and the league itself.

Digital cards are a chance in India as there are over 600 million smart phone users and in total 1.2 billion mobile phone users. Having digital products dirt cheap could work there based on volume, however physical cards would have to be cheap enough for collectors to buy in but also priced so that money can also be made.

I think you will see companies like Topps/Fanatics continue to focus on legends who can sign without branding and then countries will have their own specific releases based on their home licencing agreements.

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Jakenz said:

Yer couldn’t agree more Matt loved the article you wrote on this and very much on the same opinion as you. I probably didn’t word it correctly as your rite the icc are the acting governing body but with very little power in this role I’d love to see it changed much like fifa nrl ufc etc it’s us the fans that are missing out. But much like you said Matt we will see country based released cards and the older blokes who are not in contract to the icc presently so it’s still looking bleak in the sports card collecting for cricket unfortunately I hate to say and it’s such a shame because huge market just waiting for it but I do believe it would have to be a card release and a virtual release to suit all countries how you do that I don’t know or it would have to be a stat attack type card with very little quality to the cards.

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Matt26 said:

Would love to see a National Treasures type Cricket product done with retired legends of the game.

Would be like herding cats for some of the subcontinent countries but you get a product done and get all the cards signed during the IPL when half of the worlds retired cricketers are there coaching/playing.

You could get creative but so many endless opportunities. I have no doubt Topps/Futera would be at least thinking about how this could be done!

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