Upper Deck, a prominent player in the trading card industry, has recently sealed its commitment to preserving hockey history and memorabilia by extending its licensing agreement with the NHL Alumni Association (NHLAA). Through this renewed partnership, Upper Deck solidifies its position as the exclusive producer of physical trading cards featuring over a thousand former NHL athletes.
For Upper Deck, this renewal is a strategic move. Jason Masherah, President of the company, emphasizes the crucial role the NHL Alumni Association plays in enhancing Upper Deck’s offerings. This exclusive arrangement enables Upper Deck to showcase trading cards and autographs of hockey’s greatest players, thereby enriching the collectibles market for enthusiastic fans and collectors.
The NHL Alumni Association, based in Ontario, actively supports former NHL players. Their group licensing program, launched in June 2017, allows the NHLAA to utilize the collective image rights of its members for commercial purposes. The program benefits the various programs and initiatives of the NHLAA, involving esteemed hockey legends such as Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Ray Bourque, Patrick Roy, Steve Yzerman, Jean Beliveau, Mats Sundin, Teemu Selanne, Johnny Bower, and nearly a hundred Hall of Fame inductees.
Upper Deck is among several enterprises engaging in business with the NHLAA, highlighting the broad commercial appeal of the association. The NHLAA’s initiatives extend beyond trading cards, encompassing player appearances, professional-amateur tournaments, career transition programs, an annual stick auction, and other activities that celebrate the sport and its legacy.
Glenn Healy, the Executive Director of the NHL Alumni Association, expresses his enthusiasm for continuing the collaboration with Upper Deck, emphasizing the significant role Upper Deck trading cards play in capturing and preserving the heritage of hockey. This renewed agreement promises to allow fans and collectors from different generations to cherish and celebrate the revered NHL Alumni who have shaped the game.
In an exciting development, Upper Deck announced plans to expand its product line to include digital trading cards, accessible through its Evolution platform. This addition represents a significant leap towards blending traditional collecting methods with the digital age, offering a new medium for fans and collectors to connect with the history of hockey.
In essence, this extended licensing agreement between Upper Deck and the NHL Alumni Association not only solidifies Upper Deck’s exclusive rights to produce and distribute physical trading cards of former NHL players but also marks the entrance into the realm of digital collectibles. This expansion enriches the legacy of hockey, appealing to a new era of fans and collectors who can now enjoy both physical and digital trading cards of their favorite NHL Alumni.
