Title: Upper Deck Extends Exclusive Partnership with NHL Alumni Association
Subtitle: Renowned trading card company continues to honor hockey history and expand into the digital age
Meta Description: Upper Deck renews its licensing partnership with the NHL Alumni Association, solidifying its role as the sole producer of physical trading cards and introducing digital collectibles.
Upper Deck, a prominent player in the trading card industry, has reaffirmed its commitment to hockey history and memorabilia by extending its licensing agreement with the NHL Alumni Association (NHLAA). This partnership ensures that Upper Deck remains the sole licensed producer of physical trading cards featuring over a thousand former NHL athletes.
The renewal of this partnership holds strategic importance for Upper Deck, as stated by Jason Masherah, President of the company. He emphasizes the pivotal role played by the NHL Alumni Association in enriching Upper Deck’s offerings, enabling them to feature trading cards and autographs of many of hockey’s greatest players, further enhancing the collectibles market for enthusiasts.
Headquartered in Ontario, the NHL Alumni Association actively supports former NHL players. Its group licensing program, launched in June 2017, has been a game-changer. By utilizing the collective image rights of its members for commercial purposes, the NHLAA helps fund various programs and initiatives. The program features the participation of numerous hockey legends, including 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 wide commercial appeal of the association. Aside from trading cards, the NHLAA’s initiatives include supporting its members through player appearances, professional-amateur tournaments, career transition programs, an annual stick auction, and other activities aimed at celebrating 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, a partnership focused on ‘Honoring the Past’. He emphasizes the significant role that Upper Deck trading cards have played 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 has announced plans to expand its product line to include digital trading cards. These digital collectibles will be available through its Evolution platform, representing a significant step towards blending traditional collecting with the digital age. This expansion offers a new medium for fans and collectors to connect with the history of hockey.
In summary, the extended licensing agreement between Upper Deck and the NHL Alumni Association solidifies the company’s exclusive rights to produce and distribute physical trading cards featuring former NHL players. Furthermore, this agreement marks Upper Deck’s entry into the realm of digital collectibles, enriching the legacy of hockey for a new era of fans and collectors.
