The Brill Report

TOPPS DISSIDENTS FIGHT ON

TOPPS DISSIDENTS FILE IN HOT PURSUIT

VOLUME 2, NUMBER 129

HOT*BUTTON*STORY

(SANDY KOUFAX DRAFTED BY ISRAEL!!!)

** TOPPS DISSIDENTS MAKE PUSH

  ** NFL DRAFT FEW SURPRISES

  ** HASBRO/SONY/MAGIC=UNREAL!

  ** PUJOLS SIGNS UPPER DECK DEAL

** KOBE VINYL ** TOPPS ROOKIE FINEST ** CANADIAN EXPO **

DETAILS ON THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THE BRILL REPORT!!

EDITORIAL COMMENT: PUJOLS UDA DEAL? GOOD OR NOT?

NEXT WEEK: MOBSTER FRANK VINCENT ON COLLECTING, THURSDAY!

                                ====================

(DISSIDENTS FILE AGAINST TOPPS SALE, GOVERNANCE QUESTIONED)

With the vote to determine the fate of the Topps company coming up shortly, dissident board members are working overtime to kill the deal which would sell the company to a Micahel Eisner led group for $385 million. In a strongly worded SEC filing, board members who oppose the deal say the price undervlaues the company especially in light of a better offer from a competitior, and the fact the sale price is below the price Topps authorized the company to repurchase it's stock.

"The price represents only a Mickey Mouse-like 3% premium to the average closing price of Topps shares for the 20 trading days preceding the signing of the merger agreement," wrote The Committee to Enhance Topps, led by board member Arnaud Ajdler. "The company fails to tell you that the most recent proposed stock repurchase program that was approved by the Topps board for the period September 2005 through September 2006 had a top price of $10.62 per share."

The above statement was a not so veiled reference to Eisner who was formerly the head of Disney. He now chairs Tornante which is a group looking to acquire and market internet content. Tornante has already purchased an internet socializing site and a company which makes children's sports videos.

The sale price agreed to was $9.75 a share and Topps has $85 million in cash reserves. A competitior, believed to be Upper Deck, offered over $10 per share which Topps management turned down. Since the merger announcement the stock has traded as high as $10.17.

The dissidents are prepated to take over the company and make their own moves if the vote goes against the deal. The filing continues to detail how they will move forward.

"If the merger is voted down, we intend to nominate a slate of highly qualified business executives to replace members of the existing Topps board," said the statement. "We believe the company should hire a new CEO with extensive marketing and turnaround experience who would bring a fresh perspective to the organization in order to improve the operations of the company."

Current CEO Arthur Shorin is the offspring of the company founders. His son-in-law is also a key executive at Topps. The company has been off and on family owned for decades.

Calling the current deal "Eisner's Uncle Scrooge like offer" (another reference to a Disney character) the group is getting ready to seek proxy's for votes from the shareholders. One key to angering the dissidents centers around the three key players who voted against the deal and who sit on the Topps board. After some pressure they were allowed to use the "Go Shop" period (the 40 days in which the company can shop the deal around to try to get a better offer) to find a competitive or better sale price. Shortly after they began working on this the board removed the three dissidents from the search committee.

The Associated Press reported recently the move and the results of the move smack of a lack of governance by Topps and seems to point out the board may be close to violating SEC laws. Another perspective, and the one which Topps takes, stated because the dissident board members talked openly about wanting to kill the deal and take over the company, the move was justified since they would likely be of a mind to first kill the current deal, rather than find a better one.

As referenced above, it seems as if Upper Deck made an offer of $10.75 a share or a dollar more than Eisner. The report specifically did not mention UD but rather "Bidder C" which it called Topps main competitor in the entertainment field. This bid was rejected by Topps which stated Topps could not verify Bidder C had enough money to buy Topps and the liability of rejecting the offer might cost Topps too much money in losing the Eisner deal. There were also regulatory concerns.

One of the major concerns among those who are looking unfavorably at this sale is the fact Topps turned down the Bidder C option combined with the lack of competition aspect. The dissidents feel if the Bider C avenue were pursued a bidding war might take place upping the value of the final sale price. This would make things much better for the shareholders. The statement called the move by Topps to look at over 100 other offers a "smokescreen," since many were far from being qualified and they called it an agreement "designed to deter" rather than find other bidders for Topps.

For the dissident group any action by Topps management or other board members, such as would compromise the governance rules, might be cause for legal avenues to be pursued.

                                     ==================

(COLLECTING THE NFL DRAFT PERSPECTIVE)

As Sage and Press Pass Draft Pick products hit hobby store shelves just days ahead of the NFL Draft on Saturday there were few surprises as to whom the Oakland Raiders would pick with the first selection in the draft. As the name Jamarcus Russell rolled off the tounge of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Russell automatically by virtue of being a skill position player and the premier selection, became the hottest card to chase in the hobby. The talented underclassman may not start right away which will take away from the early hype but Raider fans, and there are many, will keep his name alive through the Raider Nation.

The Detroit Lions followed what seems to be an annual ritual and selected a wide reciever with their first pick, the no. 2 selection overall. It didn't matter Calvin Johnson is probably THE best player in the draft, the Lions haven't gotten out of the wide-out mode in years. They have had unspectacular luck with their former top picks which included USC's Mike Williams, Roy Williams and Charles Rogers to name just three. 

Johnson will be a hot commodity.

(JOHNSON AND RUSSELL WILL RIVAL PETERSON FOR THE TOP ROOKIE CARDS)

It did not hurt the next several picks, and indeed 21 of the 32 first round picks were lineman or defensive players who draw no "hobby love." The hype around the first running back selected will translate well for Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson who went no. 7 to the Minnesota Vikings. He was on several sports magazine covers in recent weeks including Beckett Football. With the Vikings penchant for doing good things with rushers and with Peterson's no. 7 overall selection, plus his talent he will rival and eventually pass Russell as the most sought after hobby/rookie card in the early releases.

Press Pass and Sage will do well as usual until the NFL licensed products arrive. The first is usually Topps Draft Picks and Fleer Ultra. Both feature the players in college uniforms but they are considered Rookie Cards because they are licensed and carry NFL Team logos on the cards. These should be out in the next month or so.

Until then college fans and those who love autographs will burn up the pavement looking for the draft pick cards. Both Sage and Press Pass go heavy on the signed cards with the first Sage Hit delivering five to six autographs per box.

The big surprise in the draft was the falling of Brady Quinn to no. 22. The Notre Dame quarterback was drawing serious Heisman consideration the past two years and until Russell's impressive showing (scouts love his size and arm strength saying he can throw the ball through a brick wall) was considered likely to be the first quarterback taken. As it was he fell to no. 22 and Cleveland traded with Dallas for the pick and the right to grab the Irish star. He'll do well in Cleveland and will likely surpass Russell in the early going of the NFL season.

The draft was heavy in wide recievers with only two running backs going in the first round. Marshawn Lynch of Cal was the other back selected, going to Buffalo.

                                     ====================

(HASBRO, SONY TEAM UP FOR VIRTUAL MAGIC PHENOMENA)

What do you get when you combine a Sony Playstation, Magic the Gathering and Hasbro? How about a new gaming experience where your trading cards actually do battle on the video screen during the game? It is being touted as the next experience in gaming and if the powers that be are anywhere near the target it will revolutionize trading card gaming as we know it.

The deal involves Hasbro, which owns Wizards of the Coast and makes Magic, and Sony, developer of the Playstation 3 technology and what now is being called Playstation-Eye. The idea of the new The Eye of Judgement series is for collectible trading cards to be the centerpiece as is usually the case with Magic. However, when two cards are put into play to do battle they are then held under the "Playstation-Eye" game piece on a 3 x 3 board, and the specially encripted cards come to life on the video screen. There they battle in what amounts to live action with the winner moving on.

"We are very excited to enter into a collaboration with Sony Computer Entertainment on trading cards for Eye of Judgement which will deliver a ground breaking entertainment experience that uniquely blends the global popularity of traditional trading card games with the next generation video games," said Phil Jackson, Group Executive of Hasbro Games. "Together we're creating a virtual world that brings fantastic trading card game based creatures to life for unprecedented interactive battles that will appeal to millions of fans around the world."

Eye of Judgement is set to release in the Fall and is so highly anticipated it took two industry giants to pull this one off.

"The Eye of Judgement represents a totally new genre in gaming," said Phil Harrison, Corporate Executive with Sony and President of SCE Worldwide Studios. "Combining Hasbro's clear market leadership in trading card games with the immense power of Playstation 3 and Playstation-Eye is a powerful formula which will result in a revolutionary video game experience that will amaze and engages gamers around the world."

A preview of the game in Japan at a trade show caused show sponsors to award it with the medal for the prestigous "Futures" division.

                                  =======================

(KOBE VINYL ACTION FIGURE NEARLY SOLD OUT)

With the sucess of the Lebron James series of vinyl figures Upper Deck decided it was a natural to expand the license to cover NBA leading scorer Kobe Bryant. The new Kobe Vinyl's are nearly sold out but are available at two related UD sites for the SRP of $49.95.

Both Kobe's site and All Star Vinyl have the figures but with only 2000 made they will sell fast. Only 500 of the figures wearing the Lakers' away jersey were produced.

(KOBE VINYL SELLING WELL.)     

          ==========================

(TOPPS LATEST FINEST ROOKIE ANNOUNCED)

Topps announced the latest redemption card in its Finest Baseball series is Tampa Bay Japanese star Akinori Iwamura. Iwamura, who plays third base, is the third in the 10 card series to be announced with all the cards expected to ship in mid-August.

      

            ==========================

(PUJOLS SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DEAL WITH UPPER DECK AUTHENTICATED)

Upper Deck Authenticated has added another stud to their stable of exclusive super stars who will sign for the company. Arguably the most popular player in the big leagues today, St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols, inked a deal which will put his signature and name on items with the UDA hologram.

Pujols, who is one of the most highly counterfieted players of recent years, wanted to put a dent in the autograph forgery field by signing with a company such as UDA which is a leader in the field.

"There are many companies out there that provide memorabilia to collectors, but Upper Deck does it better than all of them," said Pujols in a statement. "The people that mean the most to me can rest assured when they buy an Albert Pujols item from Upper Deck that those are the real deal."

Much of Pujols signed items will feature World Series offerings based on the fact the Cardinals won it all in 2006. It will include balls, jerseys, framed items and in May the exclusive Upper Deck invention, "Breaking Through." This is where the player's bat, ball or club actually is part inside the glass frame and partially outside the frame.

(Upper Deck's Breaking Through Product features the item both inside and outside the glass.)

"Albert Pujols and Upper Deck know how to create one of a kind moments where baseball fans and collectors can feel close to the on field action," said Tim Muret, Vice President of UDA. "Albert Pujols shares the same vision for his memorabilia as we do, to develop exclusive autographed authenticated pieces for his family, friends and fans."

The good news is the signing will cut mean there will be more legitimate Pujols signed items on the market although for a higher price. Due to it's three step patented process, UDA items are traditionally more money. While it will raise the bar and price some collectors out of the Pujols market, the real downside is those same casual collectors will be more likely to buy the cheap forgeries which will continue to permeate the marketplace.

As usual it should be "Buyer Beware" and if you really have to have it the UDA items will be legitimate. Much of the money from his UDA deal will go to the Albert Pujols Family Foundation.

                              =======================

(SANDY KOUFAX DRAFTED BY ISRAELI BASEBALL TEAM)

His fastball may not be what it once was and his curveball doesn't break as it did in 1966 when he retired after winning the Cy Young Award again, but if he'd like to pitch, an Israeli League Baseball Team says they'd welcome Sandy Koufax. The Modi'in Miracle drafted the 71 year old former Dodger great and Hall of Famer with their last pick in the innagural baseball draft for the league in Isreal.

The team doesn't expect the quiet Koufax to show up and he was not available to respond to the move but team general manager Dan Duquette felt he wanted to honor the all-time great with the selection. Koufax rarely makes a public appearance.

Koufax, who played against team manager Art Shamsky in the 1960's, remains one of the most respected players in the game's history. He took a long time stand, albeit a quiet one, involving his Jewish heritage. He refused to pitch the first game of the 1965 World Series because it fell on the Hebrew high holy day of Yom Kippur.

                                     ======================

(TORONTO EXPO LINE-UP SET)

Canada's long running top card and collectibles show is set for this weekend and some rare names were added to the autograph list at the last minute. The 32nd Annual Toronto Spring Expo runs May 4-May 6 and will feature an impressive line-up of former greats.

Among the signers will be Hall of Famers Bob Feller, Fergie Jenkins and players such as Paul Coffey, Bobby Clarke with late additions including Wilf Paiement and Vida Blue. Paiement scored 356 goals in his 14 year NHL career.

There will be 400 booths at the Expo featuring 800 tables and 250 dealers. Both In The Game and Upper Deck will have a major presence as the only companies making hockey cards today.

                                     ================

UPPER DECK PLAN ON TRACK

VOLUME 2 NUMBER 128

HOT*BUTTON*STORY

(POSTAL SERVICE GOES POSTAL WITH MANTLE COLLECTIBLES!!!)

** UPPER DECK DISTRIBUTION PLAN ON TRACK

** TOPPS RENEWS NFL LICENSE

** AMAZON GOES BALLISTIC

** EBAY PUSHING VIDEO FOR AUCTIONS

** TRIPLE THREADS ADDS BONDS, DICE-K

** POSTAL MANTLE ** NATIONAL ADDS RADIO DISNEY ** SPIDEY GOING NUTSO

EDITORIAL COMMENT: THE US POST OFFICE & COLLECTIBLES

DETAILS ON THESE AND OTHER STORIES IN THE BRILL REPORT...

                                        =================

(UPPER DECK DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM SEES FIRST TEST)

So far there isn't much activity on eBay as the first of the products released under the new Upper Deck distribution program is on the market. Only four dealers were selling boxes of 2006/07 Upper Deck SP Authentic Basketball on the auction site and only one was selling a case. The former is allowed under the program with limited auctions however the latter is totally against UD's new policy and will possibly result in the company losing its account.

Auction no. 330105623065 is actually in the eBay store for seller "historic-ny-sports." The Staten Island based seller is offering a sealed case of the product for a Buy It Now price of $1195. Upper Deck stated earlier if it found items such as these in violation of the program they might buy back some of the products to trace it to the original seller.

Upper Deck hopes to help hobby stores by keeping short pocketed sellers and volume dealers from dumping the product slightly above cost on the Internet the day it releases. Distributors can only sell to brick & mortar stores and stores may not sell to re-sellers or they risk losing their direct accounts.

                                  ==================

(TOPPS RENEWS NFL LICENSE)

Topps and the NFL will be together making football cards for at least the next three seasons as long as the company continues to work with the NFL as it has been doing. 

The card maker inked a new deal with the NFL and NFL Players INC, the licensing agencies for all things NFL trading cards. The old contract ran out February 28 and the new license was up for renewal and will likely carry through 2010.

                       ==================

(AMAZON PROFITS SKYROCKET FOR HUGE INET RETAILER)

The Internet is the place to be evidently and Amazon is proving this with record numbers released this week. Profits for the first quarter more than doubled and the stock rose 28-percent in one day on the news. Amazon closed at around $56 a share, up $12. Revenue went from $51 million a year ago to $111 million.

"We are pleased with our overall strong growth," said CEO Jeff Bezos in an understatement in a news release.

Expansion seems to have been the key for Amazon which debuted a site to download movies and television programs along with many other foreign web sites to sell various goods. All this came on a day the Dow broke a record blowing past 13,000 for the day.

                                 ==================

(EBAY PUSHING VIDEO AS NEW SELLER ALTERNATIVE)

You may or may not be surprised to learn eBay is making a push toward video rather than just text on its auction site. The move is of course tied to YouTube, MySpace or certain other portals, and is designed to get sellers to use video clips to help move their goods. It works well with sales on eBay Motors or for toys which move but has little value when it comes to items such as standard trading cards. Although it could be used to display the back and fronts of cards in one quick motion.

"On-line video has become increasingly popular among Internet users and is quickly becoming a standard on many sites," wrote eBay Seller Experience team member Jim Ambach in his eBay blog. "It's prooven to be an effective way of capturing people's attention by being entertaining, as well as informative."

Ambach goes on to say, along with the fact it's much easier to host video's, eBay feels the time has come to use these videos to help sell. Just like a TV commercial for your item or store.

The company offered a demonstration set of auctions to six sellers offering anything from a guitar to a copy room stapler. You can check them out through the blog and see where the progress on these video-tized items is going.

                       ==================

(POST OFFICE OFFERING FRAMING AND THE MICK)

A trip to the US Post Office these days is becoming more rare with carriers picking up your goods to ship but a physical trip might be worthwhile. The post office is selling framed collectibles and ready to frame collectibles. Featured in the sports category are Mickey Mantle, Mel Ott and more matted with First Day Issue Covers of the players. The cost just $19.99!

And this isn't all. Disney and DC Comics framed items are for sale featuring three to four different items, an 8 x 10, pins, first day covers and stamps. The items are double matted and nicely framed and sell for $99. Star Wars of course is also a prime candidate and the USPS is also working these collectibles plus the Stamp Contest (see below).

The sports items are quality and would look good in any card shop with an 8 x 10 photo, a first day cover and well matted. For under $20 it is a nice move for the non-governmental government agency. They come from a variety of vendors including Steiner Sports and PhotoFile which licenses the photos. The historic sports memorabilia is licensed by the Hall of Fame and the Mantle Family. Popularity?

"The comic book characters, Superman and Batman, are much more popular than the sports photos for us," said Tammy Enriquez, postmaster of the Ventura, CA office. "We order what our customers say they want, what they tell the desk clerks."

The postal service had been selling vintage looking stamps designed to look like 60 year old baseball cards starting last year. They featured Mantle, Mel Ott, Roy Campanella and Hank Greenberg. The local postal offices have the ability to order from a retail catalog supplied to the USPS.

"We encourage them to order items to generate revenue for their office," said Linda Gomez, of the retailing and marketing division. "Certain area's do well with particular items, I know here in Southern California we get lots of requests for Dodgers but we haven't gotten any, although we finally did get the Lakers which is in our district."

You might think this is a new venture for the USPS but it's actually been around for several years. It puts the postal service up there with memorabilia and collectibles stores but on a smaller scale. The reason we are seeing it more prominently today is because of the standardization of the postal offices as part of the master plan in Washington. The general area where customers visit is becoming uniform.

"With standardization came an opportunity for better merchandising," said Richard Maher, spokesman for the USPS Retailing and Marketing Division in Southern California. "We wanted to standardize the merchandising so when customers are traveling or are on vacation they can walk into any post office they can expect to know where the items are and what we have."

Not only does the USPS make the above mentioned items available but local regions can get players of their local NHL, NFL and NBA teams, and even NASCAR.

                                  =======================

(VOTING FOR STAR WARS STAMP DOWN TO THE WIRE)

Only a few short weeks are left in the USPS "Vote for your favorite Star Wars Stamp" campaign. At the moment Yoda and Darth Vader are in the lead to be THE Star Wars Stamp.

To vote go to www.uspsjedimaster.com to cast your vote. You have until May 23.

There are several great prizes including a trip down the red carpet at a premier.

                                              

          ======================

(HASBRO UP ON NERF AND LOW TECH-SPIDEY, MATTEL TOO)

Toys are hot again and it's looking for a change as if traditional toys are leading the way, not electronics. Hasbro, led by strong sales in Nerf, and Hot Wheels as reported here earlier, sent Mattel sales skyward, were both big news. The regeneration of "normal" non-electronic toys has toy makers and investors buzzing, saying this could be the biggest year for toys in the last five. Toy makers have been fighting a major slump especially during the holidays the past several years. For the record Hasbro's revenue was up 34-percent. Nerf was up 72-percent.

                    ====================

(SPIDER MAN-3 TAKING OFF ALREADY, GET READY)

Part of the reason for Hasbro's drive is Spider Man-3 and with the highly anticipated movie coming out very soon, pre-sales of tickets are also out of sight. Advance ticket sales are selling out theaters quicker than the previous releases as the blockbuster Marvel film is bound to set box office records the first weekend of release.

Press kits for the film which include a DVD trailer have sold on eBay for as high as $134. Anything associated with Spidey-3 will do well, whether toys or books.

                                 ===================

(JAKKS EXTENDS LICENSE WITH BANDAI)

JAKKS Pacific and Namco Bandai signed a new agreement for JAKKS to continue to make it's popular plug & play TV games using Namco Bandai products. Seen as the pre-video game for younger kids the JAKKS technology uses lots of different games for it's P&P technology.

The agreement allows JAKKS to continue to offer such properties as Pac Man and other popular games from Namco Bandai.

                               ======================

(TOPPS ADDS DICE-K AND BONDS TO TRIPLE THREADS)

Just in time to get them into the highly anticipated Triple Threads Product, Topps announced both Barry Bonds and Diasuke Matsuzaka will be included. Each will have a triple relic card in the series. In fact, each will have three triple relics including one for Dice-K honoring his famous Gyro Ball (pictured).

Matsuzaka has taken the Boston area by storm and since his cards will be true RC's this season both cardmakers are scrambling to get anything of his into current products.

                                          =======================

(NATIONAL GETS BOOST FROM RADIO DISNEY)

The 28th National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland is getting a major boost with the participation of Radio Disney. The Disney network, which targets kids of all ages, will include members of Disney's Street Team appearing at the show as well as a major sponsorship of Kids Free Day.

The show runs August 1-5 with Kids Free Day on the 3rd. Kids 15 and under will be allowed in totally free of charge to the event at the I-X Center on that day.

The National bought a flight of thirty second commercials from the local radio station and the station will in turn promote the show through on-air contests and giveaways. Among the prizes are tickets to Indian's games provided by the National.

                                        ========================

(TOPPS GARNER CARD REACHES THE INTERNET)

Maybe it is the fact Phil Garner was on a few of the last great Pittsburgh Pirate championship teams, or maybe it has something to do with the Internet, or maybe it's just something called Karma. Whichever it is Phil Garner's 2007 Topps card (no. 259) is a glaring example of where we are today even in the hobby.

The card features the Houston Astro's manager and former Pirate's third baseman standing on the steps of the dugout obviously at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The post he's leaning on has an advertisement even more prominent than his pose. He frames the post perfectly which states "Pirates.com." The web address of the official Pittsburgh Pirates site.

The way the manager is draped over the railing, arm pointing downward to frame the web address and his left hand on his chin bringing full attention to the "P" at the start of the site's title is worth thousands of dollars in advertising.

It's not likely anyone caught it or did it on purpose and since there aren't too many poses you can show for a manager, there likely weren't too many photos to choose from. The folks in Pittsburgh should send the artists group at Topps at least a case of Iron City Beer for that one.

                                        ========================

VIRGINIA TECH ITEMS BRISK

Volume 2, No. 127

HOT*BUTTON*STORY

(MOUNTED ROLLS OUT OLD BUERHLE AUTO'S AFTER NO-NO)

HEADLINES:

** HOKIES ITEMS SELL SWIFTLY

** TOPPS TURNS DOWN HIGHER BID

** NICE-NICE KRAUSE CONVENTION

** ALL JEWISH CARD SET UPDATED

** TOPPS GOES VERTIGO

DETAILS ON THESE & MORE IN TODAY'S EDITION OF THE BRILL REPORT

EDITORIAL COMMENT: VIRGINIA TECH SALES, YES OR NO?

                                     ======================

(VIRGINIA TECH ITEMS SALES BRISK)

It was the worst one day mass killing in US history, a tragedy unfathomable. More than 30 students and faculty gunned down in murder suicide on the campus of the Virginia Tech Hokies. A nightmare so frightening it is hard to imagine.

Maybe it is the desire to show solidarity with the school, maybe a way to honor the dead, or, in some cases a way to capitalize. No matter what the decision and it does involve all three, sales of Hokie items has been brisk in the week since the murders. In the last seven days more than 1000 items were listed and sold on eBay and there are currently more than a 1500 items listed.

Stores in the Roanoke Valley report sales of everything from ties to t-shirts selling so fast they can't keep up with demand. B&C Collectibles in Lynchburg reported a one day record for shoppers nearly all coming in for VTU anything.

Virginia Tech T-Shirts proclaiming "Never Forget" followed by the date of massacre sold for about $15, Memorial buttons closed at a quick $3 and as did decals proclaiming the memory of the dead.

(Sample of eBay items being sold regarding VTU)

A cap store reported several orders of at least 20 Tech caps while the local Wal-Mart and other major retail stores sold out of anything with the Hokies on it. Fans of other teams who would never dream of sporting a Virginia Tech shirt wore them to work.

As it turns out the gunman purchased some of his weaponry from eBay. Good, bad or indifferent we'll explore the phenomena in our editorial comment as well. We invite your thoughts there.

                                            ========================

(TOPPS TURNS DOWN HIGHER BID AS SHOP PERIOD ENDS)

Yogi Berra said it best, "It ain't over til it's over." That is the way the sale of Topps to former Disney CEO Michael Eisner and his backers is going. A new twist and turn at every twist and turn. Now the dissident stockholders are making another move after as it turns out the stock price is higher than the sale price, and a higher bid was rejected by Topps.

Documents filed last week show Topps rejected a $424 million offer from "a competitor" because Topps officials didn't feel the company actually had enough money to make that offer legit. The news comes at the end of the 40 day "Go Shop" period in which Topps could solicit offers other than the Eisner bid of $385 million, which works out to a direct price of $9.75 a share.

Several points were brought out here in The Brill Report. One is Topps is sitting on $85 million in cash reserves which really means the $9.75 translates to closer to $9.25 a share or lower. There are only two major competitors in the mix if you take the word "competitor" at face value; Upper Deck & Playoff Corporation. For Upper Deck to make such an offer would on the face be strange since the powers at MLB and MLBPA have little interest in only having one card maker. The same can be said for the NFL and the Players INC, which would be down to two card makers if such a deal went through. For the latter Upper Deck is not the favored child.

If UD did buy Topps, and whether this is likely or not, it would open door to giving a baseball license back to Playoff/Donruss. Dealers and collectors would welcome such a move as losing Playoff as a baseball card manufacturer was hailed as a terrible move a year ago.

Would Upper Deck would have a difficult time making such a purchase and what is Playoff's stature in this arena? Could the competitor have been Playoff? Possibly. Could UD have made an offer to cause delays and more turmoil for Topps? However a filing by Arnaud Ajdler who is not only one of the dissident Topps board members but a managing director of Crescendo Partners lays out some interesting thoughts.

In his filing he blasted Topps board and senior management for not pursuing further the offer from Bidder C, which is presumably Upper Deck and possibly Playoff.

He states the offer from Bidder C of $1 more per share or $424 million "was not contingent on financing, the amount of the liquidity in the financial system is at an unprecedented level and it would be highly unlikely Bidder C would not get financing for this transaction" and "the deal would be highly strategic for bidder C" and (and very importantly) "there would be potential of creating deal tension between the bidders to maximize stockholder value." In other words possibly creating a bidding war between Eisner and Bidder C.

Ajdler goes on to state Topps board entertained offers from Bidders A&B and Tornante (the Eisner owned company) but never approached "it's main competitor for it's entertainment division" and this is Bidder C. While the names of the competitors are not mentioned it can be reasonable assumed "Bidder C" is more than likely Upper Deck. He also points out Bidder C did express an interest in the company before the Eisner deal was announced.

Calling the offering party its "principal competitor of the Company's entertainment business," Topps was adamant about saying no to the offer. Topps officials reasoning for turning down the $424 million from Bidder C (again likely Upper Deck) is there were a number of issues raised including, "lack of any evidence" of the "party's financial capability to consummate a transaction," as well as "concerns regarding the likelihood that certain regulatory approvals of the proposed transaction would be obtained." The Bidder also place a cap of $12 million on it's liability in case it breached the contract it would sign with Topps. Basically the buyer would only be liable for about 5-percent of the purchased price if for some reason a deal was made and then Bidder C backed out because it either changed its mind or could not come up with the funding.

Topps is in turmoil and now Crescendo, a major stockholder in Topps, is throwing another wrench into the mix. In a regulatory filing Crescendo said Topps again is not getting full value for the company with the Eisner deal, which must have shareholder approval, and it continues to oppose the sale at the current level.

The fact Topps board failed to consult the dissident group is also cited. Topps at one point gave the three members of the board who oppose the deal the job of shopping the company around, only to pull back that authority just recently. The fight over board of directors control waged for several years and Topps management, seeing it was fighting a losing battle made a compromise. Realizing he was going to be voted off the board of directors, Chairman Arthur Shorin agreed to expand the board by one member (which kept him in) and as a result the three members Topps previously called "unqualified" were placed on the board.

The Topps filing says approximately 100 bidders came forward for the company after the deal was announced with Eisner but only a few were serious. Among them is one from an "entertainment industry" competitor. Topps calls its trading card division it's "Entertainment Division" and this includes sports cards as well as non-sports. Upper Deck, Playoff and Press Pass are the only companies making trading cards these days although Marvel did at one time but Marvel would have no trouble coming up with the money and it is presumed no interest in Topps.

The vote is scheduled for May 5.

                                         ==================

(FLORIDA CONVENTION WRAPS UP WITH LITTLE CONTROVERSY)

There was little of the expected controversy over key issues with Upper Deck coming out at the Krause Florida Conference (Hawaii Mainland Edition) and not much news except for baseball cutting back brand offerings in 2008. Upper Deck did a good job of pre-empting and deflecting any controversy regarding it's plans to open a retail store and the new distribution program. The new distribution contract was expected to set off fireworks at the meeting but this never materialized.

"The issues just never really came up and if they did the company did a good job of deflecting the issues," said one dealer speaking on condition of anonymity. "They got off quite free as far as the contract and the store issues."

MLB did announce 2008 will see fewer brands of baseball issues with both Topps and Upper Deck cutting back to 17 brands each from 20. The target of most of the ire of dealers was MLBPA Director of Group Licensing Judy Heeter.

"Most people left the event with the impression she just doesn't get it,'" added a dealer we spoke with. "He main area of emphasis is protecting her millionaires."

Heeter's is a key player in the Players Union and has been for a long time.

As far as other news coming out of the convention there were the various new promotions which we reported on last week (see TBR issue nos. 26 & 25) and Donruss cutting back production on some football products by 20-percent.

Most dealers were impressed with the premiums they received as attendees at the conference and most praised Topps for developing the latest hit products.

                                          ========================

          (MATTEL HOT WHEELS RIDES THE COMPANY HIGHER)

Get on board with Hot Wheels and chances are you will make money. It's one of the keys to Mattel making money as Barbie slipped again domestically. While Barbie sales continued to soar overseas the doll dropped in sales by 21-percent in the US and worldwide they were up 2-percent.

On the other hand sales of the Wheels division which includes Hot Wheels and MatchBox took off. The division roared to a 15-percent increase.

                                                ===================

(TWINS FANS GO NUTS-DOT-COM)

How creative can collector/fans get in this hobby? If you check what Blake Meyer of Rochester, Minnesota did you might be amazed. He and a friend created www.twinscards.com. They did it just to see how many twins baseball cards they could list. Then it took off as other Twins fans saw the site.

Now there are over 10,000 items listed on the site to show. There is not end in sight and as Meyer told the Rochester Post-Bulletin "We are only limited by our imagination."

These items are not for sale but rather from collectors to show other collectors and share their passion for the Twins. It is quickly becoming the ultimate Twins site with nine staffers who are all volunteers. Now that is hobby driven.

                                               ====================

(ALL JEWISH BASEBALL SET IS UPDATED)

Following on the heels of a very successful first series, now there is going to be an update to the Jewish Major Leaguers baseball card set. The 55 card set was a sellout last year and led to a seminar featuring eight of the players from the set at Cooperstown. This year the set is being re-issued with an additional 11 players.

Printed by Upper Deck and licensed by MLB, the card is issued by the American Jewish Historical Society in partnership with Jewish Major Leaguers. The set costs $36 and only 5,000 update sets will be issued. There were 15,000 of the original sets.

Updated cards include Shawn Green closing in on Hank Greenberg's home run lead amongst Jewish players.

                                       ===================

(TOPPS BREAKS THROUGH WITH VERTIGO)

Topps has been promising a new break through candy product for the past year and now it is releasing. Vertigo is a combination of candy pop and chocolate and with tag line "Vertigo; half chocolate, half candy, half crazy" looks to be something new and different other than a chocolate covered lollipop.

To get the full scale of this new item from Topps you have to go to their new Internet "TV" site for Vertigo called Half Crazy TV.

Topps hasn't had a strong candy release in some time and the new Bazooka hasn't set the world on fire but the maker of Baby Bottle Pops and other strong brands might have a winner this time.

                                               ====================

(DREAMS FEATURED IN MAINSTREAM STORY)

The mainstream media continues to feature the hobby in stories of interest. The latest is an AP story which appeared in the Florida Times Union. The story highlights the growth of manufactured collectibles through the eyes of Mounted Memories.

                                              ===================

(MARK BUERHLE NO-NO BRINGS DREAMS OUT FRONT)

Mark Buerhle's no-hitter sparked Dreams through Mounted Memories to jump on board the "let's move these old photos" bandwagon first. It wasn't long before MM sent out emails to dealers offering Buerhle signed photos for $85 & $99, plaques unsigned for $45 and signed "World Series" Baseballs for $109.

The email proclaimed quantities were limited. The baseballs were signed after the White Sox won the title in 2005.

                                    ====================

(YU-GI-OH TOURNEY SLATED FOR JULY IN SAN DIEGO)

San Diego is the place July 28 & 29 as Comic - Game Con takes place and so does the international Yu-Gi-Oh Tournament sponsored by Konami. The World Championships will take place one month after the US tournament which will take place in Columbus, Ohio. Tournaments can be found by going to www.wannaduel.com.

                                                ==================

(WIZARDS NEW LINE OF NOVELS TO DEBUT)

Wizards of the Coast is going to publish a new line of novels beginning in 2008 and among the authors are some veterans and some first timers. The idea is to bring new talent out into the mainstream through a series of novels separate from what Wizards has done before. It will be called Wizards of the Coast Discoveries.

"We have more than a 20 year history in discovering and nurturing talented new authors and we're thrilled with the opportunity to continue that with Wizards of the Coast Discover Line," said Liz Schuh, director of book publishing with Wizards. "Long time fans of our books and newcomers as alike will find something new to love among our varied and dynamic line-up."

The books are loosely tied to a fantasy theme with a wide variety of genres including mainstream, urban horror and literary fantasy. Books are distributed by Random House.

                                        ========================

HONUS WAGNER'S HOUSE AT AUCTION

Volume 2, No. 126

HOT*BUTTON*STORY

(FORMER HOBBY DEALER MAKES HOLLYWOOD FILM DEBUT!!)

HEADLINES:

** LELAND'S AUCTIONS HONUS WAGNER HOME

** MLB CUTS BASEBALL LICENSES AGAIN

** TOPPS TO OFFER WASHINGTON "DNA" CARD

** FULL FLORIDA CONVENTION UPDATE

** NBA NARROWS MAKE-OVER TO 11 STORES

** EBAY SHOWS RECORD PROFITS

             DETAILS ON THESE STORIES AND MORE BELOW IN THE BRILL REPORT!

EDITORIAL COMMENT: TOPPS GOES TOO FAR WITH DNA CARD

NEXT WEEK: WRAP UP ON FLORIDA CONVENTION, MONDAY APRIL 23

                                       ==================

(LELANDS TO AUCTION HONUS WAGNER'S HOUSE)

If you have an extra $130,000 laying around you might just get a real piece of history and this Honus Wagner will cost you a lot less than the trading card which sold recently for $2.3 million. It is the house Honus lived in for most of his life and until the day he died. Located in Carnegie, Pennsylvania (a Pittsburgh suburb) the home is going on the auction block in the latest Leland's auction.

Wagner moved into the house in 1918 at the end of his playing career with the Pirates and stayed until he passed away in 1955. He coached for the Bucs in the years before his death. The auction carries a reserve of $130,000 and the sale will be handled through a local and licensed real estate agent.

No details regarding who the seller is, or, if it is Honus' only grandchild who moved away from Pittsburgh a few years ago. Leslie Blair (now Leslie Blair-Wagner) lived in Carnegie until the early part of this decade and did return to the city for a ceremony honoring her grandfather in 2005. Wagner had only one child and Blair-Wagner is the only child of the only child. She previously sold all but a few personal items as it pertains to Wagner's memorabilia.

This by the way is the same house where a rare strip of cards featuring the T-206 card was found in the attic. It was actually found in the pocket of one of his coach's uniforms in the house. It evidently was his own copy and is referred to as the Verkman Wagner Proof Strip.

To show you the significance of cards versus real estate, a five card strip featuring the infamous Wagner card is also up for sale in the same Leland's auction and carries a minimum bid of $50,000. It is a lot smaller and less useful than the home.

(Photo inside the front doorway of the Wagner home.)

                                       

(Bidding for the Wagner house starts at $130,000)

Here are a couple of unique shots of the home itself. Notice the doorbell with the letters "JW" for John Wagner.

                                           =====================

(MLB TO CUT CARD RELEASES AGAIN)

Feeling evidently 40 baseball releases for two companies is still too many the folks at Major League Baseball and the Player's Association are cutting again. In 2008 instead of 20 trading card series of baseball for Topps and Upper Deck, each company will see their sets reduced by three each to 17. A total of 34 baseball releases hasn't been seen in close to 20 years.

Officials at Baseball feeling they wanted to get it down "to a more reasonable number."

                                                =====================

(TOPPS ANNOUNCES FIRST D-N-A CARD; GEORGE WASHINGTON)

Whether it intended to or not, Topps announced it will basically be the first company to issue what amounts to a DNA card. In the Allen & Ginter Series for this year Topps will include a card with a strand of George Washington's hair! It has long been speculated and joked about but now it looks as if it is finally going to happen; basically a piece of a person or something containing DNA is making its way to a trading card. See Editorial comment for more. TBR will investigate what the hobby feels about the ethics of such a card at a later date. The company will also issue a Bruce Lee Relic card in the series.

(A lock of President Washington's hair on display at the Maine Historical Society.)

(OTHER CONVENTION NEWS MID WEEK)

In other convention news coming out of the Krause Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida this week;

Donruss Elite Football will see a 21-percent cut in production. The number of rookie cards featured will also see a cut back with the company focusing on the quality rookies and not putting just every conceivable rookie player into the set.

Donruss announced it bought back the unsold 2006 Playoff Playoffs Factory Sets from distributors and is repackaging them for television sales. On NFL draft night the company will offer the revamped sets on Shop At Home for just under $100 per set. The sets will include 10 more rookie cards and a random jersey card.

Good news for dealers as Donruss is eventually going to an on-line ordering system more than likely for 2008. Donruss and Upper Deck currently do not offer ordering directly on-line. Dealers must either fax or send their order forms via snail mail. UD allows over the phone orders via an automated system.

There was a Richard McWilliam siting at the event and the Upper Deck CEO even spoke at one of the sessions but would take no questions. He pointed out the company is laying out a plan of improvement which includes trying to eliminate redemptions, adding perceived value in the boxes and better communications with dealers. Soon he said UD will release information on products three months in advance to the dealer base. He added one item they are working on is a shorter wait for consumers on the customer service line which turns many folks off and keeps them from calling back, and the company is working on putting together a business site for dealers to communicate. It is in the planning stages at this point.

McWilliam and his crew addressed the new Upper Deck Retail Store issue briefly stating it is as reported earlier in The Brill Report, an "incubator" store which the company wants to use for research. The store again will not get greater allocations than regular hobby stores. They added the news the company will not ship products from the store. The Diamond Club issue was not addressed.

In other UD news; The company says Premier Baseball will have a Babe Ruth signed ticket from the 1927 World Series when Murderer's Row ruled the baseball world, Sweet Spot Classic will go from a $120 box to a $120 tin with an autograph of one deceased player per 20-tin case. There will even be a Ty Cobb Letterman card even though Cobb played before players names were on the cards. UD will also release Ultra SE which will be a $20 pack with a "hit" per pack. Fewer Fleer releases are also planned.

Baseball is working on a 2008 promotion wherein collectors will have in pack scratch offs which will reveal prizes in every pack. The ultimate prizes will be trips to the 2008 All Star Game. The program starts with 2007 Topps and UD Series 2 products with an online site www.bbcards.com being the area to find out more.

Topps showed off a Joe DiMaggio card from Triple Threads with individual pieces of a bat spelling out "Joltin Joe." Upper Deck also unveiled there will be a dual autographed card featuring the signatures of Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken Jr., the iron men of baseball.

                                                ====================

(FORMER HOBBY DEALER MAKES HOLLYWOOD FEATURE FILM DEBUT)

When Bobby Brill first bought a box full of loose baseball cards from the kid across the street for $6 he didn't realize he'd be relating back to his first ever sports card transaction as his first Hollywood feature film goes to theater. Brill is the Cinematographer and Director of Photography of the soon to be released "Bunny Whipped." The film stars several familiar names including Rebecca Gayheart, Joey Lauren Adams and former Playboy Playmate Brande Roderick plus MAD TV alum Ike Barinholtz.

"I later sold my entire baseball card collection to buy my first camera, a Canon Rebel Kit," Bobby Brill told TBR. "That was what really attracted me to the hobby, the amazing photography. Then some 12 years later I'm the cinematographer for a film about a sportswriter."

Bobby Brill, the son of TBR Publisher, Bob Brill, was a familiar face at southern California trade shows in the 1990's with a special affinity for hockey cards. As a pre-teen and through his teen-aged years if he wasn't selling at shows he was taking packs to school and selling them to classmates.

"Bobby always seemed to have a $50 bill in his pocket in Junior High School, and usually had more cash than I did," said his proud father. "He hustled his way through the card world pretty well and gained a lot of people experience which I know prepared him for dealing with people in Hollywood."

Bobby convinced his father to offer some of the props from the latter's sportscard store to use in the film.

"Even on a set filled with beautiful actresses all the guys were lusting after and wrapped up in conversation about the John Stallworth, Satchell Paige and Pete Rose memorabilia," said Bobby.

The film, originally titled "Love, Fear and Rabbits" wrapped several years ago but normal complications and the fight most independent films have to fight delayed it's release until this Sunday. A screening will take place in Hollywood at the Sunset 5 Laemmles theaters at 10 in the morning. It will be widely available on DVD and is already being pre-sold on Amazon.com.

Currently Bobby is working for a media firm in mainland China where he's been for nearly two years. He does commercial as well as documentary work. He has his own website and you can follow his exploits in China through his blog (linked from the www.brillphotography.com website). He remains a photographer at heart first.

"I still think Topps Stadium Club baseball and hockey were the best, they had the most behind the scenes pics," Bobby added. "The years of sorting the card backs of the first few years of Upper Deck were always cool; the card where they had Jose Lind jumping over the head of the catcher."

The usually irreverent younger Brill has captured a number of his adventures on the blog which is loaded with photos and carries a certain flair. However, there are no trading cards there but Brill looks back fondly on his hobby experience and the relationships he made back then, some of which still exist today.

"People say you can't get away from your past and usually that's a bad thing, but this is totally different."

                                  =====================

(SPORTS IMAGES GIVING AWAY STADIUM CHAIRS AS BONUS)

Sports Images in Woburn, MA is offering a unique package to dealers with a twist which seems rather strange. Part One is cool. Part Two seems a bit pricey. By purchasing at least $500 in goods from the wholesaler dealers will receive a real chair from Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. They should sell out of these quickly because $500 is next to nothing in today's hobby where wholesale boxes seem to average in the $80 range and up.

Part Two leaves something on the table. If the dealer purchases $5000 in goods he can have the chair autographed by HOF Phillies great, Steve Carlton. So basically it's $4500 for Carlton to sign the chair. Considering Carlton signed baseballs are less than $150, $4500 even for an "exclusive" is rather expensive.

                                                

                                     ====================

(NBA NARROWS HOBBY SHOP MAKE OVER TO 11 STORES)

And now there are 11. Out of the 35 hobby shops who applied to be "made over" in the NBA Make Over Contest less than a dozen survive. They are competing for a chance to have celebrity make over artist, Michael Moloney re-do their shop in what will amount to at least a $10,000 remodel job.

"Remodeling a hobby shop represents a unique design opportunity for me," said Moloney. "It is important for a store to be an appealing and shop-able place for customers and I'm looking forward to working with the NBA to create such a space for the winning hobby shop."

Some fairly well known hobby names are in the running including Alan Narz of Big League Cards in Florida and Dan Cunliffe of Republic Collectibles in Auburn, Maine. Others include Cardworld Cards & Supplies in Glendale, AZ, dtLingo Cards in Wylie, TX, Galaxy Stores of Naperville, IL, Matt's Sports Cards in Joliete, IL, Mr. Dales Trading Cards, East Rapids, MI, SMP Sportscards in Grapevine, TX, The Bullpen Henderson, NC, The Stadium in Bay City, MI and What's on Second in San Antonio, TX.

(Wrapper redemption was first test for stores.)

Interestingly enough no stores from either California or New York made the list while Texas had the most with three followed by Illinois and Michigan with two each.

Stores had to run NBA Wrapper Promotions in their stores to qualify for the next round and consumers are participating in a prize packages at the stores as well. In addition to the grand prize there are smaller prizes including parties hosted by the NBA in the stores and a year's supply of trading card boxes.

                                                ====================

(EBAY SHATTERS ESTIMATES PROFITS UP 52-PERCENT)

For any company to say profits for the quarter were up 52-percent is phenomenal and eBay for the quarter was phenomenal. This is despite lackluster listings. The company did so well overseas and with PayPal, it had nowhere to go but up and earned $377 million in the quarter compared to just over $248 million a year ago.

For the year the company expects it could reach revenue of $7.5 billion. For the quarter PayPal brought in $439 million in revenue. Nearly 83 million people participated in buying and selling on eBay in the quarter with over $14 billion changing hands.

Officials at eBay, concerned about the lack of listings, credit it to policy changes and a crackdown on fraud and ID theft.

                                    =========================

MARVEL SUED OVER "GHOST RIDER"

Volume 2, No. 126

HOT*BUTTON*STORY

(JACKIE ROBINSON AUTOS "NOT" RAMPANT ON EBAY!!!)

HEADLINES:

** TOPPS RE-SIGNS BARRY BONDS

** MARVEL SUED OVER "GHOST RIDER"

** PSA 9 MAYS NEARS $100,000

========================

    ** ROBINSON HONORED, FEW AUTOS SURFACE

** POPE'S CAR FAILS TO MEET RESERVE

** NEW COACH SIGNS WHISKEY BOTTLES

** YOUNG DODGERS FOR NAXCOM                         

** TOPPS NUMBERS THIS WEEK

NEXT WEEK: CONVENTION UPDATES

EDITORIAL COMMENT: BONDS IN THE BAG

                                     =============================

(TOPPS RESIGNS BONDS FOR 2007)

Barry Bonds will appear on Topps trading cards for the 22nd consecutive year as the company resigns the slugger for what may be his final season. The deal is exclusive for Topps as Bonds will be in 2007 Topps Series 2 Baseball. Bonds will be pictured in insert sets including the continuation of his Home Run Series and he will also be exclusive to Topps with inserts such as autographs and game used relics. Most dealers, while not liking Bonds, feel the move will do more good than bad.

"It will definitely help sales and not hurt," said Mike Sablow of Cardboard Legends in suburban Los Angeles. "If he breaks the record and he is exclusive to Topps it will help the hobby with people who just love baseball but are not necessarily regular collectors."

Bonds became the first player in the history of the players' union to opt out of the associations group licensing program two years ago. At the time rules stated he could not appear in any sets which featured current union members thus leaving him out of any current card sets. He was later included as a special add-on card to Topps Traded when the company reached a deal to feature him. He will continue to grace Topps packaging.

                                                              ==========================

(MARVEL SUED OVER GHOST RIDER)

With Marvel gearing up for the world wide release of Spider-Man 3 later this month it may have all it can handle with it's most recent comic book hero film; "Ghost Rider." Marvel is being sued by the creator of Ghost Rider who claims he still owns the character and Marvel, Hasbro and lots of of other folks profiting from the film owe him millions.

Gary Friedrich sold the rights to his character to Stan Lee's Magazine Management to use in comic books. Lee's company eventually became Marvel but according to Friedrich, Lee never registered  Ghost Rider with the Copyright Office and therefore in 2001 the character and all that went with it, reverted back to Friedrich.

If it is as Friedrich claims Marvel likely could not have gone forward with the project film, the licensing of toys and action figures and the video games which followed. If it is as Friedrich claims, the creator stands to get a lot of money out of this deal.

"Ghost Rider" opened in February and has grossed well over $200 million at the box office.

                                       

=========================

(PSA 9 MAYS BRINGS $93,000)

How much is too much? Memory Lane's latest auction closed this past weekend with a PSA 9 1951 Willie Mays rookie selling for a total of $93,000 with the auctioneer's commission tacked on. With 57 bids taking place the final price was $79,500 with the additional 17.5-percent added on as commission.

The figure is a record for a 1951 Mays rookie.

                                                    

         

======================

(ROBINSON HONORED, SIX AUTOGRAPHS ON EBAY)

While this past weekend marked the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color line the lack of Robinson items on eBay at this time was underwhelming. It was thought such an anniversary combined with all the hype from Major League Baseball would send a flurry of autographs to the auction giant. Instead only half a dozen certified signatures went up in on-line auctions with half of those coming from trading card cut signatures.

Three others were cuts with two from PSA and the other from JSA.

Four teams wore Robinson's no. 42 which was retired earlier by MLB while all teams had at least a few players wearing the number. Major League Baseball will auction off the no. 42 jerseys to benefit the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

                    =================

(POPE'S CAR FAILS TO REACH RESERVE?)

Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but you can't win if you don't play the game and this is something GoldenPalace has found out quickly. The company is famous for buying odd ball items especially of a somewhat religious nature. One of it's "buys" has tanked. It caused a media frenzy when it paid about $300,000 for a Volkswagen once owned by Pope Benedict XVI. The company, trying to raise money for charity, put the car back up on eBay and it closed without meeting the reserve. The highest bid was $204,000!

Only 39 bidders made an effort on auction no. 280101272071. The company was hoping to give Habitat for Humanity UK a chunk of change when it sold the 1999 Volkswagen Golf once owned by Cardinal Josef Ratzinger who succeeded John Paul II to the throne of the Catholic Church at the Vatican.

                                                     =====================

("COACH" PELPHREY SIGNS BOTTLES FIRST, THEN COACHES)

It is not often "signing" autographs takes precedent over the athlete's job these days but give credit to new Arkansas men's basketball coach John Pelphrey. He took the time to start signing at 5 a.m. along with former Kentucky teammates (they went to the Elite Eight and lost to Duke in the 1991-92 season) instead of flying to Arkansas to begin work. Joining him were Richie Farmer, Sean Woods and Deron Feldhaus. The event was to raise money for charity by signing and selling 2600 Maker's Mark bottles.

A thousand fans lined up in advance for 1300 tickets so they could purchase two of the bottles which the men took nearly six hours to sign. Maker's Mark is a Kentucky Bourbon. Pelphrey said he chose to stay and sign the bottles which included the players' likeness because it was a very unique situation which doesn't come around often.

The men were part of the "unforgettables" who played through the three year probation the Wildcats were handed. They were beaten on the famous turnaround jumper by Christian Laettner at the buzzer.

  (New Kentucky Coach John Pelphrey)       

               

============

(BEDESKY BACK WITH CANADIAN SPORTS COLLECTIBLES MAGAZINE)

Baron Bedesky is back where many in the hobby feel he belongs; back home at Canada's top sports collectibles magazine, "Canadian Sports -- The Magazine."

Bedesky worked side by side for years with the man who now owns and publishes the magazine and many other Canadian newspapers and magazines; Jeff Morris. Morris worked with Bedesky at the magazine under it's previous title, Canadian Sportscard Collector. Both have worked for the manufacturers as well. Bedesky with In The Game and Morris with Pinnacle, Pacific and others.

"I'm not only happy to be back with the magazine but I am very excited about the fresh new direction it is taking," said Bedesky, who is based in St. Catharines. "Jeff Morris and I have a long history together and now that he has taken over the reigns as publisher I look forward to working with him and taking the magazine to new levels."

The magazine is published 12 times a year and offers sports, collectibles, features and news. Bedesky has also written for The Brill Report during the last year.

                              ===========================

(YOUNG DODGERS HIGHLIGHT NEXT NAXCOM SHOW)

A bevy of young Dodgers will appear this weekend at the latest Hollywood Park Show for Naxcom. Known for having the LA Dodger's infield of the 1980's often at the show, NAXCOM is bringing in the latest round of local players for a signing session.

Among the key players are Andre Ethier, Russ Martin, James Loney and Chad Billingsley. They will be complimented by former Brooklyn Dodger great Don Newcombe, Mike Davis, George Kell, Bob Gibson, Bob Feller and Rollie Fingers.

Reggie Bush leads the list of big USC names with Dwyane Jarrett and Steve Smith signing as well. The show promises 250 dealer tables.

                                                 

==========================

(SPORTSNUTSHOP.COM OFFERS CUSTOMERS BONUS POINTS IN NEW PROGRAM)

Perhaps taking a page from the promotions brick and mortar hobby store owners have been running, Sportsnutshop.com is one of the first on-line retailers to offer bonus points for sales to it's customers. The program called "GoNuts" gives customers a point for each dollar they spend with the on-line retailer and offers multipliers to get them to buy certain other products.

"The rewards program has several unique features that will make it very attractive to on-line shoppers," said Mark Dirks, President of Sportsnutshop. "Not only do customers earn points for registering and purchasing sports apparel, merchandise and collectibles, but the point value can increase at any time."

The latter is due to a multiplier which might change from 1-times the dollars spent to 10-times the dollars spent at any time. The idea is to get customers to keep checking in hoping to get the bonus points for purchasing. The latter is a stroke of genius in that it keeps potential buyers checking in or at least bookmarking the site.

                                     ========================

(TOPPS TO RELEASE EARNINGS)

On Friday Topps will release fourth quarter earnings and this will be the first quarterly release of figures since the company was tentatively sold to a group headed by former Disney kingpin, Michael Eisner. The numbers for the quarter will include several baseball releases as well as some basketball but unless the company was able to get Paradigm into the mix before the quarter closed it won't be included. Paradigm is the latest and most expensive of the Topps brands carrying a $350 per pack price tag and it was believed Topps was trying to get it into the mix before the quarter ended which would have bolstered the numbers. It released last week.

                                     =======================

STRAT-O-MATIC AN ICON LOOKS FORWARD

Volume 2, No. 125

UPPER DECK RESPONDS REGARDING PLANS FOR RETAIL STORE

                UPDATE APRIL 12                     

HOT*BUTTON*STORY

(AMERICAN FIRM BUYING BANKRUPT FRENCH TOY MAKER?)

HEADLINES:

** HOBBY GAMER LOOKING FOR INVESTORS

** IS WHITMAN READY TO JUMP EBAY

** DREAMS GETS AMEX APPROVAL

** HOT WHEELS UNDER THE RADAR

** MGA & WORLD-WIDE FRENCH

** TOPPS FINEST ROOKIE

** FLORIDA EVENT TO DRAW RECORD CROWD

NEXT WEEK: MARVEL SUED OVER GHOST RIDER

EDITORIAL COMMENT: GEORGE W. BUSH SHOULD HAVE PLAYED STRAT!

                                    ==========================

(UPPER DECK SAYS STORE IS FOR RESEARCH, DEALERS MIXED)

Last week The Brill Report broke the story about Upper Deck planning to open a retail hobby store while looking for a store manager with an ad through Monster.com. While Upper Deck could not respond by publication time then, they were willing to give us a statement this week. According to the statement plans call for the store to be used for researching and marketing and not to really compete with other hobby stores.

"We are interested in opening a store which would serve as an incubator for us to test kid-friendly marketing ideas as we are spending millions of dollars to bring new collectors into the sports and entertainment categories," said Tim Muret, vice-president of Upper Deck Authenticated. "Additionally product such as memorabilia really benefits from strong, visual merchandising. This store will allow us to test different concepts and gauge consumer reaction."

Muret tried to calm dealers fears regarding higher end products which dealers get in very limited quantities (the average hobby store gets three packs of Exquisite products for instance). This is where dealers are concerned.

"My only problem is if their store gets 15 cases of Exquisite Footbal and can continue to sell it at SRP when we get limited quantities and have to raise the price when we go out and buy it on the secondary market, especially since they've cut back our distribution channels," said Mike Sablow of Cardboard Legends in suburban Los Angeles. "I believe they are in business to sell products or they wouldn't be there and I don't know of any kids who keep brick and mortar stores in business; whales keep us in business."

Muret addressed the issue by saying the Upper Deck store will get the same allocations as regular hobby stores.

"The intent of this store is to learn not take away (from other hobby stores)," he said. "To this end the UD shop will be allocated hobby products the same way other accounts are and the store will not sell singles."

If the UD store does indeed get three packs of Exquisite and only three withou more from the company on restock then the issue is moot. The other concern is whether or Upper Deck will target so called big spenders commonly called "whales," and while Muret insisted the store will be used for testing and targeting collectors in general, especially kids, it still doesn't change the fact the Monster ad used the common hobby word "whales" in it's job description.

"Develop sales strategies and marketing plans for clientele who will frequent the store, namely the hardcore sports collector contingent. Spends a significant amount of time grooming and catering to the high end customers, also known as "whales," while also ensuring that the younger clientele is given the attention/information they need to feel they are an important part of the store's 'community.'"

"The fact they flat out put the word 'whales' commonly used in this industry to describe our best customers in the ad makes me worry they will go after my best customers," said one dealer who asked his name not be mentioned. "They have their names through the Diamond Club."

Muret did not address this issue in his statement but it is a major concern. Upper Deck has the names, emails and addresses of these "best customers" via the Diamond Club program supplied by the store owners.

"We're not going to buy Upper Deck products until after they come out, as far as a store is conerned it just isn't right they are competing with their customers," said Mark Meyer of Bay City Cards in Green Bay, Wisconsin. "I don't have any of the 'whale' customers but it just isn't right."

Another dealer said he's going to hold off as well.

"If Upper Deck wants to play this game then we won't carry their products and we'll become good friends of Topps and Playoff," said the dealer speaking on condition of anonimity. "Given the fact they make products which don't deliver much value anyway, it makes it hard to carry some of their line to begin with."

Muret continued to point out the stores should benefit from the research Upper Deck gets on opening a retail store. He also added it will be just one store.

"Upper Deck is not interested in having a store on every corner and we're being very careful where we put this store to make sure it doesn't impact an existing hobby store," he said. "The new test store will allow us to develop new programs and initiatives that we can pass along to brick our mortar stores partners."

The California dealer, Sablow felt this could work to the benefit of other stores especially in the memorabilia area.

"If they are gonig to keep things at SRP it should help because if they put up a Jordan autographed and framed jersey for $1700 and we can sell it cheaper it will benefit us because the customer will find our price better," he pointed out. "Ideally you wouldn't want them to open a store but that doesn't seem to be an option here and as long as they keep their prices up we can still make money."

Upper Deck did have a store at Universal City Walk over a decade ago. It showcased mostly memorabilia and prices were kept quite high. The price to rent there is extreme and the clientele is more well healed coming from a tourist attraction.

                                         =====================

(STRAT-O-MATIC; THE ICONOCLASTIC GAME LOOKING AHEAD)

When Hal Richman took his fledgling Strat-O-Matic Baseball Game to market in 1961 he never dreamed 46 years later he'd be listening to dozens of companies wanting to take his board game to the next level. Today this is exactly what is happening as the 70-year old Richman and his Harvard MBA son, Adam, talk to and hear from a wide variety of firms. These firms know full well the potential of this American Sports icon played by everyone from the kid down the street to captains of industry to big name politicians. Richman says he never envisioned having a 46 year career with his board game.

"I never really entertained what would happen toward the end because I thought it might just eventually disappear but that didn't happen and we have a strong following," he told The Brill Report in an exclusive interview. "Computers are not my thing and it really needs someone to take it to the next level which is something I cannot do."

In excellent health and financially secure Richman is quick to point out he'd like to remain involved to some extent but it would be nice to pursue some of his other interests for a change. His work week in the spring and fall usually runs into the 70 to 80 hour range. Some of his dedicated employees have been with him for two decades and his wife and two children remain heavily involved as they have from the beginning. Parting with any part of his SOM empire will have it's drawbacks.

(Game founder Hal Richman signing poster at SOM Convention.)

"It's taken me a few years to come to grips with parting with the company psychologically but I have," he added. "Each of the games I created are like children to me, not like Adam and Annie of course, but very important to me."

In 1996 Richman came very close to parting with "Strat" as it's followers call it. At the last minute son Adam changed his mind and Adam is relieved he was so persuasive in talking his dad out of selling the company to MMI a sports gaming company. MMI did buy competitor APBA.

"I said 'don't do anything' for the moment," Adam told TBR while visiting Los Angeles on a business trip. "I told him I really felt this company was going to fail and a year and a half later MMI was out of business."

Adam's admiration for his father and what the elder Richman has accomplished is obvious and he understands the devotion and loyalty of SOM fans worldwide. There have been books written about the SOM Experience and even Spike Lee's film "Crooklyn" carries an overt theme and tribute to the game he also enjoyed growing up. Adam and his family understand the world is changing and SOM must move into the newly changing world while keeping the same focus but using the new world technology to advance the company itself.

"We're like Dr. Brown's Cream Soda in that we're really great but we're not Pepsi," he said. "We want to be closer to Pepsi with the Dr. Brown name."

For those who have never played Strat-O-Matic we can only liken the experience to having had a great devotion to a rock star who never got busted for drugs and who didn't get caught with underage groupies. In other words, the rock star like the game, never failed you. Unparalleled for accuracy, easy to understand and play in either 15 minutes or an hour it remains the quintessential experience in sports gaming. And there is real life drama played out on cardboard, with elements of chance based on dice probabilities mixed in with the irrepressible statistics. Those statistics are a sports fans dream and you get to run them.

"Strat is a research institute certainly, we've built that through the years," said Adam. "Yet we hear from Strat players all the time how the game is therapeutic, it brings dads and fathers and friends into contact with each other and they really interact."

The average age of the SOM player is 35 and they are devoted with most of them likely starting to play Strat about age 11 or 12. This writer personally began playing the game at 12, progressed in my 30's to being the commissioner of an 18 team league in three cities, L-A, El Paso and Tulsa, Oklahoma! Some wives hate the game, others embrace it and understand the need their husbands and children have for it. For many it is a therapeutic escape into a welcome fantasy world of being able to do what every fan wants to do; coach and manage their own professional sports team. Few will but as it turns out a large percentage of those who are real big league coaches and managers were SOM players first, long before they became big leaguers.

Strat gained extra national notoriety in 1986 when the Mets' Lenny Dykstra hit a walk-off home run in the NLCS, only to proclaim in post game interviews the last time he hit a big home run was in Strat-O-Matic;

"I was playing Strat-O-Matic -- a baseball game where you roll dice -- against my brother Kevin," Dykstra told an awaiting media. It was pretty obvious some of the writers covering that game played SOM growing up or else they never would have printed a comment which really didn't mean much to the non-Strat masses.

(Strat-O-Matic was an early leader in dream match-ups for sports table games as evidenced by these cards from the 1960's where fans were able to pit Bob Gibson versus Jimmy Foxx.)

You would be amazed at the big names who've been SOM fans. From Spike Lee to current big leaguers to the head of another gaming company, EA Sports. Even politicians play board games. As it turns out George W. Bush played competitor APBA. You can read our editorial comment blog about that.

While Adam won't discuss the companies interested in buying into SOM he would confirm several dozen are inquiring. He and the family are listening because they are in the right position.

"We are not in a position where we must do something, there are no health issues as my dad is in great shape but we know we need to do more," he said. "There is all this value out there with Strat which hasn't been built upon, it's not that we've tried and failed, it's that we haven't even tapped most of it yet."

The area's where the Richman's know they need to progress are in public relations and the Internet. The delivery system and customer service on the web can be done much more efficiently by upgrading current systems. The SOM website needs to be overhauled.

"Interface customer service, better the ordering system through digitalization, push the marketing on the Internet and marketing to a younger audience; these are all things we need to do," said Adam Richman. "Social networking on a major site because we have such a large and loyal following that right now it's spread out over all kinds of web sites and we need to have a strong central site for that."

For several years SOM has had a relationship with The Sporting News for game play through it's site but the experience is different than the board game. SOM experimented with the computer version of the game early on when PC's were first entering homes in the 1980's and while stat guys love it because of the computer updating statistics automatically, most long time players prefer holding the cards in their hands and rolling the dice across the table from another player.

"The on-line experience is not the same, they are two different experiences," admits Adam. "The board game is a classic but the potential of the on-line is so exciting and they can play off each other very well."

At the moment there are a number of other services which do the on-line fantasy very well. What If Sports, purchased by Fox last year, is one of the better ones and while Fox saw the potential it hasn't done much with it so far. It remains an easy although expensive fantasy game but still lacks the appeal for hard core SOM fans. Through experience we've met many SOM fans in the What If Sports leagues.

Above all, Strat-O-Matic fans should not fear the changes the Richman's insist.

"We see excitement with the change but my dad will make sure the customer base, which is strong and loyal, will be kept happy," Adam pointed out. "My entire family is so excited to go to the next level, my father most of all, and we want to keep the core happy."

How loyal is the fan base? It is hard to imagine a more dedicated group of people. For decades the new cards have been mailed out in brown UPS padded envelopes but not everyone is willing to wait for Brown to make it to their home. Some prefer to pick them up on opening day at the Strat-O-Matic offices in New York.

"It is amazing because we have hundreds of people in the parking lot on opening day standing in freezing weather waiting for us to hand them their cards," said Adam who grew up getting to know those fans. "It got to the point where my mother and sister would go out in the parking lot and serve hot coffee and Dunkin' Donuts to the waiting crowd."

What is it which makes people year after year and generation after generation remain so loyal to a family run game company which makes a board game? It was Rotisserie sports before Rotisserie (actually the man who started the first Rotisserie league did so because his long time SOM buddy moved away), it was Fantasy Sports long before ESPN (most ESPN anchors formerly played SOM) and it combines as we said in the beginning, real life-sports-ease of play-statistics-and the escape to a world where few of us will ever go; managing big league players. And there is something else.

"My father is the humblest man and so devoted to his work," said Adam. "He has all the passion for the game and he is the reluctant rock star."

Whoever becomes involved with SOM with their money and expertise (and Adam says they are open at the moment as to how much of each is needed and/or desired) will have a lot on his plate to deal with. The leagues and licensor's are always standing in the wings. Strat-O-Matic over the years has games in all four major sports, and even did some college sports. A growing web presence is being sought, a younger audience to continue the growth and a fan base which at it's heart resists change. They are, after all, sports fans!

However, SOM fans feel they owe a lot to Richman and he is constantly impressed and humbled by the unsolicited praise heaped upon him. At one convention the author of the book "Strat-O-Matic Fanatics; The Unlikely Success Story of a Game That Became an American Passion" Glenn Guzzo, introduced 50 Strat-fans who one by one got up and told how SOM and Harold Richman and enriched their lives.

"That was something," said Richman. "It brought tears to my eyes."

How much money will it take? The Richman's won't say. How much expertise and vision? A lot we suspect. Then again the brand is uniquely an icon, maybe not as much as Topps or Bazooka but not far behind in the minds of those who know the latter. As for Hal Richman? What will he do when he gives up his current 50 hour work weeks? He says he's not ready to ride off into the sunset but he is ready to take more time to relax.

"I've never had the time to read, I'd like to read, go to lectures, work out at the gym and go to a ball game once in a while," he told TBR. "When you are involved in the sports field 24 hours a day it's difficult to ask your wife to go to a game with you, it just doesn't work."

Michael Eisner? Are you listening?

                             ============================

(MEG WHITMAN READY TO LEAVE EBAY?)

She's been the head of eBay for nine years now and is getting close to her own deadline to leave according to a report in Forbes. Whitman, who has guided the Internet auction site to new heights and some lows, won't be retiring but looks to be ready for new challenges. Whitman has said previously she wanted to put in 10 good years at eBay.

She's been active politically and especially involved in the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney (GOP) who was a colleague at Bain Consulting two decades ago. Whitman is the national finance co-chair of the Romney campaign and has been pulling in lots of dollars soliciting contributors. As one of the richest working women in the country (worth a reported $1.2 billion) she can do pretty much what she likes. As recently as two years ago she was linked as a possible successor to Michael Eisner to head Disney. She didn't get it or didn't take it, one or the other.

eBay has been off and on meeting target numbers on Wall St., and consistently does well. It's business model is the most significant in the Internet millennium and she's had a part in bringing it about. There have been many so called synergy's which haven't worked, or at least not worked yet. Among them the acquisition of VOIP Skype. It could cost eBay up to $4 billion but maybe as little as $2 billion.

Whitman may be looking at the pending list of lawsuits coming from overseas and wondering where they may play out (see April 1 archive of TBR). Getting out while the getting is good could be the answer. Legal challenges to eBay's position as a facilitator and not an owner of goods have always seen the courts side with the auction site in the U.S. Foreign courts, especially those in Europe, may not see things the same way. eBay sees its role unlike that of other auction houses which take responsibility for items which turn out to be forged or counterfeit. While auction houses, on-line and stand-up, usually have a policy of making good on bad items, eBay does not get involved except to put two parties together at their request.

The growing list of auctions posting fraudulent items and forgeries has to way somewhere into Whitman's thoughts on the future and those foreign lawsuits should not be tossed aside lightly. Overall for those who claim eBay is not progressing it should be noted first and foremost the company is an "auction house." Where else can the base go? Skype, PayPal and other innovations have been key additions during Whitman's term.

At only 49 years old she is a player and while she may have taken the company as far as she can, there is nothing which says she has to go. Although given the options she could probably do well in the political arena as a political appointee if not a candidate.

                                        ==========================

(DREAMS GAINS STOCK EXCHANGE APPROVAL)

Dreams Incorporated, commonly called Field of Dreams or even Mounted Memories gained formal approval to join the American Stock Exchange to have it's common shares listed. Dreams has been trading as an over the counter stock. The company will have a new symbol which is sort of a coup. It will go from being listed as "DRMN" to "DRJ." Julius Erving couldn't have said it better.

"We were ecstatic to receive the news today and feel quite fortunate to join such a prestigious stock exchange," said Russ Tannenbaum, President and CEO. "We believe this formal affiliation with the American Stock Exchange will allow us to attract institutional investors and improve the marketability and liquidity of our common stock."

As long as all their ducks are lined up in a row the company plans to start trading on the AMEX April 16. Dreams currently owns and operates the majority of the Field of Dreams stores and the Mounted Memories autograph company.

                             ========================

(MGA REPORTEDLY CLOSE TO BUYING FRENCH TOY FIRM)

MGA Entertainment may be scooping up a French company which distributes its toys world wide and is well known on an international level. Reports indicate MGA, which makes the wildly popular Bratz Dolls is close to a deal to bring in troubled Smoby. The deal could be worth about $35 million.

Smoby has declared the French equivalent of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy which gives it time to work out it's problems. The company is showing debts in the neighborhood of $23.5 million. With 18 subsidiaries and distribution in 90 countries the acquisition of Smoby would give MGA wide ranging possibilities to expand itself internationally.

Hobby dealers might be familiar with the die cast lines under the Smoby banner including Solido and Majorette. Other lines include many in the toddler arena with one of the biggest being the Berchet company which was purchased in 2005. The company also distributes lines of Disney, Warner and Black & Decker.

MGA has been aggressively looking into the European Market with plans to open a new UK office next year.

(Smoby toy cash register might work well with a Bratz Logo.)

                                  

      

                                         =======================

(HOT WHEELS RADAR GUN?)

From the "It's not much of a story but a pretty cool picture" department comes this neat idea. Hot Wheels is coming out with a radar gun to track the speed of your vehicles. It's based on a per scale basis so don't expect to go over 100 MPH, but the idea is right on target for out of the box Hot Wheels collectors.

We're not sure if it will work on your trike and it has only about a 40 foot range, so don't try to use it for a defense in court when the cop stops you for a speeding ticket.

       

                 =======================

(FINEST ROOKIE REDEMPTION NO. 2 UNVEILED)

For the second week in a row Topps is announcing the weekly Finest Baseball Rookie Redemption Card player. The second player to be named is Elijah Dukes of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Each master box has one rookie redemption card due for shipping in mid-August. Last week the company announced it was releasing the card for Hideki Okajima of the Red Sox.

                  =======================

(TRADE CONFERENCE SETS RECORD)

The Hawaii Conference Mainland Edition coming up next week in Florida and put on by Krause has the highest pre-registration for hobby stores it's ever had. Officials say 132 hobby stores have signed up which is a new record and overall more registrants have turned in their forms than since 2002.

The conference, formerly the Kit Young Hawaii Convention, was taken over by Krause before Krause sold it's assets to F&W. The Ft. Lauderdale convention is an attempt to appease hobby dealers who felt traveling to Hawaii every year, even in the dead of winter, was cost prohibitive.

                                        =======================

TOPPS PUTS WARNING LABELS ON PACKS

VOLUME 2, NO. 124

HOT*BUTTON*STORY

(ANGRY CROWD SHOVES AT KIRK DOUGLAS BOOK SIGNING!!)

HEADLINES:

** TOPPS TO ISSUE WARNING LABEL ON CARDS

** 89-YEAR SELLS $2 MILLION COLLECTION

** EXPERT: TOPPS UNDERVALUED. MORE BIDS?

** MAYOR'S BALLS UP FOR BID

** NEW HOBBY ITEM FOR GIRLS MIGHT WORK

** MOUNTED ADDS ON-LINE HOLOGRAM COA

                                 

                                   ==================

LATER THIS WEEK: STRAT-O-MATIC LOOKING FOR INVESTORS, APRIL 12

EDITORIAL COMMENT: UPPER DECK STORES BAD IDEA COMING

                                     =================

(TOPPS TO PUT WARNING LABEL ON HOLLYWOOD ZOMBIES)

For the first time in the history of trading cards (aside from those baring (sic) scantily clad ladies) Topps will issue a "Warning" on packs. Hollywood Zombies are not for little kids; they are for teens and above. The warning labels will not only be on the packs but on the boxes as well.

"These are not Garbage Pail Kids, we don't want little kids to buy them thinking they are Wacky Packs," said John Williams, Creative Services Manager for Topps. "We don't want any moms to get upset because these are for older kids, we do lots of other stuff for younger kids."

Williams describes the parody series as more of a Mad Magazine style. It is scary yet funny, sarcastic yet humor which takes a knowledge of the world and world affairs as far as celebrity goes, to understand.

"We live in a very obsessive celebrity world where every move celebrities make is scrutinized," said Williams. "People like Howard Stern will embrace the card he is on and so will some others and these cards will be more edgy than most things we've done."

The story of Hollywood Zombies is simple. Williams says in some cultures and even religions taking a picture of someone is tantamount to "stealing their soul." With Celebrities created for HZ they have had their photo taken so many times by Paparazzi their soul is gone forever and the celebs become the "undead" zombies roaming the earth -- and kicking up fun where ever they go.

The back of the card is in the format of the Hollywood Reporter with a full blown story about the actor or actress or singer while the front artwork relates to something real in their life. The two most outstanding are Brittney Spears as a zombie and Tom Cruise (Tom Ooze). Spears will appear on two cards of which one is a variation.

"We'll the Brittney with a full head of hair and then the variation; the bald Brittney," said Williams. "There will also be glow in the dark versions of cards."

While the Bald and full head Brittney will ad an element of chase to the set nothing will compare to what might happen if Tom Cruise takes a dislike to his card. The card features the actor jumping from a coffin much like he jumped on Oprah's couch in a much celebrated and maligned move to his own quirkiness. In front of him and the coffin are three other characters. It is obvious who they are. One is Oprah, the other is Katie Holmes (Cruise's wife) and the third is their child. While Cruise might be okay with himself being parodies he might go off on anyone asking him to sign or just looking at his own child in the picture. But this doesn't mean Cruise is the target of Topps.

"This is a first amendment situation as it pertains to parody and we didn't go out of our way to upset anyone we just were looking for the jokes," added Williams. "It is like Saturday Night Live, people actually go on SNL and parody themselves."

This was not an easy set to put together or even get past the top brass at Topps. It took a long time but Williams says it wasn't because management didn't want to do it, it was more because they wanted it done right.

"We've wanted to do a parody set for a long time featuring celebrities and we've done a few here and there with GPK such as Michael Jackson and Ronald Reagan," he pointed out. "We wanted to find a way to do something different from GPK and we noticed the rise in popularity in Zombies now and thought that might be what we were looking for."

It was and is as HZ looks to be a real winner with the artwork, the text and the hot buttons which might be pushed. If just one celeb goes off on someone nationally or even locally and the word gets out, this set could take off much like the Jeter/Mantle/GW Bush card did in 2007 Topps. Not that this is what Williams is looking for but admittedly he wouldn't vote against it.

(This card brought lots of attention to 2007 Topps.)

"There is no telling who might get upset and we are not trying to push any buttons here but that would be up to the individual," he joked.

The concept came together with a few key issues to be solved. First Williams said doing it right was the key and using top illustrators was just as important. The combination of horror and humor has long been a Topps standout point since the 1950's when Monster Midgies and Monster Laffs were all the rage. The addition of Garbage Pail Kids and Wacky Packs added another element based on the first amendment.

In an Federal case decided in Oklahoma the Major League Baseball Players Association lost in their attempt to keep a trading card company from doing a parody set of its players. The MLBPA said it infringed on the rights of players images which it controls. The set showed current players, with different names in caricature poses which were at best unflattering. The union went after it tooth and nail figuring it had a lock down case. At first it looked like it might. Then a judge overturned it and we now have a landmark piece of court action.

(One of several versions of parody cards based on real life players. The courts have upheld the Free Speech angle of such cards in the past.)

Basically the court said parody is protected by the first amendment as free speech. The person you are doing a parody of must be a recognizable public figure or what would be the purpose of parody? The court ruling stands and the union was out of luck. These types of parody cards carry the same string. Celebs may get upset but unless there is something missing here, they are free range.

Bring it on Tom Cruise, bring it on!

                                    =============================

(89 YEAR OLD COLLECTOR GIVES IT UP)

Bidding starts today (Monday) on what could be one of the most valuable collections of baseball cards in recent years. Not so much in numbers but in quality as 89-year old Lionel Carter of Evanston, Illinois decided to put his lifelong passion up for auction with Mastro. The collection, which he began amassing as a child in the 1920's is worth between $1 million and $2 million.

"I walked into a store and saw something in the counter under glass and I asked the man what is that?" Carter told CBS News radio. "The man said they were baseball cards and they are a penny each."

Carter said he had a nickel in his pocket.

"I'll take five of them," he told the clerk. And the rest as they say is history. It is where it all started for the retired bank clerk and World War II Veteran.

Carter actually became quite well known in the hobby and even Jefferson Burdick who wrote the American Card Catalog would look at his collection to double check he was writing about the right things, became a friend.

Carter's collection has some rarities such as the 1910 Ty Cobb and the very rare 1910 T-card of Eddie Plank. While the holy grail Honus Wagner card never made it into his collection he does have a Wagner from a different series. In his 50,000 card collection he even has a Mantle rookie.

(Carter's Plank card is not unlike this one but in better shape.)

Now 50,000 cards really isn't a lot by today's standards just nearly 16 four row boxes which hold 3200 cards each. Most avid collectors have twice this amount stored away. However, few people have the quality of Carter's collection in terms of vintage and more rare still is the pristine condition of his cards.

Friends told the Chicago Tribune Carter was among the pioneers when it came to collecting the best condition of the best cards. He stopped collecting in 1985 when most people started, at least modern day card board counters. Why sell now? Why not indeed. As it turns out last year some thugs rang his doorbell, pushed him aside and took a handful of his valuable castings. For a elderly couple pushing 90 this was enough. The police did get back most of what was stolen but some lucky collector, or collectors, is going to get the rest.

"I just want to see it go to a good home," added Carter.

                                   ==========================

(KIRK DOUGLAS SIGNING SESSION TURNS UGLY)

Kirk Douglas is a 90 year old man recovering from a stroke but remains an American icon who is releasing another book about his life. It is no wonder people want his autograph but in Palm Desert the other day a public appearance and supposed book signing turned so ugly Douglas may be rethinking his publicity tour.

Douglas, who lives in Montecito near Santa Barbara made the three hour drive to Palm Desert to the PepperTree Bookstore where he was to be viewed giving an interview, questions & answers and what was believed to be a book signing. As it turns out Douglas, slowed dramatically by the stroke and old age, doesn't sign but a few books at these events. Instead he brings pre-signed books with him to sell.

Turns out the company which sends him the books didn't get them to him before the appearance and rather than not show up, he made the event sans the books. Hundreds of people had turned out to meet the aging star of films such as "Spartacus" and "The Professionals" planning to buy a book and get his signature. The store owner, Charles Lago, had evidently presented it just this way.

(Douglas at previous signing.)

When Douglas signed a few books after the interview and turned to leave the crowd understandably wondered what was going on. Douglas publicist answers as to what was happening didn't offer solace to the crowd. Pushing and shoving took precedence and Douglas was hurried to a waiting car.

Douglas proposed having fans send their names and addresses and he would send them signed book plates. This didn't go over well either. The book "Let's Face It; 90 Years of Loving, Living and Learning" is on sale now.

                                          =======================

(HOW MUCH FOR MAYOR'S BALLS?)

Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory has a dozen of them and they are going to be auctioned off after Hizhonor made headlines with an errant throw at the Reds' home opener last week. The baseballs were signed and will be auctioned off for charity.

Mallory, formerly a WCET-TV employee did it all over again on the Jimmy Kimmel Show and plunked an audience member. The first toss was seen coast to coast on national television and on the web.

(Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory in better times.)

The auction which begins April 18 left Cincinnati fans hoping the mayor is a better politician than a baseball player.

     ==========================

(WORLD'S OLDEST GOLFER GETS HOLE-IN-ONE)

Here is a ball which might bring some big bucks at auction some day despite the fact few people will ever remember the name of Elsie McLean. Elsie was playing a round of golf with her foursome of elderly ladies when she did the ultimate. She got a hole in one on the regulation Bidwell Park Course in Chico, California. She immediately jumped up and down upon realizing the ball was in the hole and not lost.

"Oh my Lord, it can't be true, it can't be true," she exclaimed to her excited friends.

Hopefully she'll sign it and put it away or up for auction because it is a record. She is 102 years young and became the oldest person on the planet and in known history to get an ace. She broke the 2001 record set by Harold Stilson and added a trip to the Tonight Show starring Jay Leno to boot.

(photo courtesy of Chicoer)

                =================

(MOUNTED CHANGES HOLOGRAM COA)

Mounted Memories is finally getting away from their credit card style Certificate of Authenticity and going to an on-line data base. The company making the announcement this week.

The new hologram will be right on the item and carries a number which can be looked up on line with details as to the signing. PSA/DNA and a few others have done this already and it makes it so much more secure and a better experience for the collector.

When the collector goes to sell the item both he and the dealer or buyer can look the item up to verify through the on-line data base rather than just matching a number to a COA sticker or in the case of MM handing over a plastic card with the the player's name and the item description.

The new program takes place on a go-forward basis and does not cover previously framed items which will still carry the credit card style COA.

                                ===========================

(NICKLAUS SIGNS WITH STEINER)

Jack Nicklaus hasn't signed for a company in some time after his last venture with Upper Deck Authenticated but he's picking up the pace with Steiner Sports. The Golden Bear is signing a number of 8 x 10 photos which Steiner is mounting and framing. The wholesale cost is $400 each.

                                  ==========================

(EXPERT SAYS TOPPS DEAL UNDERVALUED, MORE BIDS EXPECTED)

One research analyst says he expects other bids for the Topps Company than the one Micheal Eisner and his partners made for $385 million. David Peltier, research manager at www.thestreet.com said the current bid of between $9.75 per share for Topps is sorely undervalued. The stock is trading higher than the $9.75 currently.

"It is sort of a low ball bid," Peltier said. "I would not be surprised to see a higher bid come out. If you look at the comps out there the company is worth $11 to $12 a share."

What a lot of people looking at this deal with former Disney chief executive Eisner don't see is the actual bid is more like in the $7.25 range because Topps is sitting on an $85 million cash reserve. The difference between where Eisner is bidding and where Peltier says it should be is about $5 per share.

There has also been a lot of speculation by industry outsiders that this private equity deal is what some are calling "a vanity offer." Meaning Eisner wants to buy the company because of it's baseball card heritage and wants to "play with baseball cards."

It is the the profound opinion of The Brill Report this could not be farther from the truth. Eisner recently purchased a company which makes sports videos for children and he recent established an on-line social networking site. Part of the plans for the site is to offer 90-second child/family oriented videos on the web with sponsorship tags. In other words the long time king of Disney wants to put family programming on the web saying there are sponsors out there who want to advertise on social networking sites but don't because they don't know what they will get on Youtube or MySpace.

The Brill Report stated earlier how Topps own Bazooka Joe character is one of the most recognizable of American icons along with the Topps brand of trading cards and Bazooka bubble gum. It is the opinion of this newsletter Eisner is looking not only to do what he can with the candy and trading card divisions but will very likely turn the Bazooka Joe character into a money making series or several series whether on the web or as a Saturday morning kids TV series. It only makes sense and if nothing else "sense and dollars" are two things Eisner knows how to make.

If there are competing bids, and TBR isn't saying there will be, Eisner might go higher realizing the untapped potential of the grand-daddy of all trading card companies. The deal was approved by regulators last week and should be completed in a few months if competing bids don't delay the action.

                 =======================

(HOBBY STORE OWNERS MAY TARGET GIRLS WITH HOT PINK CARS)

We've been marketing to boys for a long time and always wondered how do you get the girls in the shop? Mattel has found a way, especially for those stores who are heavy into Hot Wheels and other die cast. Move over guys because Polly Wheels are here and expected to be a big hit.

"Girls are racing to play with Polly Wheels because they are designed by girls for girls and tap into the ways girls want to play," said Stephanie Cota, VP of marketing for Mattel. "It's truly exciting to see girls take the wheel and let their imaginations race while playing with Polly Wheels."

Polly Wheels are the latest in the line of Polly Pocket, one of the most successful lines of toys for girls in the universe. After two years of research the company decided it was time to put the wheels on the market, after having been the lead boys toy with Hot Wheels and Matchbox for decades.

"There are distinct similarities and differences in how girls and boys 'play cars,'" said Dr. Michael Shore VP of consumer insights at the toy maker. "Both love using their imaginations, competing and racing cars, but while boys' play with cars is often about conquering space with wild stunts and action, girls' play is about exploring space using cars to reach a destination and act out social themes and stories."

One of the first toys in the line will be a sort of starter set Polly Wheels Race to the Mall and track set which will carry and SRP of under $35.

                                     ======================

UPPER DECK TO OPEN STORE

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 123

HOT*BUTTON* STORY

(CY YOUNG AWARD WINNERS MAKING SALES! Guess Who?)

HEADLINES

** UPPER DECK TO OPEN RETAIL STORE

** FTC APPROVES TOPPS SALE

** OIL COMPANY BUYS SPORTS COLLECTIBLES FIRM

** DONRUSS TELLS DEALERS IT'S A "DO OVER"

** DETAILS ON THESE AND MORE BELOW...

NEXT WEEK: The first ever Topps trading cards to carry a "warning label! Monday April 8

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Baseball is a game designed for cheaters despite steroids.

(UPPER DECK PLANS TO OPEN RETAIL STORE)

The Brill Report has learned Hobby store owners around the country are shocked Upper Deck is apparently going to open at least one retail store selling Upper Deck branded products. The word comes through a job solicitation on Monster which seeks applications for a hobby experienced store manager (do a search for Upper Deck to find the jobs). Details are sketchy as to where the store would be but there are indications Orange County, California is the target. Whether it is to be a stand alone or a mall store is not known. A request for comment from Upper Deck by The Brill Report was they would have nothing before our deadline for this issue and probably nothing for another week.

Upon hearing the news and reading the Monster ad most dealers we spoke with had the same reaction as Mike Fruitman of Mike's Stadium Sports in Aurora, CO.

"The idea of having to compete against other stores is fine with me but as for Upper Deck opening their own store or stores is offensive," Fruitman told The Brill Report. "I have to push myself and support the entire line of products just to ensure I can acquire higher end releases but for some of that product to be diverted to an Upper Deck store, it makes it harder on each and every dedicated shop owner."

James Lo who moves a lot of product through his Austin Sports Connection in Austin, TX, also shared the same concern.

"It is a conflict of interest certainly," said Lo in an exclusive interview with TBR. "Anytime there is a great product their stores will be fully stocked while our stores will have limits on what we can get."

Upper Deck's venture into retail stores is not unprecedented. The company opened a store on what has now become known as Universal City Walk at the entrance to the highly trafficked tourist Universal City Studio's Theme Park. While the store closed many years ago there were indications business was not bad. It was a clerk style store rather than a traditional hobby store. The company also opened kiosks at ball parks and stadiums. These did not do so well.

"I never saw them have much business in the kiosks or the stadiums so I don't think they did very well," said Ken Buckingham of The Card Pavilion in Santa Ana, CA which is a city in Orange County. "Anytime a manufacturer wants to become a retailer there is the possibility of conflict of interest."

Buckingham says though he's not too concerned.

"They've been around since 1989 so I don't think this was really 'Plan A' for them," the dealer added. "It does sound like they are trying to eliminate the secondary market on higher end products because they could have it for the suggested retail price and have lots of it."

Still the move is bothersome for store owners because of the way the monster ad is worded. This is not going to be the old style UD Kiosk store selling merchandise but rather it will be an interactive store. The solicitation says the manager will run Pack Wars and will also supervise athlete signings. This concerns Henry Frank whose Center City Sportscards has been located in San Diego for more than a decade.

"This is not going to help the stores out here trying to make a living," said Frank. "If a customer finds an Upper Deck product line at the UD store they might just continue to get it there. This might be a negative."

Frank would at least like UD Stores to put links or find other ways for customers to locate local hobby stores in the new company owned store. He said this would lead customers to venture into other stores or at least give them the acknowledgment they exist.

Probably the biggest area of concern for dealers remains the availability of higher end merchandise. Exquisite is a product dealers make a lot of money on and in fact some stores survive on selling high end packs and boxes to their heavy user customers, commonly called "whales." Since it will be much more difficult for store owners to restock the limited amount of these products they are allocated due to a new UD policy, the question becomes, "Will the Upper Deck store have large quantities of this high end merchandise and seemingly a continuous supply of restock?"

"To see them specifically ask for potential employees who can work with 'whales' (stated in the Monster ad) makes me think they are making a grab for my best customers," Fruitman said with concern. "Can every shop compete against an Upper Deck store which offers you free autographs that they happen to have in stock? Can I give away autographed jerseys to higher end customers? Can I bring in players to sign as regularly as they can?"

Fruitman says he'd be 0-for-3 on the above question. Upper Deck has already acquired the names, numbers, emails and addresses of each of the best customers for scores of hobby stores. It is called the Diamond Club wherein each store is allowed to submit it's best, very best high end collector to the club. Then UD treats these customers to special bonuses, prizes and challenges. It is already there.

The Colorado shop owner takes it a step farther by wondering how long it will be before UD starts soliciting customers away from local hobby shops by offering direct or in-store purchases via the Internet from it's own hobby store? This could really get interesting.

"They wouldn't have to open a retail store in Colorado to impact me," said Fruitman. "Sure I can offer three $600 packs to my best customer but what is to stop them from offering hundreds of these packs to the same customers?"

The timing of the information released about an Upper Deck Retail store is interesting as well. It comes on the heels of the new UD distribution plan which dealers were forced to sign if they wish to continue to carry UD products either directly or from a distributor. The contract limits dealer and distribution channels, sales channels and limits who will have the product available to sell to dealers who want to restock. Designed to stop product dumping and to bolster the price of low to mid range products, such a move combined with the opening of a UD brick & mortar store might actually hamper a stores ability to satisfy customers with higher end products.

The bottom line is dealers don't see any real positives coming from this.

"It will benefit Upper Deck, not the regular hobby stores who buy their products," said Frank.

"They've alienated 70-percent of my baseball customers and now you can add probably 90-percent of the dealers," said Lo.

"I'm disgusted, flat out sickened, and I can see too many worst case scenarios ensuing and no positive aspects," added Fruitman. "I would have to take a close look at what I order from them in the future IF they opened one in my area."

"I can see a lot of stress and hobby dealers getting upset," spoke Buckingham.

In Upper Deck's defense opening a full service hobby store does give the company the opportunity to get input from the store level, something it drastically needs. However, this could be had by input from stores and visits to stores by key personnel. As one dealer put it though, having regular and not hobby employees running a hobby store could be tantamount to disaster. High theft, buying hot products and selling them on the secondary market to dealers (something which UD was famous for in the early days of the company when employee theft was huge) and just the general problems of running a hobby store. No one has ever been able to franchise the business. Whether this is in UD's plans or not will remain to be seen. We hope to have the company side next week.

                                              ===========================

(TOPPS DEAL APPROVED BY REGULATORS)

Government regulators approved the sale of Topps to a group led by former Disney CEO Michael Eisner. Shareholders must still approved the deal in which Eisner's Tornante Company and Madison Dearborn Partners for $385 million. A dissident shareholders group is trying to block the sale saying the board is undervaluing the company.

According to a Federal Trade Commission Notice the government completed its investigation and ended the waiting period for the transaction. Topps says the deal could get done sometime in the third quarter.

                        ===========================

(OIL COMPANY BUYS SPORTS COLLECTIBLES FIRM)

In what might be best described with a "huh?" Omni Oil & Gas purchased/merged with Midwest Sports Collectibles. This seems to be on the surface one of the strangest mergers in the collectibles business and even the company statement as to why Omni purchased Midwest is vague and bizarre.

"This merger provides Omni with the ability to successfully move our business forward in a two fold manner," said Omni Chairman Gordon Johnson. "It affords the company the ability to secure additional investment capital through the public markets, as well as to utilize another avenue of acquisition currency, in order to fund Omni's aggressive development and growth strategy."

Omni is a company spread over Texas and Colorado and make no mistake about it, is in the gas and oil exploration fields. Midwest is a company which over the years has built up an inventory of sports collectibles through acquisition and auction and has been reselling the same through those same various means.

It is unknown how the two come together unless Omni is looking at the inventory grown by Midwest as a base of collateral. This would be nothing new. Former LA Kings owner, Bruce McNall, took this approach with sportscards and collectibles when he applied for millions of dollars in loan for his company expansion. It was later learned he defrauded the banks in using these cards as inventory/collateral and he ended up in a Federal Prison.

TBR will keep an eye on the Omni situation and report any further developments.

                                            ========================

(TOPPS M&M HAS DICE-K, MINT OFFERS COINS)

The new Moments & Milestones from Topps released this week features Boston Red Sox starter and Japanese phenomena Daisuke Matsuzaka better known as "Dice-K." The highly paid star from Japan cost the Red Sox an arm and a leg and they are hoping the arm they paid is worth the arm they got.

The new Topps card comes in three different versions numbered to 150 and each has a couple of short printed parallels (29 and a 1/1). The new product carries an SRP of about $6 per pack.

Meanwhile, The Highland Mint is offering a three coin set to commemorate the former Japanese League star.

Cost is $46 with SRP at $89.

                                          

============================

(BROADCASTER GETS BOBBIN' HEAD)

Fans of the Ft. Wayne, Indiana Komets will get their wish. Of all the players who've passed through the clubhouse of the minor league team fans chose to honor long time team broadcaster Bob Chase with the team Bobbin' Head Doll. It is being given to the first 1000 fans through the gates on Friday according to the Ft. Wayne News-Centennial.

Chase was the top vote getter despite the fact when the list of players came out his name was on the bottom of the page. Sometimes it pays to be a broadcaster.

  (Photos by Chad Ryan, Ft. Wayne News Centennial)                                          

                                                   

                                          

                                                    =============================

(DEALERS JUMP THE DONRUSS GUN -- TRY AGAIN)

Playoff Donruss is advising dealers who got their order forms and quickly ordered 2007 Donruss Elite Football they need to do it over again. The ordering date begins April 6 and many hobby store owners, anxious to get their orders in, sent the order forms via fax before the start date. The company quickly sent out emails with a statement to re-submit.

"If you have already submitted an order for this product you must re-submit it between April 6 and April 20," read the statement. "This and any order WILL NOT BE PROCESSED if we receive it before the starting order date or after the order deadline."

Since Donruss has only one sports license and does such a good job on the NFL product line many dealers are very anxious to order their full allocations.

                                             ======================

(RIDDELL RELEASE MIN-MINI NASCAR HELMETS)

It's not much of a store but it's a pretty cool picture. If you are a NASCAR fan you will probably want one of these.

The Riddell Pocket Pro retails for about $3 each and can go on your key chain if you like.

                                          

  ======================

(OKAJIMA FIRST UP FOR TOPPS FINEST ROOKIE REDEMPTION)

If you were wondering who you were getting with your Topps Finest Redemption card in 2007 baseball the word is now out. Over the course of the year there will be 10 players released through the program and no. 1 is Boston Red Sox pitcher Hideki Okajima.

Each few weeks a new name will be released with shipping of the cards expected around the middle of August.

                                             

                                                

===============================

(ETOPPS GOES 1985 JETER)

The latest from eTopps is 1985 as the company is going back to vintage Topps designs for new issues such as the 1985 "never was" Derek Jeter card. Jeter is among four players in the news series.

The other three being offered are Delmon Young, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Troy Tulowitzki. Cost is $6.50.

                                              

                                                    =============================

(UD JETER ADS NOW AIRING)

Upper Deck's and MLB's campaign to draw more kids to trading cards is underway with television commercials beginning this week. The "Get More Than Lucky" campaign features Derek Jeter promoting the fun of cards and the Upper Deck for Kids website where interactivity with cards takes place. The idea is to create a social environment for children and trading card collecting. It's supported by print ads in Sports Illustrated for Kids.

"The on-line site will give kids a chance to predict which player will hit the most home runs, steal the most bases or drive in the most runs," said Louise Curcio, VP of marketing for UD in a statement. "We have been extremely successful in reaching a new generation of collectors."

The site will feature lots of interaction and gaming involving baseball cards and is part of UD's plan with MLB & MLBPA to enhance the art of collecting. Topps also has programs designed to do the same thing.

                                               ============================

(SPIDER MAN SWINGS INTO ACTION AT 7-11 WITH COLLECTIBLES)

Spidey Fans Unite and the gathering is at the local 7-11 Store. The company is offering lots of Spider Man-3 collectibles in store and on-line with one of a kind Slurpee cups. These are specially designed lenticular cups which show the webbed crusader changing from red to black as you turn the cup and Spidey swings.

The movie debuts the end of this month and all month long 7-11 will be running all kinds of promotions in nearly 6000 stores and in half a dozen countries. The on-line contest at www.slurpee.com gives collectors and fans a chance to win one of three trips down the red carpet as part of the film's premier.

                                             

          ===========================

(MOUNTED OFFERS 20 CY YOUNG WINNER BASEBALLS)

Name the 20 Cy Young Winners Mounted Memories is offering on signed baseballs and you should get a prize because despite their obvious winning seasons some of them are obscure. Remember Lamar Hoyt (1983), Brandon Webb (2006) and Rick Sutcliffe (1984)? The rest are easy guys to remember and include Denny McLain (31 wins in 1968) and Bruce Sutter (1979).

  In all Mounted is offering baseballs for as low as $25 (Hoyt) and $29 (Gaylord Perry) to Pedro Martinez ($275).

                                             =============================

(UDA OFFERING NEW SERIES OF BASEBALLS 2007)

Upper Deck Authenticated is pushing a new series of signed baseballs for 2007. The company is soliciting its dealer base with not only Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripken and Tom Seaver but also surprisingly Steve Sax (ROY), Maury Wills, James Loney, Evan Longoria, Troy Tulowitzki and Kenji Johjima.

Wills, Sax, Loney and the minor leaguers are all relatively well priced at $36 wholesale and $60-$70 retail. The others all carry a suggested retail price in the $250 range which is high retail for the most part.

                                                             

                                                ==========================

(AMAZON OFFERS SPORTS COLLECTIBLES VIA WEB SITE 2007)

Everyone is getting into the act and for amazon.com it is no different as the bookseller is offering links to different sports items including trading cards and a 2007 baseball season portal. Calling it the Major League Baseball Fan Shop it is a straight link and offers items through various vendors selling cards and memorabilia. 

Collectors Paradise for instance is a trading card link for the site.

                 ==========================

(DOCTOR WAX BATTLE GOES FOR GUINNESS RECORD)

Based in Toms River, NJ, the Doctor and his store The Backstop are gaining viewers in droves for his Internet sportscard show. So much so he decided to move the Wednesday time on his show to accommodate viewers on the West Coast. It is now on from 7-10pm EST while the Friday airing remains at 5-8pm EST.

Now he's decided to go after a world's record and an entry in the Guinness Book of World's Records by having the biggest wax pack battle in history. The idea is to use hundreds of kids at the championship game of the Toms River and Toms River East Little League Championship Game later this year.

The Doc is on the road visiting stores and is adding guests from Al Rosen to Steve Mandy of Attack of the Baseball Cards.

                                                ============================

THE BRILL REPORT IS NOW FREE

WELCOME TO THE FIRST "FREE" EDITION OF TBR: The Brill Report!

You may now bookmark your favorites with www.thebrillreport.com. If you go to the old KC Kings site you will find a link to take your here. It has long been a desire of Brill Productions to offer the service free of charge and now we can. You can still count on TBR as the leading hard news publication in the collectibles hobby/industry. We still won't take industry advertising from manufacturers but we will sell advertising space as you can see to your left. We will offer monthly and quarterly flat rates, :30 video commercials and links for a reasonable fee. Inquire via email for overall rates. Meanwhile, many of you have paid for The Brill Report in advance. We will be contacting you via email later this week with some offerings including full refunds. The Brill Report is Back and Back in a strong way. Thanx again for your support.  The Staff at TBR: The Brill Report.

VOLUME: 2 ISSUE: 122

HOT*BUTTON*STORY

(HOT FORGERIES RAMPANT ON EBAY !!!)

HEADLINES:

** Forgeries Light Up eBay

** Ripken Back on QVC

** 1918 World Series Ball for Bid

** Highland Mint Honors Kobe

** Steiner Goes for Triple Crown

** McFarlane Legends

** Viet Nam Sports Auction

Details on these stories and more below in today's TBR: The Brill Report

                         ===============================

                          (MORE EBAY FORGERIES GETTING BY)

In the past month or so eBay watchdog Christopher Williams continued his attempts to get eBay to sit up and take notice about forgeries being sold. Even to the point where Williams received several threatening emails. In recent weeks Williams forwarded to us results of auctions and "Quick Opinion" requests which have come back as "Probably Not Genuine."

The Quick Opinion is something offered by eBay to appease the many doubters it has who say the company should be policing forgeries more than it does and should be held liable. The courts have historically sided with the auction giant which claims it is a facilitator not a seller and buyer beware is the end result. A lawsuit filed by several foreign companies is now also challenging eBay regarding knock-offs of everything from Cardin on down.

The Quick Opinion is as the title states a cursory opinion given by PSA as to the likely authenticity of the item up for auction. Since the item is not in the hands of the authenticators at PSA they cannot render a definite opinion working with only a scan. However, the opinion and PSA's reputation is on the line. There is a small fee of $7.49 which is paid by the prospective buyer. This is a fee Williams pays himself each and every time and he's done it hundreds of times.

Some of the items Williams has gotten negative opinions on are St. Louis Cardinals team signed balls with Albert Pujols' signature. Pujols seems to have replaced the once popular Mark McGwire as the hottest autograph to forge. Many David Beckham autographs surfaced once the soccer star signed a $250 million contract with the LA Galaxy of the MLS.

Several Williams submitted came back likely forged. Williams has gone after Coaches Corner which when you look at their site you see many items which might be questionable.

"We criticize Coaches Corner a lot because we know most of their autograph items, they always have a big ad in Sports Collectors Digest, are garbage," Williams told TBR after submitting an item for a QO and it failed. "This seller is selling many Coaches Corner items and I knew this one was a forgery but I wanted to get documented proof."

One seller offered several Florida Gators Team Signed items which came back as Likely Not Genuine and the number of Anna Nicole Smith forgeries popping up upon her death was nothing short of disgusting.

"I was amazed at how many bad Anna Nicole items there were right away," said Dave Rodriguez of Signatures.com. "I had lots of autographs from her I got personally at different appearances and some of these ones on eBay were so bad it was just awful."

Tiger Woods forged golf balls are always on eBay and Woods has a corporate policy against signing golf balls. So if you see one you can pretty much be 100-percent certain if Tiger signed it, his last name isn't Woods.

"I feel sorry for the person who buys it and thinks it's authentic," Woods told the Associated Press in an article for CBS News on-line in 2005. "It is a reflection not only on the person who sold it and they don't care, they get their money. I don't want to leave that impression because I didn't do it."

In recent days seller brad_genunglisted a signed Woods golf ball in auction no. 260101802485, as did seller newenglandmemorabilia (with 0 feedback no-less) in auction no. 220097661837. A Ryder Cup ball supposedly signed by Tiger while he was at Stanford sold on eBay recently for $255. It is not known if he ever signed a ball in college but certainly not since turning pro. Williams tracked 13 autographed golf balls "signed" by Tiger according to their eBay descriptions from just one seller. eBay, knowing Woods does not sign them by his own published admission, allowed more than a dozen to be sold to unsuspecting eBayers from one seller alone.

Williams cites eBay as part of the problem. Here is an excerpt he sent to the auction site after offering several negative quick opinions for the same seller and reporting the forgeries several times to eBay. eBay had not taken any action against the seller to that point.

"Anything with a COA from Diamondsports is a forgery. This seller is also selling fakes with COA's from Authentic Graph. You people at eBay are supposed to be taking care of this stuff not me. Garbage like this should be flagged before they make it to auction. eBay is now the primary wholesale source for forgeries that get sold locally."

In another case Williams submitted a quick opinion turn down on a Dywane Wade basketball to eBay and the item was removed. The same seller re-listed it the following day. Another father and son team Williams claimed was kicked off eBay in 2005 for selling forgeries returned in 2007 selling more of the same.

Williams says some of the heaviest violators are in the entertainment field where by his calculations a company going by the name "hardrockstageproductions" sold an estimated 1700 guitars with forged signatures for an average of $300 each. This comes to over $500,000. The following is a list of other eBay sellers he's tracked selling large numbers of forgeries;

Americansportscollectibles 4,000 items by itself along with Onlinesportsautographs, Legendarygreats, Landmarkmoments, Tristateautographs, Losangelescollectibles, Bdiamondsports and Sincitycards.

The combined autographs sold by the latter above are 15000. After being removed or "unregistered" by eBay, Williams says several of them returned under different names selling the same forgeries.

"I wish I had a number but can you imagine the tens of millions of dollars that eBay has made in fees and commissions from the sale of forged autographs," Williams told TBR. "To me that in itself is a crime."

In its defense eBay does have a large fraud department and has worked with the FBI in developing ways to keep buyers informed. It claims buyers must do their homework and be diligent, which is also true. Until the courts decide eBay has some liability in this arena it is going to continue.

Williams does admit eBay is trying but its efforts are more an attempt to warn than to stop the sellers of forgeries.

"I will admit eBay has taken more action against these bad sellers lately but not enough," he told TBR. "Why should I be spending my money on a PSA 'Quick Opinion' service to alert eBay to a bad seller when eBay has a direct connection to that service."

Williams says he could write a book about what he has learned so far and what we are reporting here is only the tip of the iceberg as to what he's learned. Not since the days of the FBI bust up of the Marino Family forgery ring has the quantity of forged items on eBay been circulating. It is such a massive amount it is extremely difficult to cope with but it must be coped with.

Williams says the bad sellers know each other and was told by one of them he bought Mantle autographs from one of the biggest sellers in bulk.

"Copycat bad sellers on eBay is an epidemic," added Williams. "I will say this proudly that through my efforts and those who have joined me we have made a difference because the bad guys know who we are and we are now seeing less fake Jeter and Pujols items listed on eBay -- but it will pick up once the season starts."

He knows they talk to each other because now he's getting emails from forgers he's never talk to and they have sent him threatening emails. Maybe it's time for Operation Bullpen 2007.

                           ============================

                            (RIPKEN BACK ON QVC APRIL 5)

If you can't get enough of Cal Ripken Jr., don't worry he'll be back on QVC hawking his autograph through his Ironclad Authentics on April 5. The one hour show starts at 10 p.m. (EST). Ripken will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown along with Tony Gwynn July 29. This is the second time the man who holds the consecutive games played record will appear since the election. The first was immediately after the vote was announced.

"Ripken is certainly among the best in baseball and his impressive showing in the Hall of Fame balloting just solidifies his importance to the sport," said Rich Yoegel, director of merchandising for QVC. "Having Cal continue to come to QVC in his special induction year to connect with collectors and baseball fans is a win for all involved."

Ripken made the HOF with an impressive 98.5 percent of the vote. Ripken will offer signed jerseys, bats, balls and photos during the session.

                           

                                                   

                              =============================

                     (1918 WORLD SERIES BALL ON AUCTION BLOCK)

Probably one of the most unique items ever to be auction off will hit the block April 10 at the Sportsworld Auctions in Saugus, MA. This is a short 20 minute drive from Fenway Park where the ball recorded the final out of the 1918 World Series. This was the last Series won by the Red Sox before the end of the Curse of the Bambino just a couple years ago.

The ball was passed down by Fred Thomas, the third baseman who caught the final out. The family has held on to it since then. It sat in a wicker basket for years and the local kids would play with it despite the fact it carried the signature of Babe Ruth. The autograph was later traced over and the ball shellacked.

For all of you now shivering at reading the last line don't worry the ball will be in high demand. The historic significance of the ball will command a premium.

Sportsworld Auctions is owned and run by long time hobby dealer Phil Castinetti who also owns Sportsworld hobby and memorabilia store.

   

                                 ============================

                              (HIGHLAND MINT GOES KOBE TIME 50)

Kobe Bryant's record tying four consecutive games scoring at least 50 points isn't lost on the hobby. The Highland Mint is releasing a Photo Mint of the achievement with it's traditional coin, photo montage and COA. The unsigned Kobe PM's sell dealer direct for $42 with an SRP of $80.

                           

                            

                        

                       

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                      (STEINER GOES FOR RACING TRIPLE CROWN)

Horse racing fans are in for a real treat as Steiner is offering a Salute to the Triple Crown triple signed for a very affordable $150 dealer direct. The piece offers three framed and matted photos of the stretch drives with cut signatures of all three jockeys; Ron Turcotte aboard Secretariat, Jean Cruguet on Seattle Slew and Stevie Cauthen who took Affirmed the distance.

(Partial version of Steiner Triple Crown)

Steiner is often criticized for it's high prices on memorabilia but this item is certainly in the easily right priced range at $150 wholesale. It is expected to ship in early April.

                           

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                               (McFARLANE UNVEILS LEGENDS)

The third series of NFL Legends from McFarlane will roll out to the public in August but the company is previewing them now. The group is one of the most ambitious for McFarlane in that they are all really legendary and favorite players. The biggest one as far as a cult following though is Bo Jackson.

The others are John Elway, Earl Campbell, Roger Staubach, Reggie White featuring two different uniforms (Packers and Eagles) and Dan Marino.

The poses more than the faces are are very strong and the faces are really good.

                            

                                           

                             

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                             (SPORTS AUCTIONS HIT VIET NAM)

Baseball may be a thoroughly American sport and so is non-soccer football but this new thing called "sports auctions" is taking the world by storm. Even Viet Nam is getting into the act. According to a report in the Viet Nam News some of the countries best known athletes put up 24 items to auction for charity. One of them is Southeast Asian Games Champion Gymnist, Truong Ming Sang.

"Although this medal is the culmination of all my training as an athlete, I am willing to donate it so I can bring happiness to people in need," he said after giving up his gold medal.

The items went on the block as part of the tiny countries first ever National Sports Day and were auctioned off on the web site www.chodientu.vn with the hope of raising $15,000 US. It is all part of the National Sports Festival.

Thousands of collectors bid on items which also included a soccer ball signed by an entire team and a chess set donated by grand master Nguyen Ncog Truong Son.

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