VIRTUAL AND THE HOBBY, MAKING IT REAL
VOLUME 2, NUMBER 201
**HOT**BUTTON**STORY**
(Barbie has come a long way from Hippie to the Virtual world of websites.)
** VIRTUAL BARBIE 11 MILLION AND GROWING QUICKLY
** SPORTKINGS ADDS TO NATIONAL VIP PACKAGE
** GEHRIG RUTH COULD REACH $100-K
** UD LINKS WITH EUROPEAN COMPANY
** CONSUMER BLASTS BECKETT AD
** SECOND GOLDEN TICKET PULLED IN ARIZONA
** KENTUCKY DERBY TRIUMPH & TRAGEDY WILL LEAD TO COLLECTOR VALUE
These stories and more in todays edition of TBR: THE BRILL REPORT...
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(SUSPECT JERSEY WITH 51 VINTAGE SIGNATURES SELLS FOR $7K) Reacting quickly to collector concerns, Global Authentication has repurchased a signed jersey which sold on eBay for $7000 and pulled it off the market. Collectors were outraged after a vintage jersey with 51 signatures, and certified by GAI, sold on eBay. The jersey, sporting the names of Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Joe DiMaggio, Roger Maris and Eddie Mathews as well as 46 more was suspect at best. Another expert pointed out the mis-spellings in some of the names. "The Mantle is spelled 'M-a-u-t-e' and the Mathews you can't even make out," he said. "This is some of the worst stuff I've seen in years and I can't understand how it got certified." "I thought I was having an 'Operation Bullpen' flashback when I saw it (referring to the Greg Marino forgery ring busted by the FBI in the late 1990's)," said Dave Rodriguez of Signatures.com. "There were so many bad autographs on there I didn't know what to think." The jersey, certified by GAI and sold by 'ddrproductions,' is pictured. It was purchased by eBayer aaccollectibles which has only 23 feedback. Most of what they buy is vintage baseballs. Judge for yourself as to the spellings. To TBR the Eddie Mathews looks more like Eddie Watt, a relief pitcher in the era. It looks nothing like any Eddie Mathews we've seen previously. Item is no. 160235219780. "We did authenticate it, it was a mistake so we went right to the seller and the buyer and reversed the transaction and the jersey is now off the market," said Steve Rocchi, executive VP of GAI. "We authenticated it in March and it was a stupid mistake, we screwed up." Rocchi added the company is building in new precautions but mistakes do happen even of this magnitude. He admitted it wasn't the first mistake and probably won't be the last. "We always stand behind our product, this is something we always do, we will make it right if we make a mistake," Rocchi told TBR in an exclusive interview. "This was obviously a stupid mistake and we made everyone whole on it." Without elaborating Racchi told TBR his company is working to put in additional safeguards and plans to make the GAI system even better. Plans could be announced this summer. It is believed the jersey originally came from a company in Florida. The above experts also questioned this particular company which TBR was not able to find on the Internet as TBR was hoping for a comment.
"The panel with DiMaggio, Mantle and Greenberg on it is just awful," said one Southern California expert, speaking on condition of anonimity. "They looked like they were signed by the same person, and the Koufax is terrible."
(Above Koufax is Mathews which looks more like Watt.)
(Getting a jersey signed of these players in order such as this is very suspect although not impossible.)
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(UPPER DECK WANTS BOX BREAKERS VIDEOS FOR PRIZES)
With the box breaking video YouTube phenomena, Upper Deck is trying to capitalize on the mania. Dr. Wax Battle was likely one of the first, if not the first to dial up breaking boxes on video and then uplink them to the internet social networking site. Now there are thousands. Topps does it by the case and calls it Topps TV Rip Party. Upper Deck is going a step farther.
"Collectors have embraced this new forum for celebrating the experience of opening Upper Deck boxes," said Kerry Stockholm UD director of sports marketing. "We love the concept of user generated content as opposed to Upper Deck trying to manufacture our own video."
The company began it's new Diamond Vision web site this week and is encouraging collectors to submit their box break videos to www.upperdeck.com/breaks to share their experience and even win prizes. The prizes include a $1500 shopping spree and other items including the grand prize; a trip to the 2008 World Series.
The company hopes hobby shops will jump on the bandwagon as well with tie-ins.
"Hobby shops need to be aware of how quickly collectors are taking to this and embrace it," said Chris Carlin, UD hobby marketing manager. "We would love to see hobby shops hosting videos in their store and submitting them for collectors."
The other bonus is the amount of free advertising the company gets with each video either on-line at YouTube or at the UD site. The exposure is worth thousands if not millions of dollars in advertising supplied by collectors and stores. The end benefit is hopefully more walk-in as well as Internet business for the stores.
In January there were about 10,000 box break video's posted. This month UD officials say you will find 19,000 posted.
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(BARBIE 11 MILLION AND GROWING)
What is the world's number one toy? Yes guys, it IS Barbie. The model doll with the hour glass figure -- and she's kept it longer than an E-Harmony commercial -- is tops across the board. Her web site has 11 million girls registered, another phenomena. Now they are opening it up to the virtual world.
With the craze created on-line with Webkinz and the follow up Hasbro's littlepetshop.com, it looks like Barbie is ready to enter the virtual world. The Barbie web site has kids spending virtual B-Bucks to dress up their favorite doll. Now, take that on line.
The idea for toy makers is to continue to target younger and younger kids, as low in age as pre-school, and bring them into the virtual world. The social networking spin is taking them to a new level despite the inherent dangers. The sites use virtual awareness to move around and collect bucks to purchase stuff in the on-line virtual arena. Real or make believe some believe there is a danger.
One of the ways girls earn virtual dollars to spend on-line is to visit the Barbie Theater where they watch Barbie DVD's. Watch a DVD, earn some Barbie Bucks. It is a captive audience at worst.
Ganz, which developed Webkinz, says it has recognized the dangers and is going to add blocks to its site so parents can turn off commercialism which is rampant on these site. It will also move to keep virtual items sold on the site from being branded by advertisers. This is a key concern.
Think of it like a movie, where Coca Cola paid for a bunch of the production costs and in return was the only soft drink displayed in the movie. And prominently displayed at that. It goes back to the days of subliminal advertising except it's more overt.
Time Warner's site carries a warning about upcoming advertising. The new Barbie Girl Site does not carry third party advertising and is moving to expand it's section for parents.
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(UPPER DECK LINKS WITH NORDIC EURO TOY COMPANY, TRENDUS)
It appears Upper Deck is trying to expand it's European base with toys and games by linking a deal with Trendus. Trendus, which already distributes UD trading cards in northern Europe, will ad games, toys and gaming to it's UD mix. Upper Deck has lots of gaming licenses and Europe has been a good place to sell gaming products.
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(LELANDS MAY HAVE FIRST $100,000 PHOTO UP FOR AUCTION)
It is rare a photo, just the photo, could bring a hundred thousand dollars but the folks at Leland's Auction house believe a photo featuring both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig as 1927 Yankees in October, 1927, might be the first. The 7 x 8 1/4" photo is date stamped October 5, 1927.
(Photo taken October 5, 1927 at World Series.)
"We are extremely proud to be able to offer these rare Ruth and Gehrig items in our May catalog auction, especially in the final year of Yankee Stadium, the house that Ruth built and for that matter, Gehrig built," said Joshua Evans, Chairman of Leland's. "This may be the first $100,000 photo ever."
The year 1927 featured the team considered the greatest of all time and they proved it by sweeping a very good Pittsburgh team 4-0 in the World Series. The Bucs had a number of Hall of Fame players including both Waners, KiKi Cuyler and a bona fide pitching staff which two years previous had won the World Series over Washington and Walter Johnson.
Other items up for auction include a game worn Gehrig hat given to his doctor shortly before his death.
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(BECKETT AD BLASTED)
Last week we posted a story of how Beckett is looking for freelance writers to compliment its magazine. We got an email this week from Mike Baker Junior.
"Have you ever tried to write Beckett through their website? It does not work. The email address you supplied does not work either."
Sure enough, we tried to email freelance@beckett.com using their link. It doesn't work. No wonder Beckett is having problems getting writers.
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(SECOND UD GOLDEN TICKET PULLED)
Michael DeRose of Tempe, Arizona pulled the second of four Golden Tickets inserted into Upper Deck products and wins the chance to build his own Exquisite Box. The card, pulled from Showtime Cards in Tempe, is one of in the game, with two left to be found. The collector chose not to sell the card but will meet with UD officials and plan his own ultimate Exquisite box.
"It's crazy," said DeRose. "The night before I opened the box I was telling my girlfriend about this promotion and if I ever pulled it, I would have to sing the 'I Got the Golden Ticket' song (From Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)."
DeRose will be flown to Dallas by Upper Deck, get to tour production facilities and site down with the staff to see what is available to make his ultimate Exquisite pack.
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(KENTUCKY DERBY STUBS AND PROGRAMS TO BE HOT)
Horse racing fans, and let's face it Kentucky Derby fans, witnessed a couple once in a life time events and therefore those tickets and programs will become good collector's items. Not only did Big Brown, the favorite out of the 20 hole win in impressive style; for the first time another horse was put to sleep on the track.
Eight Belles, the fillie which finished second to Big Brown, broke both front ankles trotting after the race and collapsed on the track. The horse was euthanized on the spot. Tragedy followed triumph but the crowd left stunned on the news the horse had to be destroyed.
A side note, Hillary Clinton picked Eight Belles to win the race. It was the only fillie and one of the highest, if not the highest finish by a female horse in the history of the derby. All of the above will make those tickets worth a lot, especially if Big Brown with the Triple Crown as it looks like there is a decent possibility of that happening.
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(TOPPS SET FOR FOOTBALL TEAM SETS)
With the success of baseball team sets the past two years Topps is coming out with NFL team sets as well. There will be 12 cards per team set and all NFL teams are available.
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(WAREHAM, MASS STORE CLOSING)
"I don't care what the government says, people aren't spending their money on specialty items these days."
That is a quote from Eric Jordan who owns, or owned Gateway Comics, ETC., and who is closing his store. Jordan, who bought the store in 2001 told the South Coast Today he just can't make it anymore. Wednesdays, comic book days, he used to see 15 people easy.
"Now I'm lucky to see two people looking at the shelves," he lamented.
He's already moved much of his inventory to the Internet and like many others is just shutting down his store front. He is hoping to sell the inventory in one lot so he can get another job.
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(SPORTKINGS TO DEBUT SPECIAL CARD AT NATIONAL)
Goodie bags at The National have become all the rage for VIP ticket holders and this year once again it should be a nice attraction. One of the items inserted randomly into bags will be one of 18 cards featuring two players; an original Sportsking and a new Sportking.
The two players will be from the same sport but one will be named, see photo at left, from the original series produced more than half a century ago. The other player will be a new Sportkings series.
These will be given in VIP bags at the National in Cleveland, Ohio, Beginning July 30 of this year.
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(CALIFORNIA HIGH COURT SAYS NO TO MILLER IS PSA CASE)
The California Supreme Court denied William Miller's appeal of his case against Collector's Universe. Millers name appeared on thousands of COA's long after he left the company. He sued for back pay for his name being used on each and every COA.
The courts ruled he was entitled to damages but not on all the COA's, just one. He continued to argue the multiplier but the courts refused to budge. He wanted $10 million but was awarded only $750. The high court said no to reviewing his appeal.
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(STEINER SIGNS HIP HOP STAR, 50-CENT)
("Get Rich' or Die Tryin' autographed item from Steiner.)
With the big push on to sign celebrity items from Topps to UD to Donruss, why not Steiner. Steiner Sports inked a deal with Hip Hopper 50-cent. The deal includes autographs, memorabilia and concert worn clothing. No terms were released.
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(UPDATE--UPDATE--UPDATE--UPDATE MAY 7, 2008)
