News & Views

Clemente’s Corner: The Pros and Cons of Fanatics Buying Upper Deck

As Fanatics continues its rapid expansion across the sports collectibles market, speculation about potential future acquisitions have become a regular topic over the last few years.

Following its acquisition of Topps in 2021 (and its growing influence over pro sports licensing in the ensuing years), many collectors and industry observers have begun asking whether Upper Deck could eventually become a target.

From a strategic standpoint, the idea makes sense. Upper Deck remains one of the few major independent companies left in sports collectibles and controls several valuable assets – most notably the NHL license – that would fit neatly into Fanatics’ long-term vision. While an acquisition could provide significant advantages, it would also create challenges and potential risks for Fanatics itself.

Fanatics, for example, has been sparring with Panini for years now. It recently announced that it would take over the license of World Cup soccer stickers away from Panini starting in 2031, ending a relationship between the Italian company and FIFA dating back to the 1970 tournament.

Upper Deck’s exclusive trading card license with the NHL and NHLPA is a multi-year deal. Both sides have been secretive when it comes to exact expiration date, only fueling speculation that Fanatics could swoop in (like it did with the NBA license in 2025 after Panini’s 16-year run). Upper Deck has produced NHL-licensed cards since the 1990-91 season. A key milestone came in 2005 when Upper Deck became the exclusive trading card manufacturer.

But rumors surface every few months that Upper Deck could be either taken over or that the company can lose its NHL license, bringing a sense a dread among hockey collectors who are happy with how Upper Deck makes cards.

The question isn’t simply whether Fanatics could buy Upper Deck – but if doing so would actually benefit them. Let’s examine the pros and cons of Fanatics purchasing Upper Deck: 

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The 9th Annual Puck Junk Awards

This year, the NHL skipped its annual awards show, instead announcing its annual trophy winners throughout the end of the season. That’s a bit of a letdown, as the NHL Awards Show – as cringy as it is sometimes – is a nice way to bookend the season. 

Show or no show, players still got their awards for being the best goalie, the best defenseman, the league MVP, and such. 

But sadly, there are no awards for the player with the most punchable face, the goalie least likely to play in an NHL game who got to play in an NHL game, or the guy who changed teams the most during the season. 

That is something I rectified in 2018 when I launched the Puck Junk Awards, for the true unsung heroes of hockey. 

So, let’s take a look at the Puck Junk Award Winners for 2026. 

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Clemente’s Corner: When Hockey Heroes Crashed a Soccer Set

The year was 1994. O.J. Simpson was accused of double murder, “I Swear” by All-4-One dominated the music charts and soccer’s World Cup was held in the United States.

As the U.S. prepares to host another FIFA World Cup this month – with co-hosts Canada and Mexico – one can’t help but look back to the summer of ’94 and an iconic Upper Deck soccer set that was released at the time.

The card set was unique in that soccer collectors, until as recently as 2018, were mostly into stickers, not cards. Trading cards are a largely North American pursuit, but one that is now global. This was not the case 32 years ago.

The Upper Deck USA ’94 set made up of 330 base cards (both in English and Spanish versions) and featured the greatest soccer players in the world at the time, including Italy’s Roberto Baggio and U.S. defender Alexi Lalas. There is also an English/Japanese version of the set that’s much harder to find.

I bought lots of these cards starting in 1993. Soccer cards were a rarity at the time. Their design and look were typical Upper Deck for the time. No other mainstream card company had ever made soccer cards in the U.S., other than Pacific’s MISL (Men’s Indoor Soccer League) or Pro Set’s English League sets. Notably, Upper Deck’s soccer set also featured two of hockey’s biggest legends: Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky.

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Three More Great Uses for Playmat Topload Holders

BCW’s Spectrum Playmat Topload Holders are a great way to display your favorite gaming playmats and protect them when going to your next CCG tournament.

But don’t let the name fool you; these may be “playmat” toploaders for gamers, but sports collectors will find these useful, too.

Here are three ways I use the Playmat Topload Holders to protect some of my sports memorabilia. Read the rest of the story at the BCW Supplies Blog.

Clemente’s Corner: Why Stanley Cup Success Rarely Boost Card Values

Every spring, as the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs heat up, a familiar pattern emerges in the hockey card market. 

Both collectors, and increasingly speculators in the form of YouTubers, turn their attention to the biggest names on the ice, hoping to capitalize on breakout performances and championship runs. 

Prices for certain players’ trading cards can spike sometimes in a matter of days. Despite this frenzy, the recent past reveals that the Stanley Cup Playoffs have little to no lasting impact on the long-term value of cards. Instead, they create short-lived surges that often fade once the Nationals Sports Collectors Convention rolls around in the summer.

At first glance, it makes sense why playoff performances would influence card prices.

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Digital, Fractional, or Physical?

It’s Crazy That These are Now Hobby Terms

“Let’s get physical! Physic – I mean, digital! Digital!”

In the latest episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, we talked at length about the 2025-26 Fleer Ultra Hockey card set, and how it is the first time in a long time that Fleer Ultra is back as a “physical card product.”

A physical card product. That just sounds WEIRD, doesn’t it? Like, what else would trading cards be…right? 

We now live in the day and age of where we have to sometimes state specifically if the cards we are talking about are PHYSICAL or DIGITAL.

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Clemente’s Corner: Rangers Centennial Set Delivers Plenty of Nostalgia

The 2025-26 Upper Deck New York Rangers Centennial Box Set was one of the most anticipated releases for hockey collectors this season, celebrating 100 years of one of the NHL’s most iconic franchises.

The Rangers, founded in 1926, are an Original Six team whose history is filled with legendary players – something Upper Deck has captured perfectly in this collectible set. Designed to honor the Rangers’ centennial, this set offers a unique way to celebrate a century of history while enjoying the excitement of premium hockey Upper Deck cards. Continue reading “Clemente’s Corner: Rangers Centennial Set Delivers Plenty of Nostalgia”

Clemente’s Corner: The Greatest New York Rangers of All Time

Few NHL franchises carry the history and prestige of the New York Rangers. Founded in 1926 and playing at the iconic Madison Square Garden, the Rangers have long represented both the grandeur and the grit of New York City. From the Original Six era to the present, the franchise has featured some of the game’s best players.

Ranking the greatest Rangers of all time in its centennial season is no easy task. I started watching the team in 1986, some 40 years ago, and witnessed some highs (like winning the Stanley Cup in 1994) to many lows (like this season). The team’s history spans multiple eras. Greatness can be measured in different ways. For me, it’s both about impact on the team and a mix of individual awards and defining moments.

For a franchise with four Stanley Cups and 49 Hall of Fame players, narrowing the list was easy in some ways and difficult in others. For the purposes of this month’s post, I decided to create First and Second Teams aimed at capturing what it means to have been a successful member of the Broadway Blues.

Note that I do not consider Jaromir Jagr, Eric Lindros or even Wayne Gretzky among the best players to ever don a Rangers jersey. They were all great players, but not great Rangers.

Who does rank among the very best over the course of 100 years? The First Team represents the very best at each position. These are players who defined eras and set franchise standards. The Second Team honors those who were just a tier below but remain years later foundational to the team’s identity and success. 

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