Title: Upper Deck and NHL Alumni Association: Honoring Hockey’s Legends
Subtitle: Upper Deck secures exclusive licensing rights for physical and digital trading cards featuring NHL Alumni
Meta Description: Upper Deck renews partnership with NHL Alumni Association to produce physical and digital trading cards, preserving the legacy of hockey’s greatest players.
Upper Deck, a prominent name in the trading card industry, has affirmed its dedication to hockey history and memorabilia by extending its licensing partnership with the NHL Alumni Association (NHLAA). This collaboration solidifies Upper Deck’s position as the sole licensed producer of physical trading cards featuring over a thousand former NHL athletes.
The renewed partnership with the NHLAA is a strategic move for Upper Deck, as stated by the company’s President, Jason Masherah. By working closely with the NHLAA, Upper Deck can showcase trading cards and autographs from some of hockey’s most celebrated players, enhancing the collectibles market for enthusiasts.
The NHL Alumni Association, headquartered in Ontario, plays a vital role in supporting former NHL players. Their group licensing program, introduced in June 2017, allows the NHLAA to utilize their members’ collective image rights for commercial purposes, thus benefiting various NHLAA programs and initiatives. This program includes involvement from hockey legends such as Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Ray Bourque, Patrick Roy, Steve Yzerman, Jean Beliveau, Mats Sundin, Teemu Selanne, Johnny Bower, and nearly a hundred Hall of Fame inductees.
Upper Deck’s partnership with the NHLAA reflects the association’s commercial appeal, as several enterprises collaborate with them. Apart from trading cards, the NHLAA is involved in supporting its members through player appearances, professional-amateur tournaments, career transition programs, and an annual stick auction, among other activities. These initiatives aim to celebrate the sport and its enduring legacy.
Glenn Healy, the Executive Director of the NHL Alumni Association, expressed his enthusiasm for continuing the partnership with Upper Deck, highlighting how Upper Deck trading cards have captured and preserved hockey’s heritage. This extended agreement will allow fans and collectors of different generations to cherish and celebrate the revered NHL Alumni who have played a pivotal role in shaping the game.
In an exciting development, Upper Deck revealed its plans to expand its product line to include digital trading cards, which will be accessible through its Evolution platform. This addition represents a significant step in blending traditional collecting with the digital age, offering a new medium for fans and collectors to engage with the rich history of hockey.
In essence, this extended licensing agreement between Upper Deck and the NHL Alumni Association not only solidifies Upper Deck’s exclusive rights to produce and distribute physical trading cards featuring former NHL players but also marks the company’s entry into the realm of digital collectibles. This move enriches the legacy of hockey for a new era of fans and collectors, preserving the accomplishments of the sport’s greatest legends.
