Preview – 2009 Upper Deck SPx Football

Introduction

I’ve never been a fan of SPx.  Its one of the few Upper Deck products that focuses more on graphic flair than actual player photography.  Combine that with the fact that it uses the shinny foil board and sticker autographs and you’ve got pretty much everything I hate all in one card.  SPx looks like it would fit better in a Panini/Donruss wrapper than an Upper Deck wrapper.

However, when a product introduces something completely new I suddenly become interested in what it has to offer.

Overview

Release Date:  09/29/2009
Pack Price:  $20-ish
Box Price:  $156
Configuration:  4 Cards, 10 Packs, 10 Boxes

As with most high-end products, the base set for this product isn’t very large:  only 90 cards.  Given that you only get about 30 base cards out of a box, this is a good thing.  Last year’s base cards were fairly well designed and the unique die cut shape set them apart from just about every other base card in the market.  However, it appears that this year’s base card has returned to a more traditional design.

The real draw to this year’s release is the brand new SPx Shadow Box insert.  The name “Shadow Box” should give you a pretty good idea as to what to expect:  a card with multiple two-dimensional layers to give a three-dimensional effect.  At this point most of us have seen pictures of these cards around the Internet, but something tells me that actually holding one of these cards in your hand will give you an entirely different reaction.

The insert list reads a lot like something from Panini.  There are several variations of the same theme (variations 1 – 4, gold version, swatch versions, patch versions, single, double, triple, etc…):

• SPx Rookie Auto Jersey – There are two tiers, but most of the big names are Tier 1
• SPx Rookie Signatures – This insert doesn’t appear to feature any of the big name rookies:  Stafford, Sanchez, Wells, Moreno…
• Super Scripts – There are duals, trios, quads, sixes, and eights variations of this insert.  There is also a Gold parallel.
• X Factor Signatures – Not many big names signed for this insert.  There is also a Gold parallel version.
• Winning Materials – The jersey swatch card we all are going to get in most of our packs.  Includes a nice mix of rookies, veterans, and legends.  Has four different variations (I’m assuming it’s different die-cut windows) as well as patch versions.
• Rookie Materials – Materials… from rookies.
• Winning Combos – Has trios and foursomes as well.  Four variations and a patch version for each.
• Shadow Box – This is the “all new technology never seen before”.  The sell sheet mentions autographed variations but the checklist does not distinguish between autographed and non-autographed variations.  Again, a mix of rookie, veterans, and a few legends.  About 30 different subjects.

Each box will have:

• Up to 4 autographs (Includes one Rookie Signature Triple Memorabilia card).
• 6 Memorabilia Cards (all memorabilia cards are foil numbered)

Each case will have:

• 1 Shadow Box card
• At least 3 autographed memorabilia or multi-signed cards

Pictures from the sell sheet:

(click to enlarge)

My Thoughts

While I don’t really think this product was created to compete directly with Panini (Donruss at the time), this strikes me as a mix of Elite and Gridiron Gear.  Using the same basic design and paralleling it beyond belief is Panini’s primary selling point:  I expect more from Upper Deck.

Having a “Gold” version doesn’t really do anything for me either.  It’s not the “foil number” that makes a card more impressive to me, it’s the quality of the memorabilia that makes a card more impressive.  Unfortunately Upper Deck is pretty bad about making sure the “Gold” versions have the best patches.  This turns the numbering into nothing more than an artificial measure of rarity.

I wish the shadow box technology had made it’s debut in a different product.  While I’m excited about these cards, I’m not excited about this product.  I’m looking forward to seeing what sort of value these cards will carry in the secondary market.  The fact that these cards are most likely more impressive in person than in a static photograph may hurt their eBay sales a bit.  But then again, must of us are suckers for anything flashy and new that bears the autograph of our favorite player.

Conclusion

I still don’t care for the overall design of this product and I’m disappointed that the base cards appear to be back to your standard rectangular shape; however, I am interested enough in the shadow box technology to give a box a try.  The odds of landing a SPx Shadow box card are not in my favor, but with any luck I’ll at least pull a decent rookie autograph, a multi-signed card, or a nice looking patch.  I expect that the price for a box of 2009 SPx Football won’t fluctuate all that much in the beginning.  If the SPx Shadow Box cards sell well and the rookies continue to perform well, the price may begin to slowly inch upwards.