3 things that piss me off!

Time to get a few things off my chest. Begin rant here!

1. Select's unashamed and flagrant money grab from NRL collectors.

With the release of the RLPA Rookie cards and Darren Lockyer signatures they would have grossed well over $100,000. Good luck to them. They are running a business and businesses are about making money. That's not what I have the issue with.

What really gets me is the timing. Its no coincidence that these product have come out in the lead up to the expiration of the NRL trading card contact on 31st of October. Select have protested that they are just providing products to meet the market but where were these product for the past 12 years?

Had they done a better job meeting the market they may still be making NRL cards instead of handing the contract over ESP. Which brings me to.......

2. Epic fail of the year - ESP Representative Trading Cards

First impressions count as they say and this product sucks! Okay a little far maybe but I stand behind comments that I have previously made on this blog. Poor mix of inserts, no numbering of signature cards, poor player selection, over priced and poor value for money. 

Since hitting eBay these cards have halved in selling price and I have spoken to a few cards sellers that are not happy being stuck with stock they cant sell. While ESP are telling everyone that they have learned a lot from this release they should have seen this coming and not been in such a rush to get the product out.

While collectors will mostly forgive them this time ESP will run out of chances quickly if products don't improve moving forward.

3. Select 2012 Future Force

This one is not what you think. Im pissed off at 2012 Future Force for one reason - I was totally WRONG!!! Yep that's right - wrong, incorrect, erroneous, mistaken - all of the above! I missed on this one by a long way.

This release has rocked the AFL market and by far is the most successful release of the year. While I shake my head in disbelief at the speculation and ludicrous prices being paid for some players (that have not played a game yet) at the end of the day Select nailed this release. 

I hope Grant Copley has Dave Skop (of Footycards.com.au) on his Christmas card list. After all Dave created the this market for him that will hand him a nice little bonus this Christmas.

End of Rant - thanks for listening.