Topps vs. Upper Deck

" And unofficial American holiday. -- if it's baseball's opening day it's always good time for optimism on the field and in the sand but all the field and economic downturn could prove. To be a strike out as attendance me drop by as much as 15%. Also struggling actor played the baseball card industry back in 1991. It was a one point two billion dollar industry today is down to 200 million indicators Topps and upper deck her stepping into the played. For new customers fox business is Chris Carter has the latest on how these two companies are stepping up to the played. In today's edition of America's greatest concerns that."

" Baseball it's the American pastime. If -- generations together. -- these chronicled classic books timeless video. In the collection of oh so precious baseball cards these cards and given birth to one point 25 billion dollar industry led by the entrenched Thomson. And the upstart upper deck brains baseball cards can be traced back to the latter part of the nineteenth century. When will baseball or photography we're gaining popularity. The first that was issued by the Rhys Williams company in 1903 and the American tobacco companies and all -- in 1909. Companies like golden golden -- Katie followed insult cops came on the scene in 1950 want. Over the next four decades hostage to dominate the industry. Led by side burger at the father of the modern day baseball."

" Mart -- at the standard -- baseball cards look like in the post World War II world. The negotiation of exclusive player contracts -- to hold a virtual industry monopoly. On December 23 1988. The upper deck company was granted a license by -- baseball to -- baseball cards. Their first at turned the industry upside down. The cause -- loss -- more modern looking and its competitors. Upper -- also introduced first ever anti counterfeit hologram to each of its trading cards. In the 1990s. -- begin to lose at the -- without record rains flooded the market. My 2007. -- attempt to disrupt the private equity buyout of Topps with a hostile takeover of its own although its efforts came up short. The deck and established itself as the fruit industry heavy."

" All right. Rivalry between -- that happened that I'm going bike -- Stockholm the upper deck director of its marketing. And claimed Borowski is Topps director of product development good morning guys thanks for being here -- let me start with you. We just talked about the evolution of the baseball card and the industry it has changed so much what is it about two gains. I guess baseball card collectors that's so different that was 101520 years ago."

" Well they're a lot more different collections these days back twenty years ago. Thirty years ago there was pretty much just a couple different products now we have several different products. In the late eighties early ninety's it was really about. Collecting cards and see which -- car for work. Nowadays. We're trying to get back to what the hobby and collecting is truly about that's collecting and -- difference."

" And carry part of that is trying to figure out how you gonna reach out to a new audience of cart collectors and that is young kids. We'll have something called the Internet and video games and all kinds of options how you reach out to. I definitely for upper deck it's important that we establish a connection between cards. And that and digital and online application so we created a protect you dot com which is a totally new virtual world experience for kids. That combines what they loved sports and gaming in an online socialization with their friends. With with sports cards and card collecting so we've given them a new. Online application for trading which were really excited about -- you don't have been very solemn similar as well -- room -- What has been that the target demographic of baseball card collectors and what do you hope to be we hope to --"

" over the last couple of years it's really been about kids and late eighties early ninety's we kind of abandoned that. And we realized again that next generation of collectors we have to get back to the kids. I'm so we've had three major initiatives. Over the last year or so the first one being tops sound dot com where kids have an online world. They can build avatars and collect cards and trade with their friends. The second being a program called free -- where we actually have cars that come to life would give your webcam. And the third beer brand new game we've just introduced -- tops attacks. And it's a major initiative. All three. To really bring kids back into the fold."

" Guys before we wrap up here right now they're at one point was a bid between upper deck and -- we don't want to get into that I do want to getting to where this is -- walk me through. Two to five year plan what is the industry look like to -- let's start with you. I think it based on all of the resource is the upper deck is committed to growing the kids segment of the market and like clay was discussing. We certainly feel very optimistic that that. Portion of our business is going to be growing -- to have that infusion of new users coming in the category over the next two to five years is -- really important part of our growth plan. So we're really focused on bringing in those new users and increasing the size of the market by bringing in. More consumers so that's what we're looking at the next two to five years -- growth with an infusion of new users claim what do you looking -- had to do that difficult economic times."

" Right well now that we ever strategy in place and we're focusing on the kids we know exactly what we need to do before we weren't going to where the kids reliving. They're leading online and everything we've created those four. Has a translator ration or component that can go."

" Online her eyes very cool Kerry and clay and happy birthday baseball they did something to get excited about I'm I'm very excited and -- see some sun hopefully and I I think you guys so."