2017 Panini Basketball - worst of all time?

[kiwi_in_melb]

I agree that Revolution are a nice set , the autos this year are quite easy on the eye, I've also had a good strike rate of hitting the autos in single boxes , the galactic cards are quite nice . If panini keep the same tired designs they will kill the hobby off , I understand they want to release as many products as possible to make max money . I wish they halved there number of releases and concentrated on making those mint .

This would be ideal for the collectors and we would all benefit.

Issue is the NBA wanting exclusive licensing. They still need to pay $x million for the license so they would need to double the price of all releases kept.... anyone complaining about $700 a box for Noir imagine $1400 would be murder. Also I have heard a rumor that the NBA also has something to do with the amount of products released too...

Shared between 2 or 3 companies and taking 1/2 - 2/3 of paninis releases away would be amazing. Not to mention help keep product qc and development/innovation improving.

Unfortunately for us at a "corporate level" the NBA must think Panini is doing something right else they wouldn't have renewed the agreement....

I think we will need something huge to happen, similar to the UD player payment issues etc... but if the Auto Pen or Shaq auto scandal hasnt bought them undone.....

 

[muzzy66]

I agree that Revolution are a nice set , the autos this year are quite easy on the eye, I've also had a good strike rate of hitting the autos in single boxes , the galactic cards are quite nice . If panini keep the same tired designs they will kill the hobby off , I understand they want to release as many products as possible to make max money . I wish they halved there number of releases and concentrated on making those mint .

Yep, agreed on all counts.

I actually loved Noir simply because it was a change from the same old sea of white / prizm clone products they were constantly churning out, and the constant see of $1,000/box products filled with one-colour jersey pieces and sticker autos. Suddenly we get this product that is unapologetically dark and premium, full of patches and on-card autos and acetate - and to me it was a breath of fresh air...and now they have killed that too.

Somebody bring back Upper Deck NBA licenses for goodness sake. Even for those who don't like Upper Deck - the this year is clear proof that you MUST have competition in the market in order to drive innovation.