There needs to be a rule

[Giantrobot]

…that a company cannot release a previous year product after the new season has started. I mean, what’s next? Is Panini going to just start re-releasing 2019-20 stuff? Hell, why stop there….let’s do some “unreleased” 2003-04!

Seriously, this is stupid, and it kinda ruins the simple pleasure of the anticipation of the new Hoops release that has always happened during or around preseason. As if there wasn’t enough to deal with these days. It’s not even like maybe 1-2 high end releases are being released late, as it was recently….there are like 10 more 2020-21 releases expected, and we’ve started the 2021-22 preseason!

[Kobefan]

This isn't the first time that a card company does something that doesn't make any sense, like putting a rookie logo on a college card, but I understand your frustration.

[benny collects]

Originally Posted by Kobefan

like putting a rookie logo on a college card

This.

[k13]

Upper deck does this every year in hockey.

[LovelyLlamas]

I remember back in 1996 when the new Topps and Collectors Choice set was coming out that you knew the season was coming. I adored the series one and series two formats because you got the players on their new teams in the second series and the rookie game shots. I enjoyed collecting a lot then but part of me still feels I took it for granted.

We now live in an age where any first round pick will have 1000 cards minimum in their rookie year. I can’t even begin to say how much I despise what has happened to this hobby but I feel handcuffed because if I want cards of my favorite players now, I have no choice but to buy Panini singles. Seeing that Recon and Flux set on the way with the new season about to start is just embarrassing.

I would give anything to have the 90’s collecting days back. Give me my 1:37 Ultra Power in the Key and I’d be thrilled.

[Braswell10]

Based on the current release calendar, it looks like we won’t get 2021 product until late December. That is disgusting

[Giantrobot]

Originally Posted by LovelyLlamas

I remember back in 1996 when the new Topps and Collectors Choice set was coming out that you knew the season was coming. I adored the series one and series two formats because you got the players on their new teams in the second series and the rookie game shots. I enjoyed collecting a lot then but part of me still feels I took it for granted.

We now live in an age where any first round pick will have 1000 cards minimum in their rookie year. I can’t even begin to say how much I despise what has happened to this hobby but I feel handcuffed because if I want cards of my favorite players now, I have no choice but to buy Panini singles. Seeing that Recon and Flux set on the way with the new season about to start is just embarrassing.

I would give anything to have the 90’s collecting days back. Give me my 1:37 Ultra Power in the Key and I’d be thrilled.

I’m with you…I feel like such an old fart for being that way, but it’s hard to describe unless you were around then like we were, and how the relative simplicity made things more enjoyable. Things keep getting more and more confusing and crowded every year.

[GamerTex]

This will have to be a request for Fanatics in 2025. The next few years will be crazier than ever

[Tallboy]

Originally Posted by Giantrobot

…that a company cannot release a previous year product after the new season has started. I mean, what’s next? Is Panini going to just start re-releasing 2019-20 stuff? Hell, why stop there….let’s do some “unreleased” 2003-04!

Seriously, this is stupid, and it kinda ruins the simple pleasure of the anticipation of the new Hoops release that has always happened during or around preseason. As if there wasn’t enough to deal with these days. It’s not even like maybe 1-2 high end releases are being released late, as it was recently….there are like 10 more 2020-21 releases expected, and we’ve started the 2021-22 preseason!

Completely agree, and I'll note that this is not how things used to be (which you probably know).

When Upper Deck didn't get SPx out early enough (I believe it was because it wasn't out until after the finals), it got classified (by Beckett, among others) as a 1997 set instead of a '96-97 set, which then prevented it from being labeled as a Kobe RC. (I'd love to know how things would have changed with an SPx RC in the mix at a time before Topps Chrome had taken off.)

Panini's getting away with this possibly just because they're a monopoly, but it rubs me the wrong way. The idea that Panini can release a '21-22 product before they release a '20-21 product in the same sport is just absurd.

[sportsfanatic]

Originally Posted by Tallboy

Completely agree, and I'll note that this is not how things used to be (which you probably know).

When Upper Deck didn't get SPx out early enough (I believe it was because it wasn't out until after the finals), it got classified (by Beckett, among others) as a 1997 set instead of a '96-97 set, which then prevented it from being labeled as a Kobe RC. (I'd love to know how things would have changed with an SPx RC in the mix at a time before Topps Chrome had taken off.)

Panini's getting away with this possibly just because they're a monopoly, but it rubs me the wrong way. The idea that Panini can release a '21-22 product before they release a '20-21 product in the same sport is just absurd.

Not possibly, but definitely. Panini is doing whatever the hell they want because of the fact that they hold a monopoly in the basketball/football market. The only thing they care about is getting out more product to their distributors and to breakers. They couldn't care less about the individual consumer