UD CEO Richard McWilliam Passes Away

[bradical]

https://twitter.com/UpperDeckSports/...32568401694720

Jason Masherah named CEO.

Upper Deck Announces Jason Masherah as President Following Unexpected Death of Richard P. McWilliam | Fort Mill Times - Fort Mill, SC

[Brad]

Already posted here:

Chairman of Upper Deck, Richard McWilliam, passes away

[wheeler281]

^^ lol that one is in the wrong section

Crazy a guy that had no idea about sports revolutionized sportscards....

you young guys should read the book card sharks. Great hobby read and what kind of back door practices were done back then. It gives you a glimpse of what is being done now

http://www.amazon.com/Card-Sharks-Hi...ds=card+sharks

[BoxBreaker72]

With all the negative stuff going on at UD, I wonder if it was natural causes or if he ended it himself. He wasn't THAT old. 50ish or so I thought. Strange news to say the least.

[wheeler281]

Probably Jay McCracken getting his revenge.

[ninjacookies]

Safe to assume all his autos will be redemptions.

What...too soon?

[wheeler281]

I wonder if it will be an open casket? If so, I'll drive down for the chance alone...with a redemption card for his soul.

BTW-I just read that the Westboro Baptist Church is going to picket his funeral. Apparently, God Hates Non-Event-Worn NCAA Jerseys

[The Madbacker]

The man almost single-handedly destroyed the hobby

Pass the champagne.

[hairyangryfella]

Originally Posted by The Madbacker

The man almost single-handedly destroyed the hobby

Pass the champagne.

Yep, damn I wish he hadn't introduced the Game Jersey concept, or autographed cards, or Exquisite........

[FreeMan12406]

I heard his cards will be event used.

[oldgoldy97]

Originally Posted by hairyangryfella

Yep, damn I wish he hadn't introduced the Game Jersey concept, or autographed cards, or Exquisite........

Yes, he was single handedly responsible for all of those

He wasn't the Steve Jobs of sportscards, sorry to say.

[hairyangryfella]

Originally Posted by oldgoldy97

Yes, he was single handedly responsible for all of those

He wasn't the Steve Jobs of sportscards, sorry to say.

So being in charge of a company making innovations means you aren't responsible for those innovations? So if you ran a store and came up with a brilliant idea, you don't deserve any credit?

The man seemed to be a sleaze and probably committed many criminal acts during his reign, but you can't deny that he changed the hobby (in what most people would say is a positive way).

[oldgoldy97]

Originally Posted by hairyangryfella

So being in charge of a company making innovations means you aren't responsible for those innovations? So if you ran a store and came up with a brilliant idea, you don't deserve any credit?

The man seemed to be a sleaze and probably committed many criminal acts during his reign, but you can't deny that he changed the hobby (in what most people would say is a positive way).

If I ran the store and personally came up with the ideas, yes. Do you think Richard came up with the jersey card idea? If so, then he must have also came up with the counterfeiting cards idea.

I never said he didn't change the card industry. But you made it sound like he was responsible for jersey cards, autographed cards and Exquisite. Maybe one out of three.

[hairyangryfella]

Originally Posted by oldgoldy97

If I ran the store and personally came up with the ideas, yes. Do you think Richard came up with the jersey card idea? If so, then he must have also came up with the counterfeiting cards idea.

I never said he didn't change the card industry. But you made it sound like he was responsible for jersey cards, autographed cards and Exquisite. Maybe one out of three.

Without him (signing off) would they have come to be?

I'm not saying they were all completely his ideas, I'm just saying that the hobby changed because of things done while he was in charge.

[ninjacookies]

"He built the hobby up only to run it down to the ground."

Should be the phrase engraved on his tombstone.

[WilsonValdez]

He was a crook, through and through. And apparently that was one among a litany of problems. RIP, I guess.

[freethrowtommy]

He was an innovator in the hobby...

That being said, he was a crook and shyster.

Never want to see anybody die, but this guy was an a-hole.

[hairyangryfella]

Originally Posted by ninjacookies

"He built the hobby up only to run it down to the ground."

Should be the phrase engraved on his tombstone.

I like it, quite applicable

[BoxBreaker72]

Originally Posted by freethrowtommy

He was an innovator in the hobby...

That being said, he was a crook and shyster.

Never want to see anybody die, but this guy was an a-hole.

i like you

[The Madbacker]

Originally Posted by hairyangryfella

Yep, damn I wish he hadn't introduced the Game Jersey concept, or autographed cards, or Exquisite........

Richard McWilliam changed the BUSINESS of trading cards and he ruined the HOBBY in doing so.

Take a poll on here of people who are 25 years or older and ask:

Would you go back to the 90's format of trading cards? (i.e.)

- 36 pack boxes that never cost more than $75
- Large base sets with great photography
- 1 per pack parallels with a 1 per box parallel
- Affordable inserts that were fun to COLLECT and COMPLETE sets
- Lots of inserts, ranging from 1:3 packs to 1:36 to 1:360 for a little bit of chase.
- OCCASIONAL Autograph or Jersey card, or none at all.

I bet the majority will say they want to go back to sets like 1996 Score where hitting a Dream Team Marino or Elway (1:72) was a "big deal".

What McWilliam did was turn the hobby into a business and the act of opening cards from collecting into gambling. I can't tell you how many times I see a kid drop a week's allowance on 1 pack, get bunk and curse the skies because he "didn't make his money back". On the flip side, same kid hits a monster and the first words are "how much can I get for this?"

McWilliam was only out to make money and that attitude has now been showered upon nearly everyone in this "hobby". Collecting used to be about working with other people to complete sets, make friendships and work together. I never would've met one of my truly best friends if it weren't for cards.

It makes me sad that the hobby has become what it has.

[Brobocop]

Originally Posted by The Madbacker

Richard McWilliam changed the BUSINESS of trading cards and he ruined the hobby in doing so.

Take a poll on here of people who are 25 years or older and ask:

Would you go back to the 90's format of trading cards? (i.e.)

- 36 pack boxes that never cost more than $75
- Large base sets with great photography
- 1 per pack parallels with a 1 per box parallel
- Affordable inserts that were fun to COLLECT and COMPLETE sets
- Lots of inserts, ranging from 1:3 packs to 1:36 to 1:360 for a little bit of chase.
- OCCASIONAL Autograph or Jersey card

I bet the majority will say they want to go back to sets like 1996 Score where hitting a Dream Team Marino (1:72) was a "big deal".

What McWilliam did was turn the hobby into a business and the act of opening cards from collecting into gambling. I can't tell you how many times I see a kid drop a week's allowance on 1 pack, get bunk and curse the skies because he "didn't make his money back". On the flip side, same kid hits a monster and the first words are "how much can I get for this?"

It makes me sad that the hobby has become what it has.

THIS. First thing that amazed me when I got back into this is how little base cards are worth. I mean you might as well throw them away. I remember growing up in the 90s opening products like Hoops and being happy to get any kind of Jordan, Kemp, or Shaq card. It just sucks that it really has become how much is this worth or how much can I get for this. I don't know who to blame that for, but it's just gotten really tiring to a lot of people it seems.

[mfw13]

Agreed. These days its all about the Benjamins.....

[hairyangryfella]

Originally Posted by The Madbacker

Richard McWilliam changed the BUSINESS of trading cards and he ruined the HOBBY in doing so.

Take a poll on here of people who are 25 years or older and ask:

Would you go back to the 90's format of trading cards? (i.e.)

- 36 pack boxes that never cost more than $75
- Large base sets with great photography
- 1 per pack parallels with a 1 per box parallel
- Affordable inserts that were fun to COLLECT and COMPLETE sets
- Lots of inserts, ranging from 1:3 packs to 1:36 to 1:360 for a little bit of chase.
- OCCASIONAL Autograph or Jersey card, or none at all.

I bet the majority will say they want to go back to sets like 1996 Score where hitting a Dream Team Marino or Elway (1:72) was a "big deal".

What McWilliam did was turn the hobby into a business and the act of opening cards from collecting into gambling. I can't tell you how many times I see a kid drop a week's allowance on 1 pack, get bunk and curse the skies because he "didn't make his money back". On the flip side, same kid hits a monster and the first words are "how much can I get for this?"

McWilliam was only out to make money and that attitude has now been showered upon nearly everyone in this "hobby". Collecting used to be about working with other people to complete sets, make friendships and work together. I never would've met one of my truly best friends if it weren't for cards.

It makes me sad that the hobby has become what it has.

You make premium cards and make them beautiful, they are going to be bought. Everybody just went too far. As I've stated in the poll thread, I would like the best of both worlds, when jerseys and autos were rare but still available, and cards were beautiful and fun to collect, even the base.
One of my favorite cards is a 93-94 Fleer Ultra Michael Jordan base card, damn it's pretty.

[BASSMAN123]

Hopefully this new guy will actually make some NFL cards...I miss exquisite

[friarbolt]

Originally Posted by BASSMAN123

Hopefully this new guy will actually make some NFL cards...I miss exquisite

He's not really a new guy, been with the company for years and has basically been running the company for a while now. Anything you liked or disliked about the company in recent years was more him than Richard anyway.

I am very curious to see what will happen on the ownership front. That is what will decide what happens to the company.