Upper Deck sues Leaf

Not a huge fan of Leaf cards but more competition the better. It used to be great when you could count on different products from In The Game, Pacific, Topps, UD, etc.

Now its UD recycling the same products every year and Leaf being forced to use pictures of player jerseys on supposedly high end cards.
 
That's too bad, really. I know there are Leaf employees on here that will not be able to comment, but put on the gloves and get to work!
 
Can't see how UD can win this.

Leaf is not using the Likeness of the players involved, no logos, no nothing. I'm not a legal expert - but if they want to buy a Gretzky jersey, cut it up, and say that the pieces came from a Wayne Gretzky jersey - I don't see what UD's exclusive agreement has to do with any of that.
 
UD is probably trying to get back at Leaf for having exclusive autograph rights to certain young players, hurting UD's top line revenues!
 
30ranfordfan said:
Can't see how UD can win this.

Leaf is not using the Likeness of the players involved, no logos, no nothing. I'm not a legal expert - but if they want to buy a Gretzky jersey, cut it up, and say that the pieces came from a Wayne Gretzky jersey - I don't see what UD's exclusive agreement has to do with any of that.
Click to expand...

Exactly. :beer:
 
GoalieFan89 said:
UD is probably trying to get back at Leaf for having exclusive autograph rights to certain young players, hurting UD's top line revenues!
Click to expand...

Well, I think Leaf signed Nolan Patrick and N.Hischier has exclusives for this year.
UD signs a deal with the NLHPA to produce cards but now they can't because of Leafs and other source.

I totally understand the reason. Are they right? we will see.

But if I signed with the NHLPA, the players in the PA should not have the right to exclusively sign with the company without a license...it defeats the purpose of the original deal.
 
Superdoup said:
Well, I think Leaf signed Nolan Patrick and N.Hischier has exclusives for this year.
UD signs a deal with the NLHPA to produce cards but now they can't because of Leafs and other source.

I totally understand the reason. Are they right? we will see.

But if I signed with the NHLPA, the players in the PA should not have the right to exclusively sign with the company without a license...it defeats the purpose of the original deal.
Click to expand...

Upper Deck can still produce cards of the above mentioned players. They are not able to to have Autographs of those players on cards. The Leaf exclusive is only for Autos not likeness of players. In fact Hischer already has a Young Guns Cards and Partick has a Young Guns Canvas Card from Upper Deck.
 
Superdoup said:
Well, I think Leaf signed Nolan Patrick and N.Hischier has exclusives for this year.
UD signs a deal with the NLHPA to produce cards but now they can't because of Leafs and other source.

I totally understand the reason. Are they right? we will see.

But if I signed with the NHLPA, the players in the PA should not have the right to exclusively sign with the company without a license...it defeats the purpose of the original deal.
Click to expand...

But they signed those deals before becoming members of the NHLPA.

Even if they hadn't, unless there is something in their union contract stating they can't sign with a certain company, they most definitely can do whatever they want. If anything, UD should be suing the NHL for failure to provide access to the players, again, depending on the way their contract is set up with the NHLPA. This falls ridiculously flat in my eyes. There's no way UD wins this, though maybe a win in their eyes is causing Leaf legal costs, or in coloring public perception toward Leaf as the 'bad guy'. There's sometimes more to gain in the filing of a lawsuit then just what the lawsuit is about.

Seems totally frivolous in my eyes.

Cory
 
Triple B said:
I'm more wanting to know what comes of the anti-trust lawsuit Leaf filed against UD. The UD lawsuit seems like a joke.
Click to expand...

According to Paul Lesko, the author of the article in the OP, he hopes to have a summary available for Monday. Stay tuned.... :stare:
 
Looks more like a law suit to intimidate Leaf. Strategically, it makes sense. If UD wins, Leaf can't use players like Gretzky or Orr at all. If Leaf wins, they just get to keep on making cards like they already do. Maybe the biggest victory for Leaf would be getting the names of Gretzky and Orr back on the jerseys they picture on the cards. It looks like a long shot for UD to win, but they have little to lose. If they have in-house counsel and have them handling this, they don't even spend that much extra money on legal fees. All that said, it would be nice if UD just focused on making quality cards.
 
I am wondering if the same thing applies to basketball. Doesn’t Panini have the exclusive yet UD has Lebron and MJ. Couldn’t Panini sue UD in a similar fashion?
 
I’d like to hear from some of the legal folks around here. I can’t help but wonder if UD is maybe “Firing one over the bow” more at the LLC component, trying to make Leaf more vulnerable for different actions.

And for what it matters, I’m like most in that I prefer to see competition. We’ve all experienced what it was like during the full-on monopoly era.
 
i think leaf has been preparing for something like this since the mcdavid exclusive was signed by UD.it didnt take long for them to counter ,also it starts a landslide of legal issues with exclusives. in my opinion it is a win for Leaf to have this out there to see,they have been painted as the bad guys since Eichel,
it didnt stop them from grabbbing up the 1 and 2 pick.Nobody forced those contracts to be signed.I have been watching this since Mcdavid and aplaude leaf for finding a way to be active while there hands are tied by the NHLPA and UD.I find the leaf guys to be honest and forthcoming with thier answers.like i said they are ready, is UD ready for what will be shock and awe ,from the can of worms they just opened. i hope so.... talk amongst yourselves.

i love my hobby either way i win
 
Who knows (random speculation ahead!)... the NHL/ PA may be pressuring UD to take this up because they find it embarrassing that their young stars aren't fully participating in the licensed program. :shrug: They could also be funding it through back channels.

Or, perhaps with the exclusive contract coming to an end soon, maybe UD thought they better try to do something.

I'll be watching this unfold with interest.

Cory
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
389,532
Messages
2,233,402
Members
4,149
Latest member
vegasfiredawg
Back
Top