With both political parties gearing up for the much-anticipated debates, trading card company makes history by releasing V.P. cards!
North Las Vegas, NV (September 30, 2008) – Just as quickly as the announcements were made surrounding the vice-presidential selections in this year’s race to the White House, Upper Deck was fast at work producing short-printed trading cards of both V.P. candidates. The Democrats struck first when Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama announced on August 22 that longtime Delaware Senator Joe Biden would be his choice. The Republicans countered a week later with the surprise announcement that first-term Alaska Governor Sarah Palin would be John McCain’s running mate.
“Our goal is always to be timely and topical,” said Kerri Stockholm, Upper Deck’s director of Sports Marketing. “And with so much at stake in this year’s election, we thought it was only fitting that we produce a pair of cards chronicling the vice-presidential candidates to go along with our earlier cards of the presidential candidates.”
The new pair of illustrated cards – numbered PP-15 (Palin) and PP-16 (Biden) – brings to a close Upper Deck’s extremely popular 2008 “Presidential Predictors” series of insert cards. The rare cards will be sprinkled into random packs (SRP: $4.99) of Upper Deck’s SP Authentic Baseball release next week.
Biden is depicted as longtime Washington Senator’s pitcher Walter Johnson, a seasoned veteran who’s looking for the biggest win of his career. Palin, meanwhile, is shown rounding the bases near the White House in a most unusual manner – atop a dogsled and sporting a tiara – a fitting portrayal for a candidate who’s determined to blaze new trails.
“The caricatures are great,” added Stockholm. “We’ve taken some liberties with both of the VP candidates, but we believe collectors will see the cards as entertaining as well as informative.”
In February, Upper Deck produced a unique, eight-card “Presidential Predictors” insert set within its Series 1 Baseball release. The illustrated parodies showed several of the top candidates in rare form by tying each to a pivotal moment or personality from baseball’s glorious history.
In June, once the Republicans decided on McCain and the Democrats were down to selecting either Obama or Hillary Clinton, Upper Deck depicted the remaining candidates in its Series Two Baseball launch as participants in some of Major League Baseball’s most notable flare-ups. One of those quarrels showed Yankees right-fielder Lou Piniella (Obama) trading punches with Boston catcher Carlton Fisk (McCain) from 1976 under the headline: The Economy.
Collectors who pull any of the Presidential Predictor cards from packs of Upper Deck’s 2008 Series 1 and Series 2 Baseball releases and SP Authentic Baseball will have the opportunity to win a trip for two to throw out the “presidential” first pitch at an official Major League Baseball game during the 2009 season. Collectors can enter the static code(s) found on the backs of the cards at www.presidentialpredictor.com to gain entry into an Upper Deck Baseball sweepstakes. The top prize will be open to all collectors who register a Presidential Predictor trading card featuring either of the winning party’s candidates (President or Vice President).
About Upper Deck
Upper Deck is a premier sports and entertainment publishing company which delivers a portfolio of relevant, innovative and multi-dimensional product experiences to collectors, sports and entertainment enthusiasts. For more information on Upper Deck and its products please visit www.upperdeck.com
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