Upper Deck’s 2007-08 SPx Hockey remains the ‘Home of the Rookie Jersey Card’

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This season’s launch includes autographed ‘Flashback Fabric’ cards of Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux

Carlsbad, CA (January 15, 2008) – The Upper Deck Company proudly announces the release of its latest-and-greatest edition of SPx Hockey trading cards. Always striving to provide the most sought-after NHL content per pack (autographs, rookie cards and rookie jersey cards), Upper Deck’s 2007-08 SPx Hockey launch delivers like a Sidney Crosby slap shot!



With the current NHL season in full force, top rookies are rising to the surface and showing their true mettle. Freshmen like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews (Chicago); Carey Price (Montreal); Sam Gagner (Edmonton); Jiri Tlusty (Toronto); and Nicklas Backstrom (Washington) are making terrific first impressions in their inaugural NHL campaigns. And Upper Deck’s 2007-08 SPx Hockey presents the NHL’s up-and-coming talent like nobody else.



In addition, SPx Hockey brings collectors the full breadth of superstar content loyal hobbyists have come to expect from the industry leader. With current superstars like Pittsburgh center Sidney Crosby, Detroit goaltender Dominik Hasek and New York Rangers right winger Jaromir Jagr headlining the always popular “Winning Materials” jerseys inserts (1:18 packs), and “Flashback Fabrics” memorabilia cards (1:126 packs) sporting the likes of retired greats Bobby Clarke (Flyers), Dino Ciccarelli (North Stars), Bobby Nystrom (Islanders) and Guy Lafleur (Canadiens), collectors will surely be clamoring for packs of SPx Hockey. Another special element to this year’s SPx Hockey launch is the reemergence of a late ’90 SPx insert favorite: “Force Quad Holograms.” Two of the Force Quad combinations include Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby, as well as Bobby Orr, Scott Neidermayer, Nicklas Lidstrom and Dion Phaneuf.



“Our goal with SPx Hockey has always been to spotlight the league’s rookie crop as well as provide great chase cards for NHL fans serious about their card collecting,” said Upper Deck Hockey Brand Manager Josh Zusman. “Autographs and jersey cards certainly drive the hockey card market, but innovative add-ons like our ‘Spectrum Parallel’ inserts of the entire regular set provide even more value for hockey card collectors.”



Upper Deck’s 2007-08 SPx Hockey includes 18 packs per box and four cards per pack, yielding – on average – two “Rookie Jersey” cards (one will be autographed) in every box. The suggested retail price is $6.99 per pack. The product is scheduled to hit store shelves on Wednesday, January 16.



CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS:

· Get two Rookie Jersey cards in each box on average!

One will be autographed!

· Averaging two memorabilia cards per box!

Find one ‘Winning Materials’ and one ‘Winning Combos!

· Look for combination jersey/patch memorabilia parallels throughout the set!

· Awesome regular set to put together: rookies, rookie jerseys, signed rookie jerseys and the highly sought-after Flashback Fabrics, with Autographed Flashback Fabrics too!

· New four-player hologram cards give SPx a fresh lift – averaging 2 per case!

· Collect spectrum parallels of the entire regular set, numbered to just 25!



PRODUCT BREAKDOWN:

· Rookie Jersey Cards

o SPx Rookie Jersey Card – #’d to 1599
o SPx Autographed Rookie Jersey Cards, Level 2 -- #’d to 999
o SPx Autographed Rookie Jersey Cards, Level 1 -- #’d to 499

· Regular Set Memorabilia Cards

o Flashback Fabrics – inserted 1:126
o Autographed Flashback Fabrics – inserted 1:252

· Winning Materials & Winning Combos Memorabilia Cards

o Winning Materials – inserted 1:18
o Winning Materials Spectrum (jersey/patch) – #’d to 99
o Autographed Winning Materials Radiance (jersey/patch) – #’d to 25
o Winning Combos – inserted 1:18
o Winning Combos Spectrum (jersey/jersey) – #’d to 99
o Autographed Winning Materials Radiance (patch/patch) – #’d to 10

· Regular Set Spectrum Parallels

o SPx Regular cards Spectrum (jersey/patch) – #’d to 25
o SPx Regular cards Auto Jersey Radiance – #’d to 10
o SPx Rookies Spectrum – #’d to 25
o SPx Rookies Jersey Spectrum – #’d to 25
o SPx Auto Rookie Jersey Cards, Level 2 Spectrum – #’d to 25
o SPx Auto Rookie Jersey Cards, Level 1 Spectrum – #’d to 25
o Flashback Fabrics Spectrum – #’d to 25
o Autographed Flashback Fabrics Spectrum – #’d to 25

· Cool Hologram Insert

o SPx Force Quad Hologram card – inserted 1:126

· More Rookie Cards

o SPx Rookies – #’d to 999

· Regular Cards

o 100 Regular Cards



About Upper Deck

Founded in 1988, Upper Deck is a premier global sports and entertainment-publishing company that delivers a robust portfolio of products for sports and entertainment collectors alike. For more information, visit The Upper Deck Company: Sports Trading Cards, Authentic Memorabilia, Sports Collectibles, & Entertainment Products or - Upper Deck Store.