Onyx Steps Up to the Plate with New Baseball Card License

The sports card market continues to be an extremely hot area for memorabilia investors, but the biggest dollars aren’t spent on collectibles—they’re on licenses.

Over the last few years, countless stories have popped up about agreements, primarily involving the major companies like Topps and Panini. So when an underdog organization suddenly gets a big-name license, it’s a surprise.

That’s what happened earlier this year when Onyx Authenticated was part of a shocking announcement – MLB Players Inc. signed a new agreement giving the company full access to all minor league players.

The announcement came as a surprise in part because heavyweight Topps had long held the license solo. It opens the doors for a company that, for many years, flew under the radar for many collectors. That’s changing now.

“With this ability to expand our checklist and product offerings, I think we will grow our customer base and have more hobby shops willing to carry the product,” Lance Fischer, President of Onyx, told WorthPoint in an exclusive interview. “Previously, they may have been hesitant to carry a pseudo-unlicensed product, but now the price point makes sense, the value is there, and customers are asking for it. It will be hard for anyone to say no at that point.”

Getting the license makes things easier for Onyx, which has already made its best efforts to enter the brick-and-mortar stores that are still an essential part of the hobby.

“We work with all the major distributors and online retailers like Blowout, Steel City, and Dave & Adam,” Fischer explains. “They all carry our product, and distributors get it into hobby shops. Our products are even in Japan and Australia. Because of redemptions, we get to see who is buying, which is kind of cool. That also shows the interest level around the world.”

Before the license, Onyx was left on its own to sign players as best it could to independent pacts. Often, this meant plucking players from developmental areas, producing cards without any team names or logos, and being first to market with a coveted, certified, authentic signature.

“A lot of collectors do not mind the lack of logos as much anymore because they want that first autograph,” Fischer comments. “That is the other piece we focus on—being first to market with player autographs or player cards. There are so many players, even in the Dominican Summer League or Arizona, who do not have any cards made until they are a year or two in. Now, we can do that without researching their agent or other details. We can just say, ‘Hey, let’s get this card done and get it out there.’ That is really big.”

It should be noted that the agreement is non-exclusive. Fischer doesn’t see this as a disadvantage, though. He sees the bigger picture for the hobby, which has seen almost every property become a one-manufacturer entity. He hopes that the new pact changes everything.

“I think it is massive that they did not make this license exclusive. I am hopeful it becomes a trend. What kind of trend, I do not know, but hopefully it gives other companies opportunities to expand into sports where they have been blocked by exclusive walls, or maybe it opens the door for leagues to rethink their relationships down the road,” Fischer comments. “Maybe exclusive is not the way to go. Yes, it could be a big paycheck, but at the same time, you are not putting all your eggs in one basket. I hope this sets a trend for other leagues to follow. Maybe they will see how it works out and realize they made even more revenue than they would have staying exclusive. We will see what happens, but I am excited about it.”

The additional benefit for the minor leagues is that they may get added exposure for some players via team products. This product boost has been a staple for decades at ballparks across baseball, often produced by the teams or with local print houses. Having the clout of a dedicated hobby manufacturer changes that perception.

Fischer notes that there is no decision regarding whether fans will see these cards as part of Onyx going forward, but it is certainly possible.

“We have had the doors open to some opportunities that I think have potential. We really need to understand the cost analysis and the value to collectors. There are opportunities when it comes to collegiate leagues, like the Cape Cod League or the Northwest Woods League, where college players play in the summer to maintain their competitiveness and skills,” Fischer says. “I think there are opportunities there, but we need to see how well that might do. From what we have understood, there is some interest and demand; it is just a question of whether these team sets are mystery packs or packs with random autographs, and how we might entice collectors to make it a bigger opportunity rather than a small one-off.”

While the new agreement has as many questions as it does answers, the beneficiaries are collectors who now will discover what Onyx can deliver and have straight-line, licensed access to one of the hungriest producers in all of memorabilia.

Jon Waldman is a Winnipeg-based writer. He has written for Beckett, Go GTS, Canadian Sports Collector, and several other hobby outlets over his two decades in the hobby. His experience also includes two books on sports cards and memorabilia. Connect with Jon on Twitter at @jonwaldman.

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