Sunday, February 12, 2017

Celebrity Jersey Cards Or Topps First Pitch?

My Celebrity Jersey Card series debuted on May 7, 2010.  Many bloggers were creating virtual Cards That Never Were or other special cards.  I decided to create virtual cards for celebrities wearing sports jerseys.  I thought it fit with the overall theme of Johngy's Beat and it allowed me to have a little creative fun.
In 2015, Topps introduced "First Pitch," thier series featuring celebrities throwing out the first pitch.  While it isn't an exact theft of my concept, it is pretty close.
My series puts the jersey-clad celebrity on a Topps card in the year the celebrity debuted in whatever profession he found fame.  My series featured celebrities anywhere, doing anything.  Topps mostly has celebrities in the act of pitching.  My series also has celebrities in jerseys of all sports, even some minor leagues or foreign teams.
Certainly Topps has cleaner looks and snazzier graphics, but they also have much better technology and talent on hand than I do.  I doubt they actually stole my idea, but it is fun to think they might have.
Either way, I will continue with Celebrity Jersey Cards.  Maybe one day they will realize my design choices are better.  By putting the celebs on cards from their "debut" year, it gives a cool variety of looks, instead of the basic uniformity of each subset.
Below are a couple of examples of Topps First Pitch and the corresponding Johngy's Beat Celebrity Jersey Card.  You can decide for yourself which concept you like better.

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