Donruss Explodes into MMA Trading Card Market
Published by on January 5th, 2008 in Memorabilia

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With its “Ring Kings” set, Donruss, one of the leading names in the trading card industry, is looking to make a major impact on the burgeoning MMA memorabilia market, which many experts believe is going to explode within the next 12 months. The company considers it the first significant MMA-related venture into the trading card arena. “We know there is a need out there and we’re trying to fill it,” according to Scott Prusha, Donruss’ marketing and public relations chief.

The company is relatively well-positioned to accomplish its ends. While it indeed lags behind Topps in terms of baseball, Donruss is a market leader in football. And unlike Topps, which is coming with a set of International Fight League trading cards, Donruss’ card issue is not being launched in conjunction with one particular promotional organization, but will cover 25-40 champions and contenders who fight under various banners.

It would appear judicious that Donruss would be more intent on focusing their attention on the stars themselves, and not tie the success of the Ring Kings set to any specific MMA brand. It gives the company a higher degree of control – in terms of quality and otherwise. It is also more reflective of the upward mobility of the competitors, who may go from one organization to another but retain their fan appeal across any promotional lines.

Perhaps it is more than a coincidence, then, that Donruss has at the forefront of its efforts the name of Randy Couture, the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion who has since left the organization. The company will soon announce more names as part of its first collection.

The MMA cards are being positioned as part of Donruss’ “Americana” line, which includes many celebrated, historical and pop culture-related figures. That is an illustration of where mixed martial arts now exists within the mainstream landscape of sports and society. “We’re including it in the Americana program as a showcase of something that’s very popular right now,” says Prusha.

Obviously there will be specials within this launch. Swatches of actual memorabilia, such as shorts or T-shirts, will be attached to some of the cards. Some of them will be autographed editions. Some will feature both, giving the entire set a special attractiveness.

Prusha also hopes that this will be the start of something much bigger; that Donruss will be instrumental in literally helping to create an actual trading market that it will continue to expand upon over time.

“We expect them (the cards) to be changing hands pretty well because nothing has ever been done in this aspect.”