In the Game Trading Cards

In The Game (ITG) was a sports card manufacturing company founded by Brian H. Price in 1998 with its head office in the United States and an office in Canada.[1] The company mainly produced ice hockey trading cards. In 2014 the right to use the "In The Game" name was transferred to Leaf Trading Cards in Dallas, Texas.

In The Game (ITG)
Private
IndustryCollectibles
FateName acquired by Leaf
SuccessorLeaf
Founded1988
FounderDr.Brian H.Price
Defunct2014 (2014)
Headquarters
Canada 

History

In The Game's first entrance into the trading card market came in the 1998-1999 season, when they produced the NHL Players Association's "Be A Player" brand trading cards in partnership with the NHLPA. Be A Player featured one certified autograph card per pack. Since then, In The Game has expanded its production to include other sets.

In 1998, Price was asked by Ted Saskin of the NHLPA to determine what should be done with the NHLPA's Be A Player hockey product. The product was started in 1994 and was supposed to give to each of the NHLPA licensees for two years. Pinnacle had the license for 1996 and 1997 but they went bankrupt and Be A Player needed a home. Price was hired by the NHLPA as a consultant to determine the fate of Be A Player. He advised Saskin that Upper Deck should be given back the Be A Player brand because of collector loyalty. However, Saskin asked Price if he would come back into the hockey card market and manufacture Be A Player in partnership with the NHLPA. Price agreed and In The Game, Inc. was founded.

In 2005, in conjunction with the 2004-05 NHL lockout, the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) terminated its license agreement with In The Game. The company has continued to produce trading card sets featuring active and retired NHL players and minor/junior hockey players. After the 2005-06 season, In The Game obtained a license to produce cards featuring players and logos under the umbrella of Hockey Canada. During the 2006-07 season, ITG produced the International Ice Signature Series along with boxed sets commemorating gold medal wins by the Canadian national women's team and World Junior men's team. However, ITG lost their American Hockey League licensing to Upper Deck (also the exclusive distributor of NHL licensed trading cards) in June 2014.

In 2010, ITG also made a brief foray into baseball cards, releasing one set featuring top prospects before running into further licensing issues.

In 2014, the assets owned by In The Game and the In The Game trade name were sold to Leaf Trading Cards in Dallas, Texas.

References
  1. In The Game on CardBoard Connection website
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