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NBA’s Starting Five promotion starts today

By Chris Olds | Editor

The NBA‘s long-running Starting Five promotion — one that gets exclusive stuff into the hands of collectors just for visiting hobby shops and buying cards — starts today.

In its fourth season, the program is once again led by NBA exclusive card licensee Panini America, which has produced the special cards for the program. There will be 10 exclusive cards to be collected at participating shops. (Find that list here.)

“Our partnership with Panini — now in its second year — has been great for both the league and our fans,” said NBA Vice President of Licensing Lisa Goldberg. “The NBA Starting Five continues that tradition with this creative and fun promotion providing our fans another opportunity to connect with the NBA.”

The program will run throughout February with two Starting Fives to be collected in two-week chunks. Also up for grabs will be packs that may include randomly inserted autograph and other prize cards.

ITG auctions uncut sheets for charity

The first of three In The Game uncut sheet auctions is under way.

A trio of eBay auctions of sheets from ITG: Heroes & Prospects “Hits” Series 1 will benefit charity.

The first auction — a sheet of autographed prospect cards from the set — benefits Special Olympics and is at 5 with a week remaining.

PSA/DNA to authenticate Super Bowl game balls

By Chris Olds | Editor

Each and every game ball used in Super Bowl XLV on Sunday will be tagged with invisible ink to authenticate it as being used in game-play, announced PSA/DNA on Tuesday.

Roughly 120 balls will he used during the big game between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they won’t be the only items authenticated — the pylons and the coin for the coin toss also will be marked.

“The DNA ink has an astronomical 1-in-33 trillion chance of being accurately reproduced by counterfeiters,” said Joe Orlando, President of PSA/DNA. “Many of the game-used Super Bowl footballs are sold by the NFL through charity auctions. The PSA/DNA certification combats potential counterfeiting and helps assure future owners that each ball is genuine.”

The Santa Ana, Calif.-based company uses a synthetic DNA strand that can be seen only with a specific laser. This will be the 13th year that the company has authenticated Super Bowl balls, which also will include a letter of authenticity. For added protection, the letters will have codes that can be verified at PSADNA.com.