Ovation was a short-lived baseball card printing company that produced cards from 1987 to 1990. During its brief run, Ovation attempted to differentiate itself from larger competitors like Topps and Donruss through innovative printing techniques and set designs. Production issues and distribution problems hindered Ovation’s success and led to the company folding after just four years of operations.
Ovation was founded in 1987 by sports memorabilia entrepreneur Joel Shapiro, who sought to disrupt the dominant baseball card industry. At the time, Topps and Donruss dominated the yearly baseball card market, with only minor competition from Fleer. Shapiro saw an opening to attract collectors with unique card designs and specialized printing technologies. Ovation’s inaugural 1987 set featured futuristic artistic renditions of players on a silver foil background. Each card had custom die-cuts and shapes incorporated into the designs that were unseen before in the hobby.
Major problems plagued Ovation’s initial release. The futuristic silver foil cardboard stock proved difficult to cut and punch accurately during mass production. As a result, many cards shipped to collectors with imperfect cuts, dull colors, and machining flaws. Another issue was distribution. Despite planning a large initial print run, Ovation did not have the retail partnerships of the larger companies and struggled to get cards on store shelves. Many shops declined to carry the unknown brand, stunting the 1987 set’s exposure and hampering early sales. Critics panned the set’s conceptual designs but production quality issues.
To rebound in 1988, Ovation adopted more traditional card designs with photos on the front but kept experimenting on the back. Base cards had fun trivia facts replacing the typical stats on the reverse. Insert sets within included ‘Ovation Originals’ which featured innovative double die-cut shapes and designs. Distribution was improved by inking new deals with hobby shop distributors. The set found more success than the prior year thanks to the back-to-basics approach combined with specialized inserts. Key rookies like Mark McGwire and Frank Thomas also boosted interest.
The company attempted another breakthrough concept for its 1989 offering. Dubbed ‘O-Pee-Chee Ovation,’ the set replicated the Canadian-based O-Pee-Chee brand which was a Topps subsidiary. Like O-Pee-Chee products of the time, the cards featured both an English and French text layout on the back. Colourful action photos covered the fronts. An ‘Ovation O-Line’ insert set within also experimented with die-cut shapes. Production issues again plagued the release with centering and color registration problems marring many cards. The distribution network also declined, limiting the brand’s shelf presence.
Entering 1990, Ovation made one last attempt with collectors by showing factory photos from the prior years on the fronts of cards combined with a ‘Best of’ compilation on the backs. Collector feedback was incorporated to address earlier quality control problems. Distribution had collapsed and the product was difficult for most to find. After years of battling production and supply chain problems while competitors dominated retail, Ovation’s founders admitted defeat. The company folded operations during the middle of 1990, ending their short run producing innovative yet flawed baseball memorabilia.
While short-lived, Ovation made a mark in the baseball card industry through their creative designs and technology experimentation, even if the physical quality did not always match the concepts. Their designs became quite collectible after the company disappeared. In today’s market, sealed Ovation factory sets can still demand steep prices from nostalgic collectors and investors. Although production and fulfillment challenges prevented long term success, Ovation took risks that maintained hobby interest during baseball card’s late-80s peak. Their creative spirit introduced new collectors and pushed competitors to also explore the artistic boundaries of sports cards.
In summary, Ovation was an ambitious yet ultimately unsuccessful baseball card printing company that was active from 1987 to 1990. Led by entrepreneur Joel Shapiro, Ovation attempted to disrupt the dominant Topps and Donruss brands through innovative card designs and futuristic printing techniques. Persistent production and distribution problems hindered the brand’s growth despite creative concepts. After four years of battling quality control issues and a declining supply chain, Ovation owners conceded defeat, bringing an end to their run of experimenting at the forefront of baseball memorabilia design. While short-lived, Ovation left an enduring mark and their concepts are still fondly remembered today.
