The SURPRISING History of Fleer Baseball Cards - the UNTOLD story
Imaging fighting a baseball card monopoly all by yourself...For OVER 50 years...
This is the SURPRISING History of Fleer Baseball Cards 1885-1950: Origins and Early Years
• 1885: Founding of Fleer Corporation o Frank H. Fleer establishes Fleer Corporation in Philadelphia, initially focusing on producing chewing gum, candies, and confectioneries.
• 1906: First Attempt at Bubble Gum o Fleer introduces "Blibber-Blubber," the company's first bubble gum product. However, it fails to gain commercial success.
• 1928: Success with Dubble Bubble o Fleer re-enters the bubble gum market with "Dubble Bubble," becoming the first commercially successful bubble gum. This success provides financial stability for future ventures, including trading cards. 1950s: Entry into the Trading Card Market
• 1957: Introduction to Trading Cards o Fleer enters the trading card industry by producing baseball cards. Their initial sets feature a mix of active and retired players, including stars like Ted Williams.
• 1958: Expansion of Card Sets o Fleer releases more comprehensive baseball card sets, enhancing design quality and increasing the number of players featured to attract collectors. 1960s: Growth and Legal Challenges
• 1960: Competitive Market o Fleer continues producing baseball cards but faces intense competition from Topps, which dominates the market by holding exclusive rights to active MLB players.
• 1963: Antitrust Lawsuit Against Topps o Fleer challenges Topps' monopoly by filing an antitrust lawsuit, seeking the right to produce cards featuring active Major League Baseball (MLB) players.
• 1966: Court Ruling o The court rules in favor of Topps, maintaining Topps' exclusive rights and limiting Fleer's ability to compete directly in the mainstream baseball card market. 1980s: Breaking the Monopoly and Market Expansion
• 1980: Victory in Antitrust Case o Fleer successfully wins an antitrust case against Topps, allowing them to produce baseball cards featuring active MLB players. This legal victory significantly expands Fleer's market presence.
• 1981: First Modern Baseball Card Set o Fleer releases its first modern baseball card set featuring active players, effectively ending Topps' 20-year monopoly. The 1981 Fleer set gains attention for its quality and inclusion of rookie cards, such as Fernando Valenzuela and Harold Baines.
• 1989: "Billy Ripken" Error Card o Fleer releases the infamous "Billy Ripken" error card, featuring a vulgar inscription on the bat knob. Fleer corrects the error multiple times, resulting in various versions that become highly sought-after collector's items. 1990s: Innovation and Market Challenges
• 1994: Acquisition of SkyBox International o Fleer acquires SkyBox International, a leading trading card company specializing in both sports and entertainment cards. This acquisition increases Fleer's market share and diversifies its product portfolio.
• 1998: Bankruptcy and Acquisition o Fleer Corporation declares bankruptcy due to ongoing financial difficulties. The company's assets and brand name are purchased by a group led by Alex Grass, founder of Rite Aid. 2000s: Decline and Acquisition by Upper Deck
• 2000-2002: Attempts at Revival o Under new ownership, Fleer attempts to revive its baseball card lines and explore new products but struggles to regain its former market position amid intense competition and a saturated market.
• 2003: Financial Struggles Continue o Fleer faces continued financial difficulties, exacerbated by increased competition from other card companies and declining consumer interest in sports cards.
• 2004: Efforts to Diversify and Innovate o Fleer makes further attempts to diversify its product offerings and innovate within the trading card space, but these efforts fail to stabilize the company's finances.
• 2005: Final Bankruptcy and Acquisition by Upper Deck o Fleer files for bankruptcy for the second time and ceases operations. Upper Deck, a major competitor in the trading card industry, acquires the rights to the Fleer name and its assets.
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