S.U.M. Thoughts

After logging miles traveling to Columbus, Ottawa and Montreal the past three years, it was nice to hop onto the I-5 and drive north from San Diego to LA for the 2010 edition of the NHL’s annual Draft. And this past Saturday we did just that, bringing our personalized trading card photo station to the home of the Kings — and a team with some guy named Kobe on it — the Staples Center.

NHL events have always been a great deal of fun, and they stand apart from other sports because our booth is usually located in the arena concourse, not in a convention center miles from the sporting event itself. The sights, sounds and energy of the building seem to seep into the psyche of the fans, and that enthusiasm is usually visible as we make them their very own Upper Deck branded hockey card right there on the spot.

For two straight days, people lined up to get their very own trading card — young, old, hardcore fans and novices. Some went through the line time and time again to collect an assortment of poses, and some amassed a set of cards of themselves wearing a variety of different jerseys. For the third year in a row, a family from Montreal made the trek to the draft and stepped in front of our camera. Friends and family of players who were actually being drafted had cards made so they could brag that they had a rookie card before the draftee did. Jay Flats, the in-arena voice of the Kings, walked through the process on video camera.

No matter who it was or the reason for wanting their very own trading card, just about everyone walked away with a smile on their face — and when it comes down to it, that’s why we do what we do. We’re here to provide a positive, fun experience for guests and give them tangible memories they can keep forever.