By Ross Forman

When Rittenhouse Archives Limited unveiled its first WNBA trading cards in the summer of 2005, the focus was the league’s fans, not necessarily the diehard trading card collectors.

The Pennsylvania-based company took a simple, stylish approach to its first sports card license. They used an approach similar to what is common in easy-to-read media guides.

And it worked. The cards were a quick hit with fans, naturally, but also with collectors, who quickly gobbled up all 5,000 numbered boxes.

“When we took over this license, we aimed to simply things,” said Rittenhouse president/owner Steve Charendoff. “We decided to put things in an order that, if you’re not a card collector, you would be able to understand the set. I don’t think you need to be a hardcore card collector to figure out our set.

“Plus, we were determined to make all of the cards reasonably accessible to most collectors, especially those who were determined to build a master set. We wanted the set to be very collector-friendly, thus, we didn’t want to create scenarios where there were 1-of-1 cards, or (only) five of one card, or 50 of one card. We made a big deal out of the fact that there were at least 150 of every card which, sure, is a small number, but relative to a lot of other sports card sets, that’s a big number. We really gave collectors a fighting chance to build a master set, and it gave people a reason to buy more product because the more you opened, the closer you came to completing your master set.

“We ultimately had a lot of success last year. It was a very quick sell-out for us and then became a very hot product.”

WNBA cards date back to 1997, when now-defunct Pinnacle Brands, Inc, produced the inaugural set. They were distributed in six- or 10-card cans and advertised as the first so packaged.

Pinnacle was back aboard the WNBA bandwagon in 1998, this time selling 10-card hobby packs. One of the ’98 highlights was the fact it remains the only WNBA set featuring some of the original team coaches, such as Cheryl Miller, Van Chancellor and Nancy Lieberman-Cline.

In 1999, WNBA cards were produced by SkyBox Hoops and Fleer Ultra, while the next year, it was Dominion 2000 and Ultra 2000.

In 2001, it was Fleer Tradition and Fleer Ultra, while 2002 featured Ultra and Fleer Authenix. Fleer only released Ultra in 2003 and 2004.

“We created a product that was much different from what Fleer had done in the past,” Charendoff said. “I’ve always thought that a lot of the sports card sets that are made nowadays are very difficult to figure out. They are so complicated in terms of what’s in them, the logic behind them, along with subsets, bonuses, etc. We’ve gone the opposite way; we’ve tried to make the set simple for fans and collectors.

“Last year, a lot of people were skeptical about the product for several reasons, including the sports card market and the overall history of past WNBA cards. Well, when the set came out last July, it had sold out as of the time of release.”

Many of the 2005 boxes were being sold on the secondary market for $100 or so, which was double the original wholesale cost. Today, the ’05 boxes are hard to find.

“We had a lot of customers who were really eager to up their orders for this year, some by as many as five- or 10-times their order-size of last year,” Charendoff said. “But, this year we decided to allocate right out of the gate. We limited our largest customers to ordering 50 percent more than what they ordered last year. Our smaller customers, meanwhile, were allowed maybe one more case.”

The 2006 WNBA cards, due out in mid-July, will be limited to 7,000 numbered boxes.

“I was very happy with the 2005 set. It was a great set to work on,” said Charendoff, 43, a father of three daughters who love playing basketball. “A lot of sports card products do not make any sense to me, and I’ve been collecting cards and working in this business all of my life, dating back to when I was a young kid, long before their were price guides.

“If I had a chance to build a sports card set under my own corporate umbrella, I would want to do it so that it represents the values that I have. And that’s what I had last year, and it really was a lot of fun.”

Last year’s WNBA set featured numerous autographed cards, including the entire championship team from 2004. And the 2006 set will again feature autographs from the entire 2005 WNBA champions, the Sacramento Monarchs.

“The best part of the WNBA license is working with the players, seeing and experiencing how enthusiastic they are for the WNBA and what we’re doing,” Charendoff said. “So many players and league officials personally thanked me at the (2005) All-Star Game for the support we were giving the league, to them personally.

“The WNBA is something the players do not take for granted, and they were very appreciative for what we were doing to help them. That was so refreshing.”

At the 2005 WNBA All-Star Game in Connecticut, Charendoff’s daughter Cecelia, then 9, was a ball-girl. After the game, league officials brought father and daughter into a private photo area, where they met the league’s stars, starting with All-Star Game MVP Sheryl Swoopes.

“It was a moment my daughter will never forget, nor will I … and the league never had to do it and I still would have been happy with the game-day experience,” he said. “At the WNBA reception after the All-Star Game, most of the players were there. Most knew me by name, but not by face. I met Diana Taurasi, and truthfully didn’t think she’d even know who I was. Well, when I introduced myself, her eyes light up and she grabbed my hand and said how great it was to meet me, and that she was so appreciative that I was supporting the WNBA, and that everything we’re doing with the trading cards is amazing.

“It was a great moment for me. I was very touched by it.”

Charendoff has interaction with many of the WNBA players about the cards, including superstar Lisa Leslie. She, in fact, has spent time with him, telling what she likes, what she dislikes about past WNBA cards. She also spoke of pictures selected, the quality of the cards. “She really seems to have an understanding about trading cards,” Charendoff said.

The 2006 set will be released July 12, the same day as the WNBA All-Star Game in New York City. It will include players from all teams in the league’s commemorative 10th season, including the expansion Chicago Sky.

But not the Sky’s Hall of Fame coach, Dave Cowens.

Coaches are not part of the WNBA cards produced by Rittenhouse. At least not yet, Charendoff said. “I certainly have an idea for (using the coaches on coaches); it certainly would make sense to do coaches’ cards.”

The coaches now are featured on the back of the team card.

Charendoff said Rittenhouse also does not plan to use any autographs or anything special about/with the coaches.

“It’s a fine line,” he said, “This is, remember, a set about the WNBA, about the women. Sure, Cowens and (Bill) Laimbeer have notoriety; but, their notoriety is for something other than the WNBA. We’re catering to WNBA fans, not NBA fans. And there really is a difference; it’s not the same audience.”

The 2006 cards will include two autograph cards per box. There also will be 2005 All-Rookie Team Autographs, and game-used jersey cards from all 22 players who appeared in the 2005 WNBA All-Star Game.

“We’re in this for the long-term, period. I want to build this genre over the long-haul,” he said. “I think women’s sports are on the rise, and the WNBA sort of is the best example of that.

“There’s a lot of contraction going on now in the sports card genre, but I think there is an opportunity for the WNBA cards to grow and go the other way. Why, you may ask? Because we have a lot of collectors. But the challenge for us, and the league, is to expand the reach. I think there are a lot of people, including season-ticket holders for all teams, who are not even familiar with the cards. That’s a marketing challenge for us.”

Kat Fox of Davis, Calif., is a Sacramento season-ticket holder – and the world’s largest seller of WNBA cards through her website.

“I thought the 2005 WNBA set was the cleanest women’s set ever produced,” she said. “The fact Rittenhouse could guarantee a complete 110-card base set in each box was a great thing, wonderful for the customers.

“Overall, it was a nice, affordable, good-looking set.

“I easily could have sold more than I had, if I could have gotten my hands on more. I wish he had more.”

July 6, 2006