One of the most ethically questionable things sports trading card companies do is insert special redemption cards into packs. Upon finding one of these cards in your pack, you can mail them in to redeem them for an actual card. Why not just insert the cards? Because they don’t exist yet. The card manufacturer has not created them yet.

It is ethically questionable because collectors often have to wait for months or even years to get their cards.

One collector is fighting back. He’s suing Panini America in U.S. Federal court.

From Sports Collectors Daily:

Kevin Brashear, a collector from the Dallas area, has filed suit in federal court there, accusing Panini America of violating the State of Texas Deceptive Practices Act.

Brashear and his attorney, Scott Bickford of New Orleans, filed the putative class action lawsuit last week, alleging that the process often leaves collectors holding the bag when the promised autograph never materializes.  He also claims the expiration dates on redemption cards shouldn’t be allowed and that the stated time of 4-8 months for receiving an autograph after inputting redemption card data is often ignored.

I’m not a lawyer. I don’t understand why  Brashear is suing Panini America in U.S. Federal court. Shouldn’t he be suing them in Texas? The law in question is the Texas Deceptive Practices Act.

Card collector sues Panini America over redemption cards - Bent Corner

A typical Panini redemption card. Instead of waiting on LeBron James to sign stickers that can be placed on cards, the wait is due to Panini figuring out how to etch crystal meth with a laser.

If I pulled a redemption card from a pack of cards, I’d immediately sell it on eBay. I never want to wait on a sports card company to do the right thing. Thanks, but no thanks. I’d rather get money for the card while I could.

I do not know Kevin Brashear, but I wish him a lot of luck with his lawsuit. I’m hoping the judge orders Panini America to pay Brashear lots of money and then for good measure, orders CEO Mark Warsop to be Brashear’s personal butler for at least 90 days.

Then and only then would justice be served.