General Forum

I'm going to be writing a feature on the blog about a regional set distributed in 1998 by Upper Deck and sponsored by Pepsi. It's a 17-card Seattle Mariners set and Junior Griffey is conspicuously absent. From what I've researched, he was still endorsing the product that year (and would in the years following '98) and there's absolutely no reason why he should have been excluded. He was featured in a similar set in '97. I've reached out to Upper Deck but was told that it was a long time ago and it was information not given to them at the time. I also contacted a former brand manager w/ the company but he wasn't there in '98. UD's explanation should suffice, I suppose, but still- I can't let it go.

So... has anyone ever heard anything about this? 

Thanks,

Steve

No. By "endorsing that product", which product do you mean? Upper Deck or Pepsi? Just to throw this out there, he may have had an endorsement with a rival to Pepsi (Coca-Cola or Dr. Pepper/7Up, etc.) that would conflict with him being included in that set. He also could have been in negotiation with PepsiCo at the time the cards were printed and therefore UD wasn't allowed to include him in the set. Just some thoughts I have.

Any chance anyone with Mariners may remember, or is it possible to contact Griffey and ask him (long shot but you never know)

I did come across an article from early 2000 after he had signed a national promo deal with Pepsi. Who knows how long the negotiations lasted, so this makes sense now.