You can't have a Super Bowl without a football card show.
That's certainly the case for Super Bowl XLI in Miami, as the NFL Experience will play host to the Topps Super Bowl XLI Card Show. The show is just a small part of the interactive fan festival, but it's shaping up to be an event worth checking out for collectors.
The NFL is advertising that at least 50 current and former players will be appearing at the show to sign free autographs. Collectibles and, yes, cards will be on sale from a variety of dealers.
To commemorate the battle between the Colts and the Bears and play tribute to the host city's team, both show sponsor Topps and Upper Deck will have exclusive football cards available at their respective booths.
Topps
With its name on the card show, Topps is going all out with four different products celebrating Super Bowl XLI:
- Topps Super Bowl XLI Set - This 16-card set will be sold at dealer tables throughout the show. The Super Bowl XLI logo is a prominent part of the card design, and the checklist features Jason Taylor, Larry Johnson, Peyton Manning, Ronnie Brown, LaDainian Tomlinson, Tom Brady, Brian Urlacher, Frank Gore, Philip Rivers, Brett Favre, Tiki Barber, Marques Colston, Dan Marino, Reggie Bush, Vince Young and Matt Leinart.
- Super Bowl XLI Wrapper Redemption Program - Collectors who open three packs of any 2006 Topps or Bowman football product at the Topps booth will receive one of four special Miami Dolphins cards. The players included are Dan Marino, Zach Thomas, Ronnie Brown and Joey Harrington.
- 2006 Topps Football Complete Set Super Bowl XLI Edition - This is the complete set of 2006 Topps football cards, along with a special six-card insert set depicting top rookies Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Joseph Addai, Jay Cutler, Reggie Bush and Laurence Maroney.
- Super Bowl XLI Gift Set -This six-card set is a bonus for collectors who purchase the Topps complete set. Numbered to 2000, the set includes Reggie Bush, Brian Urlacher, Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Ronnie Brown.
Upper Deck
A wrapper redemption program is also the focus of Upper Deck's plans for the card show. Collectors who open three packs of any 2006 Upper Deck or Fleer football product (with a retail price of $2.99 or above) at the company booth will take away one of four exclusive Miami Dolphins cards. The featured players are Dan Marino, Bob Griese, Jason Allen and Wes Welker.