HOUSTON, March 18, 2008 – TRISTAR, the nation’s premier producer of sports collectibles and memorabilia, announced that the company has been selected by Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling as the exclusive licensee for the production and distribution of TNA trading cards and memorabilia.

TNA, the second largest professional wrestling company in the world, currently airs its programming in more than 130 countries worldwide. After just five years, TNA has established itself as a leader within the sports-entertainment genre, utilizing some of the world’s best known and top up-and-coming wrestlers. TNA’s talent roster includes Kurt Angle, Sting, Kevin Nash, Booker T, Jeff Jarrett, Samoa Joe, Scott Steiner, A.J. Styles, Gail Kim and Christy Hemme, among others.

The inaugural TRISTAR TNA trading card set - “TNA iMPACT!” - will debut in May 2008 and will include cards of TNA wrestlers, TNA Knockouts (the company’s female stars), autographed cards and event-used memorabilia cards. These will be the finest, licensed TNA trading cards ever produced.

According to TRISTAR President and CEO Jeff Rosenberg, the company is pleased to have the opportunity to expand its product lines to include TNA trading cards.

“We are very excited to have been selected by TNA as the exclusive company to have the rights to produce its trading cards and memorabilia,” said Rosenberg. “TNA is gaining a partner in TRISTAR with vast experience in the creation, production and collectibility of trading cards, and we look forward to working with TNA to showcase its stars in a new and collectible way.”

TRISTAR plans to release three TNA trading card products in 2008. The first release, “TNA iMPACT!,” is named after TNA’s two-hour weekly program on SpikeTV, viewed by an average of 2.3 million viewers weekly. In the fall, TRISTAR will release its second TNA set, tentatively titled “Cross The Line.” And just in time for the holidays, “TNA Knockouts” will feature a look at the attractive females on TNA’s roster, aptly referred to as “Knockouts.”

“TNA is ecstatic to partner with TRISTAR for the trading card category,” said TNA Director of Licensing Jason Walker. “This is a very important, high-profile category for TNA, and we’re thrilled to see the high-tech work TRISTAR will do. We have been very selective in considering new partners, but TRISTAR’s 20-plus years in the hobby speak for itself. Many of our fans are card collectors, so we wanted to make sure that our trading card partner delivered the best range and quality of cards available in the marketplace. TRISTAR will give the TNA brand the care and attention it deserves so that our fans and card collectors get only the very best.”

Shell yeah! i will be looking forward to these

wow 48 autograph card

It looks like boxes will retail between $50-60 ea.

I'd love to get a case of this but it is big $$$. Guess I'll wait for more info before I make any decisions. Seems like it would be a fun break.

I've been watching TNA ofer here in the UK on Bravo for sevaral month now and i am really getting back into this.

I hadn't followed American Wrestling since the demise if WCW.

I'll have to get a box or two of these

Found some more information in my mail this afternoon. LOTS of parallels to deal with, but it looks like a well put together set.

quote:

Product Content Details:

Base Cards: 100, Including Special Sub-Sets
- Mike's Magical Moments - Broadcaster Mike Tenay's Favorite TNA Moments
- We Are TNA - TNA's Unique Features and Championships
- Muscles, Ink - Focuses on Wrestlers' Fitness and Tattoos

Parallel Cards
- Base Card Parallel Editions Numbered to 1, 10 & 50
- Autograph Card Parallel Editions Numbered to 1, 5, 25 & 50
- Event-Used Memorabilia Card Editions Numbered to 1, 25 & 250

Autograph Cards
- Over 50 Different Autographs
- Single & Dual Autograph Cards, Including Parallel!

Each box will contain:
1 Authentic Event-Used Memorabilia Cards Numbered to 250 or less
2 Hand-signed Autograph Cards: 1 numbered to 50 or less
1 Parallel Card numbered to 50 or less

Each Case will contain:
2 Press Plates: autographed or unautographed
48 Authentic Autographed Cards
24 Event-used Memorabilia Cards
24 Parallel Cards numbered to 50 or less

If you're a completist, then you're in trouble with this one. If you're just a TNA fan, there's lots of fun in each box.

Ed

Oh yeah, forgot to add that the checklists, including the autograph list, is now online at www.tnawrestlingcards.com

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:
Oh yeah, forgot to add that the checklists, including the autograph list, is now online at www.tnawrestlingcards.com

Ed

Ed, thanks so much for posting that

Dave Meltzer (best known wrestling journalist) is stating that TNA Knockout Raka Kahn will probably be dropped from the autograph list.

quote:

Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer newsletter reported that TNA management is upset with Scott Steiner's valet Raka Kahn over the new TNA trading card set. Apparently, the personalities were all asked to sign their cards at the TV tapings in the presence of witnesses to guarantee authenticity. This woman took hers home to sign instead. She then returned them directly to the card company. The company contacted TNA and was upset that the signatures on the cards didn't match and HER NAME WAS SPELLED WRONG on several of the cards!

I would LOVE piece of traci brooks....shirt!

You can have Ms Brooks, I want a piece of Gail Kim's outfit - What little there is of it

Just recieved an email saying that there will only be 200 cases of this product produced, and all cases will be numbered.

24 count cases, but that still only 4800 boxes. An awfully low print run, especially from a sport card company.

Ed

Can't find any info online about pricing, release date or where I can order some boxes from.
Only that there are 18 cards in a box.

Harris, will this set be featured in NSU mag?

quote:

Originally posted by Boldlygone:
Only that there are 18 cards in a box.

Do you mean packs?

yep, sorry, My fingers cant keep up with my brain.

Is this set still scheduled to be released next week? I've read June 11th which would be Wednesday.

Set is supposed to be released today. As of last week the broadcast was pushing the set for a 6/6 release ?!?!

Just received confirmation of 6/11 release !