Saw this story today at this link and it has been all over the net being discussed. Details are sparse so far, but what I have got out of a few friends of mine was that Topps did in fact pay players for autographs last year. They did not get paid for the autographs that Topps could not use due to the NBA contract going to Panini. This could potentially be a huge story over the next few months.
(CN) – Nine NBA players, including Derrick Rose, Antawn Jamison and Tracy McGrady, claim Topps Co. refused to pay them as promised for their autographs on trading cards. The hoopsters say they were promised from $3 to $50 apiece for their signatures, by the hundreds or thousands.
Tracy McGrady says he was offered $50 apiece for 1,000 John Hancocks; Deandre Jordan says he was offered $3 apiece for 4,000.
Darryl Augustin Jr. claims Topps promised him $8 apiece for 4,000 autographs;
Terrance (TJ) Ford claims Topps promised him $6 apiece for 500 autographs;
Antawn Jamison claims Topps promised him $10 apiece for 500 autographs;
Deandre Jordan claims Topps promised him $3 apiece for 4,000 autographs;
Tracy McGrady claims Topps promised him $50 apiece for 1,000 autographs;
Anthony Randolph Jr. claims Topps promised him $7 apiece for 4,000 autographs;
Derrick Rose claims Topps promised him $25 apiece for 10,000 autographs;
Brandon Roy claims Topps promised him $18 apiece for 5,000 autographs;
Russell Westbrook claims Topps promised him $12 apiece for 4,000 autographs;
White Cobra Enterprises claims Topps promised it $10 apiece for 1,000 autographs;
Wolfotter Inc. claims Topps promised it $8 apiece for 4,000 autographs;
Rowcats Inc. claims Topps promised it $5 apiece for 4,000 autographs.
The plaintiffs say Topps refused to pay them varying amounts.
They are represented in New York County Court by Thomas Fleming with Olshan Grundman Frome.
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I wonder what or who those last 3 companies are representing… Nothing at all came back in search engines about any of them.