the new
Australian graphic designer Tyson Beck is reimagining the sports card business for the sneakerhead generation.
Golden State superstar Stephen Curry needed just one more three to rewrite the history books. The sharpshooting guard entered Madison Square Garden within reach of the all-time record for 3-pointers. Shortly after tip-off, Curry nailed a 29-footer from the top of the key to tie Ray Allen’s record. A few minutes later Curry found open space beyond the 3-point line and let off a lightning-quick shot: swish.
The referees paused for a brief ceremony to honor Curry’s achievement. But for thousands of people watching around the globe, it wasn’t time for a break. Because as soon as Curry’s record-breaking shot snapped the net, an ultra-rare set of trading cards went live. The set, a collaboration between Curry and designer Tyson Beck, sold out in seconds. One of the cards, an autographed edition limited to 10 copies, is now on sale on eBay for $9,000.
Beck’s work shows that those old bubble-gum packages are as outdated as the VHS, and things are never going to be the same. Not only is he delivering fresh designs, but he’s building unique relationships with athletes themselves that are flipping the business on its head.
story by Thomas DeVoto
21st Century Graphics
A freelance designer in his early 30s from Adelaide, Australia, Beck says he’s been “messing around with Photoshop” since about 2003. His big break in the States came in 2007, when he won a magazine cover design contest for the Phoenix Suns. After Beck won, the Suns offered to pass his info along to the Los Angeles Lakers (his favorite team), which helped Beck land a design job with one of the most storied sports franchises in the world.
But some creators, like Beck, are starting to pay more attention to how these rare pieces of cardboard actually look. Beck’s style is bold and energetic—he aims to tell a story with each card, revealing pieces of the individual and the city they play for in every image. He often uses hand-tooled type, further evoking the personalities of the players. Beck also uses luxe printing techniques, delivering a product that’s of a far higher quality than the standard card.
Beck has worked across mediums over the years. For the Lakers, he built wallpapers for their website; he’s been creating IG graphics since 2012; he even designed the uniforms for a few teams in Australia’s National Basketball League. And while he’s explored NFTs over the course of the past year, the majority of his work is in physical trading cards.
It's Just Business
Not only is Beck reinvigorating the design of cards, but he’s also bringing a unique approach to the business side of the industry.
For over 100 years, there were just a handful of big brands making all of the cards that collectors wanted, led by Topps and Upper Deck. In recent years, these brands have lost their hold on the industry to some upstart new players, like Fanatics, but individual artists like Beck are also making their mark. Beck has his own trading card brand, and he partners directly with the athletes he features on his cards. His most recent collaborations were sets of cards with NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson and boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr. That sort of partnership between athlete and artist (while maintaining official licensing from leagues and teams) is the first of its kind in sports. He often ties his drops to monumental moments in the athlete’s career, like Curry’s record-breaking 3-pointer.
And not only is Beck collaborating with athletes in a unique way, but he’s also releasing his cards differently. Although there’s something exciting about the old-fashioned unboxing method, Beck’s approach generates intrigue of its own. He releases his cards like Nike and Adidas drop coveted sneakers, with scheduled sales on his own site. Each new drop has fans on the edges of their seats, and most of the cards are snatched up immediately. Demand has become so great that Beck has released a “Collectors Club” annual membership that grants early access to new releases—which itself sold out in a few hours.
Who's Got Next?
Old trading cards will probably always have value, given the scarcity of some of those coveted cards. But if fans can get their hands on a rare card of a player they love that’s also given the aesthetic attention of artwork, it’s just an added bonus.
Beck’s direct collaborations yield super-limited runs of beautifully-designed cards that could be the future of the industry. He breathes new life into every design, with each card containing interesting twists and unique takes on the athlete. In carving out a living for himself, he might also be lighting the way for designers of the future.
And he’s not the only artist reimagining what a card can be. In July, Beck was one of a handful of artists to participate in a series from Topps UK called Project 22. The series turned the spotlight on 22 of the best soccer players in the world, each honored with a unique card reimagined by a featured designer. Beck was responsible for Lionel Messi’s card. Some other participants include 17th & Oak (the creative alias of illustrator Pete Ware) and British graphic artist Neil Stevens.
Cards
House
of
Beck's design for the Lakers
photos from beck's instagram
click cards to view variatons
topps' sports cards
For as long as anyone can remember, sports trading cards have been staged portraits or action shots centered within an unremarkable border. The rookie cards of beloved superstars, like Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, are still popular, of course, and routinely resell for six- or seven-figure sums.