Upper Deck Announces Winners of “Social Media” Awards

Upper Deck's first ever social media awards came to close this past week. The Social Media Awards were aimed at rewarding the internet's best online trading card communities, blogs, and video box-breakers. Upper Deck was extremely pleased by the amount of participation, they were even more pleased that the contest connected collectors to interesting and intriguing sports cards sites they might not have found had it not been for the contest.

“We were really blown away by the response we saw to Upper Deck's ‘Social Media Awards' over the last two weeks," said Chris Carlin, sports marketing manager for Upper Deck. “The big takeaway we discovered as a result of these awards is that there is no ‘best' community, blogger or box breaker. They all offer something different and they have a tremendous support network. It's that diversity that makes this hobby so great so we will not be recognizing one, but rather all that finished in the top five in their respective categories."

WINNERS FOR BEST ONLINE COMMUNITY:
The top five communities will receive links from Upper Deck's Community page and will be featured in an article on the Upper Deck Blog. All five of these communities will receive a trophy. Freedomfromcardboard will receive a variety of unopened product, a LeBron James-signed UDA basketball and a 2009 NFL Rookie Photo Shoot signed football (autographed by more than 25 players) to use as giveaways with their community of loyal collectors. The other four communities will receive a Sony PlayStation portable and some unopened product as well.

1. Freedom From Cardboard
2. Sportscard Forum
3. Cardboard Connection
4. Clouts N' Chara
5. Hobby Insider

WINNERS FOR BEST BLOGGERS:
The top five bloggers will receive links from the Upper Deck Blog, will be featured as part of an entry about their blogs there and receive trophies. Opening Day Cards will also receive a variety of unopened product and a 2009 NFL Rookie Photo Shoot signed football.

1. Opening Day Cards
2. Field Level View
3. Canada Card World
4. A Cardboard Problem
5. Wax Heaven

WINNERS FOR BEST VIDEO BOX-BREAKERS:
The top five video box-breakers will receive a free box of Upper Deck product to review, have their individual videos featured on Upper Deck Diamond Vision and receive trophies. Box Rippers – blackmagik44 will receive a variety of product for the next year and have every video of theirs featured on Upper Deck's Diamond Vision site.

1. Box Rippers
2. The Hobby Box - CHRI5784
3. TheTruth17
4. Cloutsnchara
5. SBLEZ AKA SCOTT