The Upper Deck Company Adds To Ben Roethlisberger's Line Up Of All Star Vinyl Figures With A Trio Of New Releases

Steelers QB's new line of collectibles features three new editions including a retro edition of the NFL star

Carlsbad, Calif. (September 10, 2007) - Last year, Upper Deck produced a limited run of a Ben Roethlisberger All Star Vinyl Figure just in time for the Super Bowl in Miami. Now, Upper Deck is re-introducing the young Super Bowl Champion to the coveted line of collectibles with a trio of new revolutionary sports action figures which are based on 'Stylized Realism' Found in Comic-Book Art.

Fresh off his four touchdown performance against the Cleveland Browns, Roethlisberger's new figures will be released this week and will feature three unique editions of the Steeler, including a Road edition which features Big Ben wearing the white Road Jersey devoted fans will recognize as the one worn during the Steelers defeat of the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL. Additionally, the line of new releases will feature a Black Edition figure of Roethlisberger, which has proven to be the most highly sought after variant of the All Star Vinyl figures. Finally, for those longing for yester-year and nostalgia, Roethlisberger's likeness will be available to collectors in a retro edition figure that includes the Steelers jersey based upon the one worn during the 1954 campaign version and similar to the throw-back Jersey the Steelers will be wearing later this month.

"Ben Roethlisberger can be described as a winner who has already accomplished so much in his short career," said Upper Deck sports figure product manager Dave Sanders. "On the same note, his impact transfers over into his collectibles, such as this line of unique All Star Vinyl figures."

Fans will be able to get their hands on Roethlisberger's road edition figure (limited to 1500) for $49.99 USD, a dual-pack featuring the road edition and retro home edition (limited to 500) for $99.99 USD and the highly exclusive black edition sold separately for $99.99 USD. Each figure is produced in limited quantities to ensure long-term collectibility.

Big Ben's trio of figures will be available to members of the All Star Vinyl Platinum club Wednesday, September 12th at 9:07 am PDT while the general public can race to obtain the collectibles twenty four hours later on Thursday, September 13th at 9:07 am PDT.

More on Upper Deck's All-Star Vinyl Action Figurines

At 11 inches and produced in the underground style of urban vinyl, Upper Deck's All-Star Vinyl action figures are a combination of art and realism not typically found in sports licensed products. Adds Sanders, "in this medium, our designers are able to have fun by adding or playing up on player attributes and subtleties that give life to these athletes, highlight their distinct features, playing style - design characteristics that make them highly unique in comparison to more traditional based sports figures. Keeping with the comic book theme, the high end packaging and artwork was created by well-known comic artist Sean Calloway."

To offer more details on the All-Star Vinyls, Upper Deck has set up dedicated web site with a blog written by Sanders - www.allstarvinyl.com. It will also give consumers a first look at upcoming sports action figure launches throughout the year, giving insight into the athletes to be featured, as well as the artist and sculptor behind the piece.

History of Urban Vinyl Collectibles

The trend of urban vinyl collectibles originated in Hong Kong and Japan, recently becoming popular in the United States. A sign of its popularity: at the annual Toy Fair, in 2006 the industry officially recognized this trend with its own exhibit hall titled "Urban Bazaar: Indie Art Toys."

Upper Deck is the first and only company to recognize the possibility of combining urban stylized figures with licensed sports leagues to create a heroic depiction of sports stars. Upper Deck has released figures of NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB players.

Urban vinyl figures, or designer toys, are thought of as not just toys, but as pieces of art. Usually made of soft roto-cast PVC, referred to by collectors as "vinyl," many of the industry's product launches are held at gallery openings or release parties where the toys are displayed side-by-side with paintings and other types of art.

About the Upper Deck Company

Founded in 1988, The Upper Deck Co. is a premier global sports and entertainment-publishing company that delivers a portfolio of relevant, innovative and multi-dimensional product experiences to collectors, sports and entertainment enthusiasts. For more information on Upper Deck and its products, please visit www.upperdeck.com or www.upperdeckstore.com.