ESPN: Bonds to no longer appear on trading cards, fantasy games !!!

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Bonds will be individually licensed

By Darren Rovell
ESPN.com

[size=1.5]NEW YORK -- Going, going, gone.

That's what San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds has told the Major League Baseball Players Association's licensing arm.

Bonds informed the union that he would not be signing the organization's group licensing agreement, sources told ESPN Radio in New York on Friday. Baseball's home run record holder plans to pursue his own licensing opportunities.

Players usually sign the group licensing agreement, which allows companies that obtain MLBPA licenses the right to use players' names and likenesses on their products. In exchange for their rights, the players in the four major sports get a percentage of the sale of the products such as trading cards and video games.

MLBPA spokesman Greg Bouris confirmed to ESPN.com that Bonds has indeed opted out of the agreement for the immediate future, but will remain a member of the union. Eric Levin, president of Pro Access Inc., which does the marketing for Bonds, declined comment.

Licensees must reach individual deals to use the name and images of players who are not part of the agreement.

Bonds' decision will have immediate repercussions for baseball fans, who will no longer be able to purchase the Giants' slugger's jersey. Also, Bonds will no longer be able to appear in advertisements or on trading cards in his San Francisco uniform.

"Barry, don't do this! Please, come back!" said Bill Dully, president of Donruss trading cards. He was not joking.

Dully points out that Bonds is on the cusp of being the greatest player in baseball history, and the home run king's decision opt out of the league's licensing agreement makes it impossible to put him on the company's cards because players must be depicted in their team uniform.

Bonds' move is not unprecedented. For some time, Michael Jordan was not part of the NBA Players Association's group licensing agreement, and Washington Redskins linebacker Lavar Arrington has not signed the NFL Players Association's group licensing agreement.
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