Sports Trading cards get interactive

Old-school sports trading cards have gotten a high-tech makeover.

Limited-edition video trading cards — packed with 20 minutes of career highlight footage — will begin hitting store shelves in June. The first ones will feature four basketball players: Lakers star Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers, John Wall of the Washington Wizards and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The cards were created by San Dimas display company Recom Group Inc. for Panini America Inc., maker of trading cards for the National Basketball Assn., the National Hockey League and the National Football League.

Recom owner Rob Norden said the concept behind the video trading card was an upgrade on the traditional card while “staying true to the form” of a beloved sports memorabilia.

For example, he said, the video cards “are actually still on cardboard.”

But the cards will be slightly bigger than normal and the electronics inside make them several times thicker. A screen will fill two-thirds of one side and will play clips of on-court action, to be accompanied by music and possibly voice-over commentary, Norden said. The screen can be turned off when you’ve had your fill of slam dunks and chest thumping.

Continues at: See Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin and others dunk in video trading cards | Technology | Los Angeles Times.