About WSC Season Pass

I've gotten a lot of response in the past few days from readers about this new project. There are a lot of questions, so this is my attempt to explain just what is going on here.

I was underwhelmed with 2008 UD Documentary. The idea was sound, but the execution was poor. In 2009, I started brainstorming on making a card set that documented the White Sox season without the stench of that failed Upper Deck card set. At various times throughout 2009, I tinkered with different possibilities, seeing what worked and what didn't. My goal was to have it ready by the start of the next season. It didn't work out that way.

My hard drive ended up crashing before I could burn the project onto disc and the majority of the work I had already done was lost with it. Since I knew the basic designs, I figured that it would be easy to duplicate. It was easier to duplicate the second time around, but I didn't make it in time for the start of the 2010 season.

I took the rest of 2010 to really fine tune the design. I didn't really have a specific design in mind for the back, the extra time was put into that.

The front design.

One of the best ways to remember a game is the ticket stub. I knew I wanted to recreate a ticket stub that looked like a real one. Inspiration finally hit when I was browsing old World Series tickets. I saw a ticket from the 1959 World Series that looked really old school with a lot of cool details. I recreated the basics of that ticket, but added my own flair. Almost every part of the ticket would be in motion from game to game. The seating location, the price, the date, the time, etc... Research went into how seating was arranged in each stadium and the prices which each seat went for at face value. It would have the feeling that you were following the team each game and this would be the souvenir.

Even after I watch a game, my ritual is to read about it the next morning in the newspaper. I created a torn newspaper section at the top of the card. This would hold a headline relevant to that day's game. Many times during the season, I'll have a headline in mind, only to see something completely different in the morning paper. This adds my twist to the mix.

My biggest beef with UD Documentary was the limited amount of pictures available. The photos were rarely ever from the game being described. Sometimes the player pictured didn't even play in the game that was being featured. Each custom card for the 2011 season, features a large picture from the actual game being immortalized. The headline and ticket frame the game photo.

The back design.

I wanted to transport the basic feel of a newspaper onto the back of the card. The box score was my first choice, but in order for it to fit on that card, the box score would have been too small to read. After seeing a traditional box score dominate the back of the card, I opted for a line score. This allowed me to put other elements onto the card.

A card number, the game number and the date round out the top of the card. Using the line score allowed room for a brief writeup and a small photo (desaturated to mimic the newspaper motif).

Perhaps the most unique aspect on the card back is the use of advertising on the bottom. No one has paid for any of this advertising. I wondered that if I were actually attending every single White Sox game, what would I do during the downtime? Where would I eat? What would I want to see?

I did research in each city and listed places that sounded interesting, were within a reasonable distance from the ballpark, were affordable, and had a lot of positive feedback. At best, this will drive in new traffic to a cool spot allowing the business to remain open. At worst, it'll be a nice list of things to do whenever I'm in the area. I've never known any business to refuse free advertising. I tried to stick to things that were appropriate for most ages.

When the White Sox play their home games, you will be treated to places in and around Chicago and the suburbs, most of which I have visited. The few that I haven't visited, I've heard really good things about. At the time I wrote the list, in March, all of these places were confirmed to be open. I cannot control if a business closes between now and when it appears on a card. I'd like to think that they will all remain open, but who knows. I'll do my best to make sure that a place is still open when it appears.

Yes. I plan to do a card for each game, win or lose. My ultimate goal is to get a card up within a few hours after the game, but I realize that this may not always be the case. Each game's card will appear as soon as it's possible. Most will be the same day, but others may have to wait. Rest assured, they will be there at some point.

I hope I have answered any questions about the set that anyone may have had. If there are any additional questions about 2011 WSC Season Pass, feel free to post them in the comments section. It should be a fun endeavor. I hope you enjoy it!