Despite the fact that Mike retired in 2003, he remains the most popular Upper Deck athlete. “Michael hasn’t played in the League in over 15 years and he is still the No. 1 source for memorabilia and collectibles,” says Garcia. “It’s interesting, because typically with athletes, you see ebbs and flows,” Masherah says. “They have a great moment in their career, you sell a lot more product. When they retire, you sell more product. When they go to the Hall of Fame, you sell more product. I think what’s different about MJ is, he’s just steady. He continues to be our top-selling athlete. There’s just a difference in general with MJ because he’s this global brand. It’s just a different animal.”