Upper Deck announced that it will offer "The Exquisite Experience" to five lucky collectors from the U.S. or Canada this summer for 2007-08 UD Exquisite Basketball. These collectors will get a preview of the set, including a behind the scenes look at this year's product and an opportunity to create their own pack of cards according to the set ratios in place for the product.

One golden ticket will be randomly inserted into 2007-08 NBA SP Authentic (releasing Feb. 13), 2007-08 NBA UD Black (releasing Feb. 27), 2007-08 NBA SP Rookie Edition (releasing mid-March), 2007-08 NBA UD Premier (releasing early April).  A fifth golden ticket will be awarded through a no-purchase-necessary program.  The five lucky winners will receive airfare and accommodations to attend the packout of 2007-08 Exquisite Basketball this summer.
 
Collectors will have only five minutes and won't be able to put together 1/1 packs, but will be able to select the players and inserts they want in their packs in line with the ratios.
 
“The Exquisite Experience’ is another innovative and exciting way to give collectors an opportunity to see the large undertaking we go through for packing out a product this important," said Chris Kollmeyer, Upper Deck NBA brand manager. "The other thing winners will enjoy is just how awesome it is to see all of these cards in one place for that brief time before they all are packaged and sent out. It’s the type of behind-the-scenes type of experience that any hardcore collector would salivate over.”

Salivate is right. Exquisite consistently comes up with the most demanded rookies of each player every year and has the exclusive rights to Kevin Durant autographs so there's plenty to be excited about. The build-your-own-pack concept with these Exquisite golden tickets will make a trip to the chocolate factory seem like the prizes given away by Steve Martin at the "Guess Your Weight" booth in The Jerk.

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In completely unrelated "news," did you see this auction on eBay? Someone is auctioning Ryan Braun's game-used and autographed jock strap and cup. This is one game-used item that I'm actually kinda hoping doesn't show a lot of use.