2009 was the end of an era for Upper Deck. At the end of the season, MLB Properties, the subsidiary of the MLB that distributes the rights to the team names and logos, decided to grant only one baseball card company with a license. Thus Topps was given a virtual monopoly on MLB licensed baseball card sets. Upper Deck was still able to secure licensing from the MLBPA (the players' union) so they could continue to use players' names and likenesses in future years.