New York cops must looove Supreme. There’s the regular issues that pop up with line waiters, the anti-Supreme ape from last year, and now the Metro Card it created with Supreme branding created a mess in the Union Square station.
It all started when Supreme announced it would included a New York subway Metro card as part of its spring drop. While it’s been described as a collaboration, the MTA has provided the option of advertising on its cards since 2012.
The Supreme MTA card includes multiple-color branding on one side of the card and according to rates provided by the MTA, such a card would cost $25,500 for 50,000 cards. According to the MTA’s website, “Distribution via vending machines is guaranteed. Targeting options vary based on the quantity of MetroCards produced. Opportunities for industry/category exclusivity and targeted distribution may result in additional charges.”
It appeared at first the cards would be sold exclusively through Supreme, but then the MTA announced by Twitter that the cards would be available at select stations and that’s when the fun began.
Now vending in select stations: Supreme branded MetroCards pic.twitter.com/ah2kmT0laA
— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) February 20, 2017
Through Twitter, the MTA let it be known that rumors the cards were priced above retail were untrue. “There is no $75 Supreme MetroCard. Cards can be bought at any value at [metro vending machines]. There is limited supply of Supreme MetroCards,” followed by a reveal of locations where the cards would be sold.
The Union Square station was identified as on the list, and it quickly became overrun with people trying to buy multiple cards.
cops boutta shut down the supreme metrocard lineup lmfaoooo
🎥:@offtheglas pic.twitter.com/SVEEpTkV9d— Where To Cop (@WhereToCop) February 21, 2017
The MTA finished its busy day tweeting about its Supreme card by concluding, “We’ve had a run on machines today and may be sold out of Supreme Metrocards until we can replenish. Check back in a day or so.”
And yes, now there are a ton of Supreme MTA Metro cards being sold on Ebay, both the ones sold by Supreme contained in a plastic envelope and the versions purchased from machines yesterday with prices ranging from $24 for a card up to $1,000.
