"Survivor" mobile trading cards: "Fans can receive, trade and collect the mobile cards by texting the word "Tribe" to a short code. A total of 61 cards are randomly distributed in sets of three, which fans can then trade with others. Certain combinations of cards can then be redeemed for cash and prizes."

Why not? Cut out production and some distribution costs of physical cards, make it easier to provide new ones, link in to a communications network for swapping, etc. Seems to make perfect sense to me.