Fanatics Fan Fest coming in August

[messier2]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

Thanks for the recap. I'm glad you had a good time.

This does confirm for me that I have no interest in going to one of these, and solidifies that there is zero chance this kills the National.

It won't kill the National, but at least the National organizers will know that there is another player on the court.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by messier2

It won't kill the National, but at least the National organizers will know that there is another player on the court.

Will they? They are playing on different courts.

[speedyjg13]

Originally Posted by messier2

It won't kill the National, but at least the National organizers will know that there is another player on the court.

Sounds like Fanatics Fest is geared towards newer and younger clectors. As long as this keeps happening, little by little, the young and newer clectors will keep going there and the National will slowly fade away.

[messier2]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

Will they? They are playing on different courts.

Well, it depends on your definition of "court". I mean there is room for both Fanatics Fest and the National to thrive. Perhaps they need to be spaced out a bit to make it easier for people financially. But, both definitely have a place in the market.

I had a great time at the National (minus the traffic issues). I had a better time at FF (so far) because I do modern but appreciate very much the 90's inserts, and the like.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by speedyjg13

Sounds like Fanatics Fest is geared towards newer and younger clectors. As long as this keeps happening, little by little, the young and newer clectors will keep going there and the National will slowly fade away.

and where will the new collectors that want to collect "old cards" go?

[ThoseBackPages]

it sounds like Fan Fest could be a great way to addict young folks on cards

and when they grow up and want "old cards". they will go to The National

[messier2]

Just to be clear, I'm not hating on vintage! Just never seen a show like this before and I have been to pretty much all the big shows across the U.S. in the last few years.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by messier2

Just to be clear, I'm not hating on vintage! Just never seen a show like this before and I have been to pretty much all the big shows across the U.S. in the last few years.

i didnt think you were hating on vintage

but when you stated that this was the best show that you ever attended, it says something.

you are a long time member, and have attended many, many, many Nationals.

nobody knows who you are (which is fine, its your choice),
but you have been very good with sharing your National recaps over the years.

[messier2]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

i didnt think you were hating on vintage

but when you stated that this was the best show that you ever attended, it says something.

you are a long time member, and have attended many, many, many Nationals.

nobody knows who you are (which is fine, its your choice),
but you have been very good with sharing your National recaps over the years.

Yeah, totally. I've been to only 4 Nationals, so I don't have a wealth of historical knowledge on how they have been.

This was just an experience I never had before. I'm used to just skip over the vintage tables and keep walking. So, this was very different to me where I stopped at pretty much every table...that's not common for me, and never experienced that before!

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by messier2

Yeah, totally. I've been to only 4 Nationals, so I don't have a wealth of historical knowledge on how they have been.

This was just an experience I never had before. I'm used to just skip over the vintage tables and keep walking. So, this was very different to me where I stopped at pretty much every table...that's not common for me, and never experienced that before!

ahhh ok!

glad to hear you had an amazing time!

[jfan2024]

Originally Posted by Hockey24xx

From what I have seen so far this show is of zero threat to the national. People do not realize the amount of money and product changing hands at the national. Fanatics does realize it and wants to get their grubby paws on that money. Fanatics will get greedy and kill the sports card show side of this convention through their corporate strangling, it's what they do best. The vast majority of people that go to the national want to go to an extraordinary large card show, they don't care that Gronk or Tom Brady are walking around with a massive crowd of gawkers around them. Personally I would do everything in my power to be on the other side of the show, away from the crowds.

You and OhioLawyer guy couldn't be more wrong. Fanatics 100% can entirely kill off the National. Not sure it would be good for the hobby or collectors, but they absolutely can. It's only a question of want. This was an actual professional trade show they put on today and I had a blast. I've gone to everything from ComicCon to GCX to NYTimes travel show to the niche Intl Sweets and Snacks Expo, this was a professional convention today. The national is not having been there 4 years now.

My wife had fun there and has no interest in the National. A kid catching a pass from Tom Brady is imo just a cool experience and better than anything you can do at the national. Personally as a Brooklyn Nets/NY Liberty fan, their halfcourt setup was fun to chat with some reps. Chatted up one of the WWE production guys too which was interesting behind the scenes. A buddy of mine left feeling like he won the lottery by getting a nice photo in the UFC octagon with Alex Pereira. He's absolutely coming back tomorrow if for no reason than Holly Holm.

If Fanatics wants to incorporate cards and card-based convention promos seriously into this, they will kill off the National. They are a monopoly, and even the D&A and Steel City's of the world that are also at Fanatics fest will have to fall in line and do what they say too on promotions. Personally, I see very little reason for them not to kill off the National. They are the main manufacturer, they can bring in the national card/box/wrapper promos, they already have PSA/CGC etc there and doing the same onsite grading, GaryV has his booth and all the same breakers are there too. They just need to slightly give a crap and there will be no more National, but again it's entirely Fanatics' choice imo of wanting to add emphasis on cards or not

[messier2]

Tomorrow is going to be more insane! I'm bracing myself for an onslaught of people!

[itsbaytime]

Originally Posted by jfan2024

You and OhioLawyer guy couldn't be more wrong. Fanatics 100% can entirely kill off the National. Not sure it would be good for the hobby or collectors, but they absolutely can. It's only a question of want. This was an actual professional trade show they put on today and I had a blast. I've gone to everything from ComicCon to GCX to NYTimes travel show to the niche Intl Sweets and Snacks Expo, this was a professional convention today. The national is not having been there 4 years now.

My wife had fun there and has no interest in the National. A kid catching a pass from Tom Brady is imo just a cool experience and better than anything you can do at the national. Personally as a Brooklyn Nets/NY Liberty fan, their halfcourt setup was fun to chat with some reps. Chatted up one of the WWE production guys too which was interesting behind the scenes. A buddy of mine left feeling like he won the lottery by getting a nice photo in the UFC octagon with Alex Pereira. He's absolutely coming back tomorrow if for no reason than Holly Holm.

If Fanatics wants to incorporate cards and card-based convention promos seriously into this, they will kill off the National. They are a monopoly, and even the D&A and Steel City's of the world that are also at Fanatics fest will have to fall in line and do what they say too on promotions. Personally, I see very little reason for them not to kill off the National. They are the main manufacturer, they can bring in the national card/box/wrapper promos, they already have PSA/CGC etc there and doing the same onsite grading, GaryV has his booth and all the same breakers are there too. They just need to slightly give a crap and there will be no more National, but again it's entirely Fanatics' choice imo of wanting to add emphasis on cards or not

Totally disagree. I do comics as well and TPB mentioned this earlier, but people are always going to want to go to shows that sell products. SDCC, NYCC and other large conventions do great, but so do shows like Motor City Con, Virginia Comic Con and Heroes Fest. Those last 3 shows have huge amounts of comic and toy dealers and people come out to buy things. It can all exist. The only thing that would ever kill the National is if the dealers had an ultimatum or something about setting up at both. I think if the National had zero autograph signers, that it wouldn't really mean much to most of the people who attend. As long as PSA/CGC/etc. are not owned by Fanatics, then they are also going to go to whatever show they want. Marvel used to set up at tons of shows a year and they stopped doing that. It changed the shows some, but the bottom line people kept on going to all these shows. Just my 2 cents.

[PuddleMonkey]

You lost me at Brady playing with kids.

[patchgenie]

this seems really cool. I'm a pereira fan.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by jfan2024

You and OhioLawyer guy couldn't be more wrong. Fanatics 100% can entirely kill off the National. Not sure it would be good for the hobby or collectors, but they absolutely can. It's only a question of want. This was an actual professional trade show they put on today and I had a blast. I've gone to everything from ComicCon to GCX to NYTimes travel show to the niche Intl Sweets and Snacks Expo, this was a professional convention today. The national is not having been there 4 years now.

My wife had fun there and has no interest in the National. A kid catching a pass from Tom Brady is imo just a cool experience and better than anything you can do at the national. Personally as a Brooklyn Nets/NY Liberty fan, their halfcourt setup was fun to chat with some reps. Chatted up one of the WWE production guys too which was interesting behind the scenes. A buddy of mine left feeling like he won the lottery by getting a nice photo in the UFC octagon with Alex Pereira. He's absolutely coming back tomorrow if for no reason than Holly Holm.

If Fanatics wants to incorporate cards and card-based convention promos seriously into this, they will kill off the National. They are a monopoly, and even the D&A and Steel City's of the world that are also at Fanatics fest will have to fall in line and do what they say too on promotions. Personally, I see very little reason for them not to kill off the National. They are the main manufacturer, they can bring in the national card/box/wrapper promos, they already have PSA/CGC etc there and doing the same onsite grading, GaryV has his booth and all the same breakers are there too. They just need to slightly give a crap and there will be no more National, but again it's entirely Fanatics' choice imo of wanting to add emphasis on cards or not

this is why i think this could possible grow new collectors.
being new, most wont know any better and will love Fanatics Con.
When they get older and decide to stick around, they ~should~ see through the facade that Fanatics is (and should continue to get worse as time goes by).
Then they can start attending Card Shows and enjoy themselves

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by jfan2024

You and OhioLawyer guy couldn't be more wrong.

That's a bold statement, just uninformed. Nothing you said would kill the National. You have a fundamental misunderstanding what the National is and who it is for. This show can't kill the National because everything about it is too expensive to attract all the National dealers, who only care about a cheap show to sell their cards at. And collectors who want a card show, not a Fanatics experience will follow the cards.

By the way, my wife collects cards and loves the National.

It's completely fine if this is your kind of experience. But just know there are a TON of collectors who couldn't care less about it. And that's ok. But there are a lot of us. Enough to support the National no matter how big Fanatics Fest gets.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

this is why i think this could possible grow new collectors.
being new, most wont know any better and will love Fanatics Con.
When they get older and decide to stick around, they ~should~ see through the facade that Fanatics is (and should continue to get worse as time goes by).
Then they can start attending Card Shows and enjoy themselves

Eric, you know better than this. Your average participant today LOVES that facade. The hobbyist does not. But Fanatics has catalyzed a power shift in the hobby that is not favorable to people like you and me. And it’s not favorable for a show like the National. The National board needs to wake up and do something. They’re the biggest show because they’re the biggest show. Not because of anything they do.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Eric, you know better than this. Your average participant today LOVES that facade. The hobbyist does not. But Fanatics has catalyzed a power shift in the hobby that is not favorable to people like you and me. And it’s not favorable for a show like the National. The National board needs to wake up and do something. They’re the biggest show because they’re the biggest show. Not because of anything they do.

i think you are thinking too short term. im talking the young kids going to NYC that have no money. their parents will be dead/out of the hobby, and they will be left to collect.

this New Topps thing will not last forever. it could be 10 to 15 years from now, but collectors collect. there is no cure for collecting other than death.

What do you think The National can/will do? Move to other venues? The people that bellyache about The National never beign near them are not the target market for The National. Do you really think that if The National goes to some of these places, that attendance will be "that much better"? Nope

[jfan2024]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Eric, you know better than this. Your average participant today LOVES that facade. The hobbyist does not. But Fanatics has catalyzed a power shift in the hobby that is not favorable to people like you and me. And it’s not favorable for a show like the National. The National board needs to wake up and do something. They’re the biggest show because they’re the biggest show. Not because of anything they do.

Absolutely this. National folk (who imo tend to be older including the dealers) need to stop pearl clutching to their dollar boxes and finishing their 1974 Topps sets and wake up to what is happening. There's a hotter chick in town now with a rich daddy to boot, show needs to adapt and get with the program. If you like what the National used to be, go to your local county and state/regional shows b/c based on what I saw today, Fanatics has arrived

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

i think you are thinking too short term. im talking the young kids going to NYC that have no money. their parents will be dead/out of the hobby, and they will be left to collect.

this New Topps thing will not last forever. it could be 10 to 15 years from now, but collectors collect. there is no cure for collecting other than death.

What do you think The National can/will do? Move to other venues? The people that bellyache about The National never beign near them are not the target market for The National. Do you really think that if The National goes to some of these places, that attendance will be "that much better"? Nope

It’s more than moving locations. It’s about creating an experience. The experience of the National is the friends and cards you see. The National is basically just a gracious host. They do little else.

Thinking long term, it’s going to be Fanatics’ hobby and we’re just operating within it. They have too much control for anything else to happen. You see me say all the time that you can participate in the hobby without having to put up with Fanatics’ nonsense. And while that’s very true, the overwhelming majority of the hobby favors new over old.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by jfan2024

Absolutely this. National folk (who imo tend to be older including the dealers) need to stop pearl clutching to their dollar boxes and finishing their 1974 Topps sets and wake up to what is happening. There's a hotter chick in town now with a rich daddy to boot, show needs to adapt and get with the program. If you like what the National used to be, go to your local county and state/regional shows b/c based on what I saw today, Fanatics has arrived

time will tell. but that hot new chick will get ran through and be replaced with a younger model

a lot of us (especially here) have done this collecting thing for a long time.

its funny to think that this Fanatics Con is something that has never been seen before

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

It’s more than moving locations. It’s about creating an experience. The experience of the National is the friends and cards you see. The National is basically just a gracious host. They do little else.

Thinking long term, it’s going to be Fanatics’ hobby and we’re just operating within it. They have too much control for anything else to happen. You see me say all the time that you can participate in the hobby without having to put up with Fanatics’ nonsense. And while that’s very true, the overwhelming majority of the hobby favors new over old.

then thats on them.

i get it, im an old man now, but The National is nothing but a great time. i dont need to bells and whistles that Fanatics is blinding new folks with

[theshowandme]

I live 20 minutes from Chantilly and 20 minutes from DC

If Fanatics Fest came to DC the same weekend as the Chantilly card show, I am going to Chantilly

[ricebellypanda]

Originally Posted by mikejones

Yes. If they did a show in L.A. some of us west coast that doesn't like to travel might make the drive or fly a few hours to the show.

They will have Fanatics Fest LA. Heard FL(Orlando?) as well.

I was there from 930 to close. Had a great time talking and meeting people, playing those basketball/baseball/UFC things. The VIP swag was AWFUL though. It was just embarrassing what you get from there.

Tomorrow I will try to make it to the WWE line to do the entrance. Good times for the family