Observations on the current state of the hobby from a show this weekend

[Boo]

Originally Posted by ScooterD

I wish him well and don’t care if he is wrong or right - just wondering why he keeps saying it and wanting others to agree with his opinion. What’s the intent?

Why does the other side keep doing the same? It’s what people do.

[StateEx]

Originally Posted by ScooterD

I wish him well and don’t care if he is wrong or right - just wondering why he keeps saying it and wanting others to agree with his opinion. What’s the intent?

It's a message board on the internet. What other information do you need?

[oldgoldy97]

So it’s the greatest time ever or it’s the worst. Not sure.

[Crosby 87]

Originally Posted by ScooterD

I wish him well and don’t care if he is wrong or right - just wondering why he keeps saying it and wanting others to agree with his opinion. What’s the intent?

He's fishing and the fish are biting.

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by ScooterD

I wish him well and don’t care if he is wrong or right - just wondering why he keeps saying it and wanting others to agree with his opinion. What’s the intent?

Maybe he wants to see others agree with him so he feels reassured that he didn't sell too early?

[NickyCards]

Every major show is packed, and middle level shows are looking to expand. I don’t get how anyone can see that as a negative

[whitmm]

Originally Posted by eastbayak

2024, according to Vegas Dave!

So we should apologize to him, not puddle?

[ScooterD]

Originally Posted by eastbayak

2024, according to Vegas Dave!

Didn’t Vegas Dave publicly sink $500k in Derek Carr during the COVID pump?

If so, someone better check on him…

[LVDan]

Originally Posted by ScooterD

Didn’t Vegas Dave publicly sink $500k in Derek Carr during the COVID pump?

If so, someone better check on him…

I thought he shifted his Carr bags to manbags I believe. Maybe it was Trout..
Saavy move tbh

[KhalDrogo]

He never sold Carr. He sold all of Trout basically at the peak.

[mrb842]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

Sports card shows are hotter than ever. Don't listen to the ridiculous claim that some small show happened to have a bunch of pokemon is an indication that sports card shows are in a decline. That is false, and frankly that whole discussion a few posts up is stupid. The sports card show scene has never been hotter in the history of the hobby.

There's a clear transition underway, but things are in pretty good shape it feels like.

From shows I go to
-Dealers over 60 are starting to really drop out
-Dime cards are dissappearing-because the cost of boxes are going up and people can't make it back on those cards and set builder customers like they used to
-Hockey and baseball are disappearing

-Non sport, pokemon, especially are rising.

The best thing for show promoters is to keep the price of setting up for dealers lower as well as admission price. Awful lot of people who are curious about this stuff now, or their kids are, or they want to set up and the best way to grow it and get them engaged is not to not turn them away with your online flyer where they see prices that don't make them want to get in the door.

[PuddleMonkey]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

Sports card shows are hotter than ever.

I think you mean Pokemon card shows are hotter than ever, with a smattering of sports card.

Originally Posted by NYBBFAN

I will say that of all that have made this claim, Mr. Monkey actually put his money where his mouth is and sold cards that he felt were fully valued.

Not saying I agree with his opinion or even care what the card market does, but he has integrity.

I'm almost done parting ways with what I don't want. I should see another 30k check in a week or two.

Originally Posted by ScooterD

I wish him well and don’t care if he is wrong or right - just wondering why he keeps saying it and wanting others to agree with his opinion. What’s the intent?

If people agree with me then this ceases to be fun. I enjoy the bickering. I think you guys do too.

[PuddleMonkey]

Originally Posted by eastbayak

Maybe he wants to see others agree with him so he feels reassured that he didn't sell too early?

It's never too early for profits. Or prophets.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by PuddleMonkey

I think you mean Pokemon card shows are hotter than ever, with a smattering of sports card.

You obviously aren't going to the shows I go to. Only a little Pokemon.

But I'm not sure where this idea comes from that if Pokemon increases, sports must decrease. That's faulty logic.

Sports only shows are expanding and selling out tables just like shows that have Pokemon.

[theshowandme]

Fully expect the major regional shows and the National to be busy

[Oriole Way]

Originally Posted by mrb842

There's a clear transition underway, but things are in pretty good shape it feels like.

From shows I go to
-Dealers over 60 are starting to really drop out
-Dime cards are dissappearing-because the cost of boxes are going up and people can't make it back on those cards and set builder customers like they used to
-Hockey and baseball are disappearing

-Non sport, pokemon, especially are rising.

The best thing for show promoters is to keep the price of setting up for dealers lower as well as admission price. Awful lot of people who are curious about this stuff now, or their kids are, or they want to set up and the best way to grow it and get them engaged is not to not turn them away with your online flyer where they see prices that don't make them want to get in the door.

Saying baseball is disappearing is a delusional statement I'd only expect PuddleMonkey to say. You're making a horribly incorrect observation if you think that's actually the case, or you're making the observation based on an outlier market with no local baseball team.

The rest of your observations seem reasonable.

[pinnacle06]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

You obviously aren't going to the shows I go to. Only a little Pokemon.

This is not a true for the Mass shows I attend. Its at least 50-50 now sports vs Pokemon... maybe a little higher even for Pokemon.

[Big35Hurt]

Originally Posted by pinnacle06

This is not a true for the Mass shows I attend. Its at least 50-50 now sports vs Pokemon... maybe a little higher even for Pokemon.

I have gone to a few shows this year in southern Wisconsin. The local Milwaukee (Oak Creek) show still seems to be majority sports cards, but the Madison (WI) show I go to each month seems to be 50/50. It's getting to the point where the 80-minute or so drive to Madison is not worth it.

[fabiani12333]

Guys, Gem Rate says nearly 2/3rds of all cards graded last month by PSA, CGC, SGC and Beckett were TCG/Non-sport -- 1.34 million of 2.12 million total cards graded (63%):
https://www.gemrate.com/april-2025-recap

This compares to 4/10ths of all cards graded in April 2024 by those same grading companies being TCG/Non-sport -- 685K of 1.61 million (42%):
https://www.gemrate.com/april-2024-recap

The number of TCG cards graded has doubled year-over-year, while sports cards has gone down substantially -- 777K in April 2025 vs 932K in April 2024 (-16.6%).

PSA is getting inundated with requests to grade Pokemon cards. They are prioritizing TCG because it's a growth area. Sports cards are fast becoming old hat.

The focus in the hobby is currently with TCG. Will it last? Who knows, but one thing is certain -- it's popular with younger hobbyists.

[Cracktoast]

How someone hasn't come up with a TCG Sports game is beyond me. You have to cater to what is popular now not 50 yrs ago. Vintage will always be there for those who want the nostalgia kick and there is nothing wrong with collecting vintage but it's also stupid to look past what the hot trend is.

Like them or hate the Fanatics knows what their customer base is and what will make them the most money that's why you see so many non sports releases coming down the pipe along with the 2 hottest sports that collectors are clamoring for in NBA and NFL. People on the boards can cover their ears and scream I can't hear you all they want but news flash 99% of baseball products and even singles nobody cares about anymore. We are in the down cycle for Baseball which happens usually every 15-20 yrs. There are literally less than 6 players who run the baseball side of the hobby along with prospects which 9.5/10 of them flame out by year 2 in the majors if they even make it.

[al3xmac10]

Originally Posted by Cracktoast

How someone hasn't come up with a TCG Sports game is beyond me. You have to cater to what is popular now not 50 yrs ago. Vintage will always be there for those who want the nostalgia kick and there is nothing wrong with collecting vintage but it's also stupid to look past what the hot trend is.

Like them or hate the Fanatics knows what their customer base is and what will make them the most money that's why you see so many non sports releases coming down the pipe along with the 2 hottest sports that collectors are clamoring for in NBA and NFL. People on the boards can cover their ears and scream I can't hear you all they want but news flash 99% of baseball products and even singles nobody cares about anymore. We are in the down cycle for Baseball which happens usually every 15-20 yrs. There are literally less than 6 players who run the baseball side of the hobby along with prospects which 9.5/10 of them flame out by year 2 in the majors if they even make it.

Wow wow wow - I really like the TCG+Sports idea.

NBA+Game of Thrones, MLB+Pokemon...

Hope to see these in the near future!

[pinnacle06]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

Guys, Gem Rate says nearly 2/3rds of all cards graded last month by PSA, CGC, SGC and Beckett were TCG/Non-sport -- 1.34 million of 2.12 million total cards graded (63%):
https://www.gemrate.com/april-2025-recap

This compares to 4/10ths of all cards graded in April 2024 by those same grading companies being TCG/Non-sport -- 685K of 1.61 million (42%):
https://www.gemrate.com/april-2024-recap

The number of TCG cards graded has doubled year-over-year, while sports cards has gone down substantially -- 777K in April 2025 vs 932K in April 2024 (-16.6%).

PSA is getting inundated with requests to grade Pokemon cards. They are prioritizing TCG because it's a growth area. Sports cards are fast becoming old hat.

The focus in the hobby is currently with TCG. Will it last? Who knows, but one thing is certain -- it's popular with younger hobbyists.

Yes this certainly jives with what I am experiencing. Thanks for grabbing the numbers.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by Cracktoast

How someone hasn't come up with a TCG Sports game is beyond me. You have to cater to what is popular now not 50 yrs ago. Vintage will always be there for those who want the nostalgia kick and there is nothing wrong with collecting vintage but it's also stupid to look past what the hot trend is.

Like them or hate the Fanatics knows what their customer base is and what will make them the most money that's why you see so many non sports releases coming down the pipe along with the 2 hottest sports that collectors are clamoring for in NBA and NFL. People on the boards can cover their ears and scream I can't hear you all they want but news flash 99% of baseball products and even singles nobody cares about anymore. We are in the down cycle for Baseball which happens usually every 15-20 yrs. There are literally less than 6 players who run the baseball side of the hobby along with prospects which 9.5/10 of them flame out by year 2 in the majors if they even make it.

Didn't Bo Jackson already do that? He was promoting it at the national last year.

[whitmm]

Originally Posted by Cracktoast

How someone hasn't come up with a TCG Sports game is beyond me. You have to cater to what is popular now not 50 yrs ago. Vintage will always be there for those who want the nostalgia kick and there is nothing wrong with collecting vintage but it's also stupid to look past what the hot trend is.

Like them or hate the Fanatics knows what their customer base is and what will make them the most money that's why you see so many non sports releases coming down the pipe along with the 2 hottest sports that collectors are clamoring for in NBA and NFL. People on the boards can cover their ears and scream I can't hear you all they want but news flash 99% of baseball products and even singles nobody cares about anymore. We are in the down cycle for Baseball which happens usually every 15-20 yrs. There are literally less than 6 players who run the baseball side of the hobby along with prospects which 9.5/10 of them flame out by year 2 in the majors if they even make it.

Topps had Attax for a few years for multiple sports. And I've seen Flex NBA boxes at Walmart, which is like a tile TCG. And there's the Monopoly Prizm game.

[Bcr]

Imagine if pokemon costed the same and pumped out all the parallels and sets that sports cards get. Pokemon is way easier to collect which Fanatics doesn't care about anymore since they are about breaking and lottery tickets.