2025 NSCC Recap!

[fenwaykid]



My 2025 NSCC show recap!

Dealers/ Inventory- 3 out of 10

I’m a National Veteran - going for the last ten years - 7 of those as a dealer and most recently as an attendee. When you walk into the show the first room is full of the old time National dealers who have “priority”. Over the years I’ve noticed that the direction the hobby has taken has made these guys look prehistoric. Selling old gloves, photos, trophies, bulk commons etc., it’s time for them all to go. With fanatics, Goldin, whatnot the hobby flow has changed - the average age over the last 10 years has dramatically dropped - loaded with Zion rollers and kids hustling to make moves. The vintage world while not dead, just no longer aligns with the attendees of the show and really hurts the initial entry point of the show.

Pricing - 1 out of 10

Easily the worst part of the show. I get that dealers need to make money, but what happened to buying right or playing the market correctly and building upside into cards? I can’t tell you how many cards I looked at that sold a few months ago and dealers were asking 20-50% more for them. Some even had comps from the last month - and were well over. It kind of made the show not as much fun to walk around and see what was in cases knowing full well prices would be too high and nearly impossible to get a fair deal - let alone a good one.

VIP Lounge / Trade Night. - 10 out of 10

Amazing. Next year I think I skip the show floor and just hang out here. Incredible deals, motivated sellers and straight heat everywhere. Almost everything I purchased came from this spot - deals were simple, quick and easy. My kids had a blast at trade night, hanging by the stage and getting free packs etc., shout out to everyone who coordinated this and made it such a fun experience for the kids!

Breakers / Corporate Areas - 9 out of 10

A+ this year - lots of energy, especially at what not. Kudos to them - a great area for a photo momento and activities that held kids’ attention. Lots of free cards, packs - Joe Hollywood (tossed a Garnett Auto /10 to my son for free!) and Backyard Breaks (must have handed out 200 flamethrower boxes to the crowd) were fantastic. EBay’s scavenger hunt was another fun one, we didn’t find any of the hidden grails, but had some fun searching for them! Panini did their black box, silver packs and box breaks which were awesome as usual. I thought topps was a little cheap this year with freebies and entertainment - hardly anything given out outside of a repacked pack to cards with base in it, they should really do more for the kids/hobby. I’ve had redemptions from 2015 live in my account forever - requested replacements 8 years ago, and they wouldn’t even give me a replacement/exchange box to wipe them out. 10x’ing but can’t close out 5 ten year old redemptions!???

Rosemont/ Chicago - 10 out of 10

Fantastic. Love the location - so many hotels and great restaurants within walking distance to the convention center. Gibson’s (went twice) was delicious. We stayed at Loews which was very nice, solid buffet breakfast and overall an enjoyable experience.


NSCC Employees - 7 out of 10

Tons of complaints about the insanely long lines to get badges and get in, but thought they did fairly well all things considered. They certainly it could have used more people standing around to answer questions as people were often lost asking others where is this or that. The staff were friendly to my kids, giving them trade night bracelets one kids after they were “all given out”. Thanks NSCC!

Convention Center / Layout - 8 out of 10

I’m a big fan of the Convention Center in Rosemont, just a massive amount of space. With that said they opened up a second floor to individual dealers this year. They limited it to three tiny rows where you couldn’t even walk through the aisles. Not sure how those up there did, it was packed so assume quite well, but I couldn’t even get in to see it. The strange thing is that the upstairs had space for another 1000 tables, I have no idea why they made a such a tiny space for the extra dealers they put up there. Hopefully next year they really expand that area.

I’ll post some of my pickups later on - in the plane and about to take off!

[OhioLawyerF5]

Great write up. Thanks for sharing. But I think you are underestimating the number of attendees there for the vintage.

[timber63401]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

Great write up. Thanks for sharing. But I think you are underestimating the number of attendees there for the vintage.

Mark me down as thinking your first take is off the mark but I do understand where you are coming from.

[Asian62150]

Similar experience, OP. Went some friends and their kids. Kids had a blast, esp. at trade night. And speaking of kids in general, they were great. Knowledgable, easy to deal with, and if a deal didn't work out, they were respectful. Feel like the hobby is in good hands moving forward. Although this one kid said he didn't like Justin Herbert because he was "too old"...haha.

Also agree with pricing. Was looking to pick up a nice Caleb Williams. Saw one listed for $1000. Asked if he could do any better as the last few comps were between $650-700. He said he could come down to $950 but no more than that because he was instituting a "Chicago tax" on it and was confident he could move it by the end of the show...oh well.

But overall a really great time. Didn't mind the breaker section. They were loud but not overly obnoxious. Maybe they can move them (and/or possibly autographs) upstairs though so all the dealers are on the same level. I went upstairs once, saw the congestion and didn't go back.

For some reason parking was a mess on Wednesday but was easy to get out the rest of the days.

Already looking forward to next year!

[fenwaykid]

Originally Posted by timber63401

Mark me down as thinking your first take is off the mark but I do understand where you are coming from.

I should elaborate, the vintage market is still alive and well, it’s the vintage sports related items, old magazines, gloves, wheats boxes etc., I don’t think that should be the first things you see when you enter the show of all shows.

[mrb842]

Originally Posted by fenwaykid

I should elaborate, the vintage market is still alive and well, it’s the vintage sports related items, old magazines, gloves, wheats boxes etc., I don’t think that should be the first things you see when you enter the show of all shows.

collectors don't like that stuff but the media and general public that don't go to lots of shows love that kind of thing and it gets a lot of attention.

[thepilluh]

I was happy to see the breakers all in one spot this show so an easy area for me to skip. I heard someone describe that whole Breaker area perfectly at the show. They are modern day Carnies. Once you see and hear that, you can't unsee or hear it. Every time I was in the vicinity of the Breakers, I just thought Carnies! lol

[timber63401]

Originally Posted by fenwaykid

I should elaborate, the vintage market is still alive and well, it’s the vintage sports related items, old magazines, gloves, wheats boxes etc., I don’t think that should be the first things you see when you enter the show of all shows.

Not the wow factor most are looking for these days but there is definitely a place for it. I always thought it all should be separated. Everyone with all vintage should be on one end, all modern together, pokemon ect. Dealers with some of all of it together,

[123precision]

Originally Posted by timber63401

Not the wow factor most are looking for these days but there is definitely a place for it. I always thought it all should be separated. Everyone with all vintage should be on one end, all modern together, pokemon ect. Dealers with some of all of it together,

Agree 100%

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[regionrat]

Some areas in the show had music playing way too loud.

[regionrat]

I don't think the old time National dealers should be forced out. Dealers who have set up at all or most of the National likely set up at some Nationals that were slow when the hobby was at the bottom. I do not want to see regular vendors forced out to be replaced by more corporate booths like Walmart or for more annoying group breakers. I found a few bargains on some retail wax in the area where some of the old timers were.

I set up at the 2008 National when the hobby was way down. There was NO money in the room at that show. The Sunday of that show was very slow. There were a lot of buying opportunities at that show. Lots of people needed to sell. It's good to see the show busy and money in the room. We cannot expect every Vendor or seller to have every item priced at comps or below comps

[jjrpilot]

Originally Posted by fenwaykid

I should elaborate, the vintage market is still alive and well, it’s the vintage sports related items, old magazines, gloves, wheats boxes etc., I don’t think that should be the first things you see when you enter the show of all shows.

Exactly. I saw tables piled high with old gloves and wondered....who is buying this stuff?

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by jjrpilot

Exactly. I saw tables piled high with old gloves and wondered....who is buying this stuff?

I have several old gloves like that for display pieces in my house/man cave. I'm not the only one.

[jjrpilot]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

I have several old gloves like that for display pieces in my house/man cave. I'm not the only one.

I stand corrected friend!

I saw it somewhere but there's this guy or gal that takes old gloves and turns them into wallets....I was tempted...