You hear it time and again, “is the sports card market dead?” or “Is the hobby dead?” Believe it or not, these are two very different questions.
In this day and age it is difficult to scroll 2 inches on an X (Twitter) thread regarding sports cards without reading “The sports card market is dead!” or “The hobby is ruined….it’s dying!!!” or maybe you are on a popular message board sifting through various thread titles that speak of doom and gloom or ruin. Either way, one would think the stores are closing, the breakers are going belly up, and the printers are shutting down.
Like many things at present, the voices of these two messages seem to come from an extreme in one or two factions. This leaves the rest of us to volley between opinions and sit in the middle with our own thoughts on what might come, attempting to find fun and enjoyment in a sea of anger and frustration.
The Hobby vs. The Market
The title of this post actually represents two factions of the same interest. The sports card industry thrives on, even though two very different sides of the industry would disagree.
As someone who has collected sports cards from all major sports since 1980, when I hear the words, “Is the sports card market dead?” I tend to cringe a bit. Tell me you got into sports cards during the pandemic, without actually telling me.
If you bought your 2018-19 Luka Doncic Prizm Silver PSA 10 in 2021, than yah, it probably feels dead to you right now. This would be akin to buying a million dollar home in 2005 and then attempting to sell it in 2009 for a profit. (Yet, look at the housing market now!)
The other side of this coin are those asking, “Is the hobby dead?” This statement represents a different voice. One that feels their once under the radar activity is now being inundated by money grubbing greed and heartless animals.
This side of the hobby can no longer buy their box of Bowman Draft on release day for $80, and even if they could afford the higher costs, they still cant get their hands on it. There is just too many people hoarding the product!
Side note: Pause for a moment and realize the verbiage used here. It’s a “market” for some and a “hobby” for others. Many call it “The Hobby” but when they refer to it as a “market” you know which side they rest on.
Regardless, It really seems there is no making people happy when it comes to the health of the sports card market, hobby, or industry as a whole.
Everything Dies Baby, That’s a Fact
Look no further than these immortal words sung by Bruce Springsteen, “Everything dies baby, that’s a fact, but maybe everything that dies some day comes back!” as a way to describe sports cards, among many other collectibles of the day with one exception, they never really died and at the moment may be stronger than ever!
Vintage items like vinyl records, clothing, toys, video games, and yes, sports cards have all seen a resurgence of a sort in recent years. Some are shocked to learn they were ever a “thing” prior to the pandemic days. However, deep in the bowels of these hobbies various enthusiasts and collectors kept them alive. Message boards, clubs and even stores kept each of these hobbies going, on life support at times, yes, but they stayed alive and believe it or not, a market existed.
I have bought and sold sports cards on eBay since 2002. As a matter of fact, the first time I ever used eBay was to buy a sports card. I traded on message boards, and communicated with other like minded collectors via various outlets. All of this still goes on today, the numbers (see prices) have just changed. Oh, and the technology behind the hobby…that’s changed too!
A War of Two Worlds…
The pandemic investor is not the only person screaming “The sports card market is dead!” The sage collector, the gate keeper, or hobby fanatic is also dismayed with the current state of the hobby, but for the opposite reason. The hobby is thriving too much! The current market has priced them out of their beloved, under the radar side gig or passion.
Box breaks, sophisticated market analysis, and new products have enhanced the breadth of the hobby, and along with the pandemic, brought new faces and voices into the show. This is jarring to the pre-pandemic collector and causes what was once an affordable, and accessible hobby to be anything but.
I liken this to those that discover a cool band in it’s infancy. Maybe they go watch once a month at a local bar or theater, only to feel trampled on when the bands new single gains notoriety on the airwaves and thus causes crowds to flock to live shows. The ticket prices skyrocket, as seats to the show become inaccessible, and what was once a neat little secret kept for themselves and a few other likeminded individuals is now mainstream and lost its romance.
“The Hobby is dying!” they say, all the while angered at how popular it is getting.
So What’s Next?
I think the one true fact backing the health of the industry, is the amount people are angered, flustered, but all the while talking about sports cards. It shows people care, and if people care than there is life.
I attended my first sports card show in 6 years this past month, two of them actually. The settings were very different, but there was one consistent theme…they were both packed!!! Kids, adults, parents, grandparents! The hall was jammed at both events and the crowds overflowed into the lobby.
At these shows the kids negotiated with more savvy than I ever did as a kid, and the dealers worked with buyers just like yesterday. The difference was the sheer volume and enthusiasm. This was a beating heart violently pumping blood through a network of veins!
Yah, there were some of the “characters” you may recognize from the days of old. The grumpy dealer, the stingy collector, and maybe once in a while the reminder that not everyone showers. However, on a hole, there was life and plenty of people, happy people that is, and more than enough to keep the hobby alive.
It may not be the hobby of 15 years ago, or the market of 2 years ago, but it is a living breathing thing. Of course, it is changing, always changing.