Aquarian Sports Cards
10-19-2017, 12:14 PM
This board has been very good to me in a short amount of time. It is definitely a case of getting out what you put in. I have met and done deals with numerous board members, I have sold things on consignment for several, and have enriched my knowledge of the hobby immeasurably. I have made friends, and argued baseball good-naturedly (and Packs, Corey Dickerson is still only an average player at best outside of Coors, and saying Aaron Judge will have a Jay Buhner-like career is NOT an insult!)
I do admit to getting depressed about a certain combination of things though. When people post about leaving the hobby because of all the problems; when people complain about lack of ethics in the auction business; when people complain about their treatment by, in our industry, large and/or powerful companies; and yet they don't understand why I insist in a live-only auction format for the company I am purchasing I get depressed.
I have gotten SO much flack from members here, and my peers in the business for "being stupid" or a "dinosaur" or any one of a million other insults, because I will not turn Birmingham Auctioneers into an online auction.
I am not some old fart (apologies to the old farts out there!) I am 45 years old, I am very technologically savvy. I went into this with the ideas I have specifically BECAUSE of the types of posts mentioned, and I agreed to buy the company over a year ago, before I became an active member here.
I think many of us got into the hobby at least in part due to the camaraderie. Going to a show with a buddy, hanging out at the local card shop. Collecting with your dad, or kids. Making friends with dealers who would then keep an eye out for you, maybe even have your back from a hobby standpoint if you needed advice.
Almost all the complaints I see are about the death of this spirit, some times combined with unsavory business practices. You know the threads:
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?p=1711392#post1711392
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=244843&highlight=pwcc
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=243960&highlight=pwcc
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=244906&highlight=pwcc
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=246205
and so on and so forth.
I would say that Net 54 itself is an attempt to hold onto a sense of community in an age where technology can increasingly isolate us.
So why, for the love of Cobb, would I want to merely create a similar business to the ones that many people feel are damaging what's great in our hobby?
Yes, a live-only auction has limitations. Mainly it limits the amount of money I can make by limiting my buyers to those who are in the room. It also limits the opportunities for shenanigans. We don't allow buyers to bid on their own items (though that is actually perfectly legal!) and while it is possible to shill bid in a live auction, it is a little harder to sneak it past a room of other bidders and auction staff who are paying attention.
I'm not only willing, but HAPPY to place limits on my business if it ensures I run an event that is ethically flawless and creates that sense of a bunch of people getting together to share a pastime they love. We talk cards before, during and after the auction. We have guys who've been attending for over 20 years. I started as a buyer at these auctions over 15 years ago myself, and it really is a place where you can recapture that sense of community we long for. As proof I offer up the fact that a one time buyer became friends with the owner and is now taking over running the day-to-day as that owner semi-retires!
Don't get me wrong. I want to make money, I want to provide a nice living for my wife and I. But I really think being a contrarian here is the way I can feel best about it. I buy from and consign to a number of the big auction houses. I have had great conversations with guys from REA, PWCC, Goodwin and more. I have tons of respect for the good things that all the "big boys" have done for the hobby, but there are some things they can't do.
Does the hobby really need another player in the online realm? What could I possibly do to differentiate myself from the names already mentioned and others who already do that job well?
Also, other than the extra transparency that a live-only auction brings we offer other advantages. A number of consignments that I have brought in have been material turned down by the "Big Boys." While we have auctioned five-figure items, we are happy to take in three-figure lots. In our New Jersey auction we welcome lots as low as $30. We're small and nimble and don't mind working for our money!
In addition to that if you've never been to a live auction you are missing out on a great social event. David Birmingham, the current owner is a phenomenal auctioneer, I'm not half bad. There's an excitement in the room, especially when a particularly good item comes up, that can't be duplicated behind a screen clicking a mouse. In short, it's a pretty good time.
So if you're one of those guys who complains about everything wrong with the hobby, and you are within driving distance (damn limitations) I would invite you to come out and spend a few hours with us some Tuesday or Saturday. No links in this post as this was not intended to be an advertisement per se, but rather a response to the constant outcry of "The hobby sucks"
If you have questions or comments I will respond to all of them. Maybe treat this like an AMA.
Thanks,
Scott Russell
I do admit to getting depressed about a certain combination of things though. When people post about leaving the hobby because of all the problems; when people complain about lack of ethics in the auction business; when people complain about their treatment by, in our industry, large and/or powerful companies; and yet they don't understand why I insist in a live-only auction format for the company I am purchasing I get depressed.
I have gotten SO much flack from members here, and my peers in the business for "being stupid" or a "dinosaur" or any one of a million other insults, because I will not turn Birmingham Auctioneers into an online auction.
I am not some old fart (apologies to the old farts out there!) I am 45 years old, I am very technologically savvy. I went into this with the ideas I have specifically BECAUSE of the types of posts mentioned, and I agreed to buy the company over a year ago, before I became an active member here.
I think many of us got into the hobby at least in part due to the camaraderie. Going to a show with a buddy, hanging out at the local card shop. Collecting with your dad, or kids. Making friends with dealers who would then keep an eye out for you, maybe even have your back from a hobby standpoint if you needed advice.
Almost all the complaints I see are about the death of this spirit, some times combined with unsavory business practices. You know the threads:
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?p=1711392#post1711392
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=244843&highlight=pwcc
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=243960&highlight=pwcc
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=244906&highlight=pwcc
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=246205
and so on and so forth.
I would say that Net 54 itself is an attempt to hold onto a sense of community in an age where technology can increasingly isolate us.
So why, for the love of Cobb, would I want to merely create a similar business to the ones that many people feel are damaging what's great in our hobby?
Yes, a live-only auction has limitations. Mainly it limits the amount of money I can make by limiting my buyers to those who are in the room. It also limits the opportunities for shenanigans. We don't allow buyers to bid on their own items (though that is actually perfectly legal!) and while it is possible to shill bid in a live auction, it is a little harder to sneak it past a room of other bidders and auction staff who are paying attention.
I'm not only willing, but HAPPY to place limits on my business if it ensures I run an event that is ethically flawless and creates that sense of a bunch of people getting together to share a pastime they love. We talk cards before, during and after the auction. We have guys who've been attending for over 20 years. I started as a buyer at these auctions over 15 years ago myself, and it really is a place where you can recapture that sense of community we long for. As proof I offer up the fact that a one time buyer became friends with the owner and is now taking over running the day-to-day as that owner semi-retires!
Don't get me wrong. I want to make money, I want to provide a nice living for my wife and I. But I really think being a contrarian here is the way I can feel best about it. I buy from and consign to a number of the big auction houses. I have had great conversations with guys from REA, PWCC, Goodwin and more. I have tons of respect for the good things that all the "big boys" have done for the hobby, but there are some things they can't do.
Does the hobby really need another player in the online realm? What could I possibly do to differentiate myself from the names already mentioned and others who already do that job well?
Also, other than the extra transparency that a live-only auction brings we offer other advantages. A number of consignments that I have brought in have been material turned down by the "Big Boys." While we have auctioned five-figure items, we are happy to take in three-figure lots. In our New Jersey auction we welcome lots as low as $30. We're small and nimble and don't mind working for our money!
In addition to that if you've never been to a live auction you are missing out on a great social event. David Birmingham, the current owner is a phenomenal auctioneer, I'm not half bad. There's an excitement in the room, especially when a particularly good item comes up, that can't be duplicated behind a screen clicking a mouse. In short, it's a pretty good time.
So if you're one of those guys who complains about everything wrong with the hobby, and you are within driving distance (damn limitations) I would invite you to come out and spend a few hours with us some Tuesday or Saturday. No links in this post as this was not intended to be an advertisement per se, but rather a response to the constant outcry of "The hobby sucks"
If you have questions or comments I will respond to all of them. Maybe treat this like an AMA.
Thanks,
Scott Russell