Posted By:
Tom LawrieI finally got tired of all the shots at Don Betz over VCBC's quality and the periodicity of release. A few points:
First, the delay in the most recent issue was purely my fault. I promised Don the article on Alpha Photos, and it took me much longer to write and research than I anticipated. As it was, I failed to get him a number of images that would have made the article a better piece. He intended for this issue to be out immediately after the last issue (within weeks), but I kept holding him up.
Second, Dennis Purdy never published a monthly journal, and if you go back and check the release dates, they were very sporadic as well. Possibly even worse. Don has just recently made VCBC his full time commitment, putting much of the operations of his card business in the hands of others.
Third, Purdy could not make a go of the journal financially. For multiple reasons, Don Betz has the journal on much better financial footing than it ever was in the past. These include significantly increased subscription base, much higher sponsor interest, and Don's own commitment to the publication. He doesn't make money on it, but does it because of his interest in vintage cards. Purdy never paid authors either. If that is the kind of journal that is desired, the subscription prices or the advertising prices would have to increase significantly. Plus he has added color without increasing prices.
Fourth, I spent a few hours speaking with Don after Dennis Purdy announced the discontinuation of VCBC, and we batted around the idea of Don purchasing the journal. I thought it was just an esoteric conversation. Several months later he surprised me by buying the thing! There was no profit motive in it at all - purely a strong interest in vintage cards and in the hobby itself. (He does have a strong interest and knowledge of vintage cards - he got me hooked on Old Judges and the 1890s Baltimore Orioles.)
Fifth, I'm not a big fan of the Good Guy awards either, but I do know that he has significantly more requests for full-page color and other prominent dealer advertising than there is room. He has the luxury of picking and choosing which ads to include, and part of that screening includes hobby reputation. He has declined to run some dealers' ads based strictly on their questionable ethics. Multiple other factors also go into which ads are included (a particular location in the journal may already be taken by past contracts, there may be no room a particular month, etc.), and so a particular vintage dealer may not be included strictly because of factors other than reputation. But there are certain dealers from which I will never purchase cards, and I am certain that their ads will never show up in VCBC. So if his Good Guy selections include primarily advertisers, well at least they have had been screened to some extent. (Though some dealers that I personally dislike, but with solid hobby reputations, still appear, lest anyone think I have any influence in this department; Don is very well in tune with the collectors in the hobby.)
Sixth, I found that Purdy's sarcastic attacks on some of the hobby's problems and poor dealers detracted from the legitimacy of the publication. He went way past rationale discussion or evidence-based arguments into emotional, sarcasm-infused tirades. Editors can be hard-hitting while maintaining their objectivity. Purdy did not do that.
Please e-mail me with questions/comments. I am a long-time customer of Don's and consider him a good friend, but I have no financial ties to his business or VCBC (I'm not paid at all in money or trade).
Tom Lawrie