Future of the Hobby/ Responses needed

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by Cardboard Junkie

In my opinion the hobby is already dead, it just hasn't fallen down yet.

^^^This

When I started collecting in the mid 80s, I remember there was a card show at one hotel or another (in Houston) just about every weekend. By the end of the decade, there were so many shows every weekend, you would have to pick which ones you wanted to attend because there was no way you would have time to hit them all. Same thing with shops. During that same time, there were dozens and dozens of card shops in Houston. Only two (that I know of) survived. I think those two factors say a lot about the state of the hobby.

[honus94566]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

^^^This

When I started collecting in the mid 80s, I remember there was a card show at one hotel or another (in Houston) just about every weekend. By the end of the decade, there were so many shows every weekend, you would have to pick which ones you wanted to attend because there was no way you would have time to hit them all. Same thing with shops. During that same time, there were dozens and dozens of card shops in Houston. Only two (that I know of) survived. I think those two factors say a lot about the state of the hobby.

Local card shows are dead. That doesn't mean the hobby is dead.

Now we have Ebay, big auction houses, little mom-and-pop auction houses, and the B/S/T section.

I do think baseball card collecting in general is losing popularity, and has for quite some time.

But I won't believe the hobby is dead, or anywhere near dying, when all the cards I want cost $1K plus because demand is high.

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

^^^This

When I started collecting in the mid 80s, I remember there was a card show at one hotel or another (in Houston) just about every weekend. By the end of the decade, there were so many shows every weekend, you would have to pick which ones you wanted to attend because there was no way you would have time to hit them all. Same thing with shops. During that same time, there were dozens and dozens of card shops in Houston. Only two (that I know of) survived. I think those two factors say a lot about the state of the hobby.

Every day is a card show. The internet killed the "radio star". I'd wager that there are more transactions per day now than ever. What IS lost is the face-to face interaction but the cards are still traveling.