The difficulties of getting kids to collect

[AGuinness]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

I'll disagree about shows -- because that may be true for the big shows and the large costs to attend but at my local show (40 tables or so) let me assure you we have many very affordable cards and very few expensive cards. And the dealer to dealer action is not as large as some shows.

The one local show in Portland seems to have pretty decent turnout when I get the chance to go. Decent selection of mostly post war cards.

While some people have mentioned having a kid not into collecting or into collecting, I think it's good to note that in a number of big box stores by me that the latest issue of Topps doesn't seem to hang around for long before being sold out. And other venues for collecting (COMC comes to mind) seem to be flourishing (granted, COMC is also a marketplace for gaming cards, comics, etc.).

There's another thread on the board about the 2011 Topps Update Mike Trout at PSA 10 hitting $600, and what worries me more than kids losing interest is kids being priced out of what was a base card sold in packs. It seems crazy to think that if my 8-year-old was a big Trout fan, his "rookie" card would already be priced out for him - raw versions of this card are going for hundreds of dollars, including this example that has a wrinkle (!!!) (doesn't go directly to the card with a wrinkle, but you can still click on the link to access the original listing):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2011-TOPPS-...p2047675.l2557

[Jayworld]

I think Neal's post is spot-on; I have two boys as well, and neither are really baseball fans. The older is a "casual" at best fan, and really neither are interested in baseball cards really. The older one has a complete 1987 Topps baseball set he purchased for $15 at a local show, and I bought a box of Topps Opening Day for them last year to split (interesting that there were no duplicates, so the collation has greatly improved since I was collecting from packs from 1975-82).

Although both have gone with me to local card shows (hi Rich!), neither are really interested; the older likes vintage WW1 and 2 art cards and history stuff, and the younger likes Pokemon cards. I also don't see any young "kids" when I go into the local card shop, either; most are around my age or older, and many drop a "bundle" (at least from my perspective...heck, I spend less than $100 each year on cards) of $150+ on unopened boxes to get that "special" pull, autograph, or relic card. That seems to be driving the current, modern hobby, and as discussed elsewhere in this folder on the forum, new common cards are basically "worthless" or "junk wax" as was the case from 1986ish to 1995.

By the time I was 12, I already had completed the Topps 1976, 1977, and 1978 sets and was placing my order to buy a complete 1979 Topps set from a mail-order dealer for the first time rather than buying and completing by the pack.

[commishbob]

The talk about the cost of shows struck a chord with me. I went to the latest TriStar show here in Houston. $12 to park and $15 to get in. I'm down $27 before I even see a table. I used to take my two sons to the big shows in town and even with the prices slightly lower in those days I was out $40 or so before walking in the door. Kids are scarce at the big shows, at least in my view.

OTOH I hit the hotel shows that a local dealer puts on once or twice a month (Hi Darryl) and all it costs me is gas money. I see young kids at those shows. In fact, I stood at a table and overheard a dealer practically give a graded card of the kid's favorite player to him. The youngster (and his hobby-novice Dad) were pretty excited. That dealer may have lost a few bucks on the card but he almost certainly made hobbyists out of that young family.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by commishbob

The talk about the cost of shows struck a chord with me. I went to the latest TriStar show here in Houston. $12 to park and $15 to get in. I'm down $27 before I even see a table. I used to take my two sons to the big shows in town and even with the prices slightly lower in those days I was out $40 or so before walking in the door. Kids are scarce at the big shows, at least in my view.

OTOH I hit the hotel shows that a local dealer puts on once or twice a month (Hi Darryl) and all it costs me is gas money. I see young kids at those shows. In fact, I stood at a table and overheard a dealer practically give a graded card of the kid's favorite player to him. The youngster (and his hobby-novice Dad) were pretty excited. That dealer may have lost a few bucks on the card but he almost certainly made hobbyists out of that young family.

Darryl has come up to do Kyle's Frisco shows the last couple of months and he is a good guy -- and what Tri Star does is good for their business. Thankfully there is room for both types of promoters in the hobby. I could go into a long-winded version of why Dallas is not as good for Autograph shows as Houston, but that's better done on a long-form email or on a phone call.

Rich

[commishbob]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Darryl has come up to do Kyle's Frisco shows the last couple of months and he is a good guy -- and what Tri Star does is good for their business. Thankfully there is room for both types of promoters in the hobby. I could go into a long-winded version of why Dallas is not as good for Autograph shows as Houston, but that's better down on a long-form email or on a phone call.

Rich

And you're right of course. I understand TriStar's model and I usually don't gripe (much) but I thought this last show was lacking in terms of dealers (I don't do the autographs). But all that is better discussed in a separate thread as you said. I hope to get up to the shows in the Dallas area one day soon.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by commishbob

And you're right of course. I understand TriStar's model and I usually don't gripe (much) but I thought this last show was lacking in terms of dealers (I don't do the autographs). But all that is better discussed in a separate thread as you said. I hope to get up to the shows in the Dallas area one day soon.

BTW -- Darryl came up to Kyle's show again and Leon dropped by (Hi Leon!) and we discussed lightly this thread. He said something interesting in that he sets up at Tri-Star for 2 purposes

1) To make money

2) To promote his own shows and he says there is always a bump after a Tri-Star show because then as you mentioned, the whole experience goes from gas money and $27 before you step in the door to gas money only.

And he gets pretty good dealers.

And yes, we'd love to see you in Dallas, subtle plug -- the next show I run will be Labor Day Sunday and Monday for the Adat Chaverim brotherhood. We give everyone who comes in and pays the $1 suggested donation -- 100-200 cards in a bag and a prize slip. You might as well get some reward for your trip up

Rich