CAN WE SOLVE THIS HOBBY (SPORTS CARD) CRISIS? Video and Discussion

[BKaufmann14]

I am not really sure what "crisis" you are talking about. It is a hobby after all. Everyone has their own way of collecting and people go in phases with it. I am on the younger side (especially for pre-war), and I have adjusted to prices by offsetting, whether people like it or not. Not sure the term "disinterested" applies to the vast majority. Seems like a small sample size imo.. but maybe this is more for modern.

-Times change, markets change, collecting goals and needs change, i would not label this as some crisis, maybe a bump in the road for some but overall i tend to think the hobby is still lightyears ahead of where it was 3-5 years ago.

[ullmandds]

Yes how about looking at the hobby before the pandemic set in. A time when junk wax was still junk wax. Look ahead to a few years when what is currently being produced will be the new junk wax!!

[raulus]

For those of us too lazy or too busy to spend 30+ mins on the video, could you boil down the gist for us?

Is it primarily that prices are crazy high?

Or is it that the modern market rose so much, and then has fallen so much?

Or something else entirely?

I agree that crisis seems like a pretty strong word to use, particularly in light of the stakes being that this is a hobby for a small section of the population, with hopefully no one spending more than they can afford on their hobby.

[Leon]

The only crisis is me not being able to afford any great cards anymore.
.

[phillyfan24]

Originally Posted by Leon

The only crisis is me not being able to afford any great cards anymore.
.

Ditto!

[parkplace33]

For those who didn't want to watch the video (I do recommend it), here is the premise/highlights:

What is the pulse of the hobby right now?

Lower excitement of the hobby.

Why are collectors selling? Some need money and some want to get out of the hobby "while they can."

Status of dealers, how are they feeling?

General malaise in the hobby.

Many pressures on the card market right now.

Sellers are outnumbering buyers at higher levels.

For buyers, should they buy now or wait 6 months when things will be cheaper?

Card shops that opened in the last few years are closing up this year.

Are you currently buying?

People bought high and won't sell low.

Will modern collectors move into vintage? It takes work for young collectors to research older players.

[Rad_Hazard]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

For those who didn't want to watch the video (I do recommend it), here is the premise/highlights:

What is the pulse of the hobby right now?

Lower excitement of the hobby.

Why are collectors selling? Some need money and some want to get out of the hobby "while they can."

Status of dealers, how are they feeling?

General malaise in the hobby.

Many pressures on the card market right now.

Sellers are outnumbering buyers at higher levels.

For buyers, should they buy now or wait 6 months when things will be cheaper?

Card shops that opened in the last few years are closing up this year.

Are you currently buying?

People bought high and won't sell low.

Will modern collectors move into vintage? It takes work for young collectors to research older players.

Thank you for summarizing!

This quote depresses the hell out of me:

Will modern collectors move into vintage? It takes work for young collectors to research older players.

Researching older players is literally WHY I collect. It's the best part. I've read/listened to countless books, newspaper articles, etc, on 19th century ballplayers to gain that knowledge and it's been an absolute pleasure. If there wasn't this aspect I don't think I would collect, yet it seems like that's the main barrier for the younger crowd (I say this as someone in their late 30's).

[BioCRN]

Originally Posted by Rad_Hazard

Researching older players is literally WHY I collect.

One of my main collections is an All-time Cubs collection (not anywhere near as high quality as other collectors) that required a lot of deep digging to find players I personally gate-kept as worthy.

You're not going to find a lot of Hal Jeffcoat fans in Cubs history, but the guy is notable because he went from 6 years of playing OF (not well) to pitching (also, not well) for the Cubs for a couple years over the course of a winter off. He was traded to CIN where he continued to pitch for a few years. Maybe if he was effective at either he would be more well known, but that's a unique Cubs player.

Deep diving into the history of the Cubs has extremely deepened my knowledge of the team beyond the existing literature.

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Rad_Hazard

Thank you for summarizing!

This quote depresses the hell out of me:

Will modern collectors move into vintage? It takes work for young collectors to research older players.

Researching older players is literally WHY I collect. It's the best part. I've read/listened to countless books, newspaper articles, etc, on 19th century ballplayers to gain that knowledge and it's been an absolute pleasure. If there wasn't this aspect I don't think I would collect, yet it seems like that's the main barrier for the younger crowd (I say this as someone in their late 30's).

agreed interesting watch(dragged at points) and great summarizing.

Seems like Vintage is the safer play

[raulus]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

Are you currently buying?

People bought high and won't sell low.

For the modern collectors who don't want to sell low, as Peter likes to say, no one can stop you from being buried with your cards!

And if that's not your preferred exit, then I suppose we get to the classic question:

Will you remain solvent long enough for your [modern cardboard] bets to pay off?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by raulus

For the modern collectors who don't want to sell low, as Peter likes to say, no one can stop you from being buried with your cards!

And if that's not your preferred exit, then I suppose we get to the classic question:

Will you remain solvent long enough for your [modern cardboard] bets to pay off?

Maybe a new Gary Vee will arise from the crisis and pump it all back up. Julio and Jasson!!! Or are they already yesterday's news?

[brob28]

Originally Posted by Leon

The only crisis is me not being able to afford any great cards anymore.
.

Had to laugh when I saw this - I'm suffering through the same issue Leon.

[Cubs Fan]

Originally Posted by Leon

The only crisis is me not being able to afford any great cards anymore.
.

I totally agree with you Leon. I still lose most anything I try to go after so, not seeing much of a crisis at this point as it pertains to the vintage stuff most all of use love.

[Johnny630]

Modern and Ultra Modern are in trouble, big trouble. Quality blue chip kind of like that post the other day vintage zero signs of trouble only clear skies ahead... up up and away territory.

[ullmandds]

I Perused the video it is strictly concerning the modern card market which I agree is in trouble. Anyone who got into the stock market, the crypto market, the NFT market, the sports collectibles hobby, when everything was only going up up up and was only concerned about the money likely did not do well.

If anything this post belongs in a different area of the site…imho.

[Tomi]

The modern market has idiots paying 6 figures for a player in their rookie year. Modern has crashed and vintage and pre war continue to go up. No complaints here. I left modern in the 90's for vintage and it was the best hobby decision. I'm sure as time goes by many of these modern collectors will wake up and move away from modern to vintage and pre war.

[Peter_Spaeth]

What crisis? Pushers, flippers, manipulators, influencers, certain AHs were able to artificially inflate the market for a while on modern. Of course it had to come back to earth.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

What crisis? Pushers, flippers, manipulators, influencers, certain AHs were able to artificially inflate the market for a while on modern. Of course it had to come back to earth.

Maybe the crisis is for all the vault lenders now that their ultra modern collateral is worth a lot less than the loan balance.

[G1911]

Oh no. The speculators who are still buying in and thinking we're still in the pump stage might not make a huge profit now? I guess it depends if one cares about a 'hobby', Fanatics profit margin, or making bucks flipping. As a hobbyist, I don't see an issue.

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

Modern and Ultra Modern are in trouble, big trouble. Quality blue chip kind of like that post the other day vintage zero signs of trouble only clear skies ahead... up up and away territory.

Sorry, but this is a wrong-headed take. If there are no modern collectors anymore, who is your estate going to sell your cards to?

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