BO forum slowly dying?
 

Is it just me, or is the forum getting fewer and fewer comments?

We're on the verge of opening day and it seems kind of dead around here.

Is it partially because Topps is being so late and inconsistent with releases? Products seem to be releasing sporadically and further apart than ever before.

Is it partially because it's not so easy for average participants in the hobby to make money anymore? The forum was bustling during the first year of the pandemic when sales and prices were skyrocketing.

Is it partially because a lot of activity has moved over to other social media platforms? Is card pumping and grifting more effective on those platforms?

Is it because so many prominent users have been banned? Bbases comes to mind, but there are multiple others.

Help me out -- what's going on? Do I need to start making regular posts to boost activity around here? I swear to god, I will do it. Work be damned.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352521]Is it just me, or is the forum getting fewer and fewer comments?

We're on the verge of opening day and it seems kind of dead around here.

Is it partially because Topps is being so late and inconsistent with releases? Products seem to be releasing sporadically and further apart than ever before.

Is it partially because it's not so easy for average participants in the hobby to make money anymore? The forum was bustling during the first year of the pandemic when sales and prices were skyrocketing.

Is it partially because a lot of activity has moved over to other social media platforms? Is card pumping and grifting more effective on those platforms?

Is it because so many prominent users have been banned? Bbases comes to mind, but there are multiple others.

Help me out -- what's going on? Do I need to start making regular posts to boost activity around here? I swear to god, I will do it. Work be damned.[/QUOTE]
You're chasing everyone off.

Forums are very dated.

You've been here 7 years and have 0 itrader.

Maybe people like you are the issue.

[QUOTE=majestik101;19352540]You've been here 7 years and have 0 itrader.

Maybe people like you are the issue.[/QUOTE]

This is actually a good point -- I should be checking out the B/S/T section regularly. It seems like there is steady activity in there. BO can be a good place to make trades.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352521]Is it just me, or is the forum getting fewer and fewer comments?

We're on the verge of opening day and it seems kind of dead around here.

Is it partially because Topps is being so late and inconsistent with releases? Products seem to be releasing sporadically and further apart than ever before.

Is it partially because it's not so easy for average participants in the hobby to make money anymore? The forum was bustling during the first year of the pandemic when sales and prices were skyrocketing.

Is it partially because a lot of activity has moved over to other social media platforms? Is card pumping and grifting more effective on those platforms?

Is it because so many prominent users have been banned? Bbases comes to mind, but there are multiple others.

Help me out -- what's going on? Do I need to start making regular posts to boost activity around here? I swear to god, I will do it. Work be damned.[/QUOTE]

Everyone has you on Ignore.

[QUOTE=seanbros55;19352568]Everyone has you on Ignore.[/QUOTE]

lol what? I am single handedly suppressing activity on BO?

can't afford the hobby as much anymore

Am I the only one that believes there are more posts than 5 years ago?

Bbases got banned and took all his followers with him

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Cesspool

[QUOTE=notfast;19352524]Forums are very dated.[/QUOTE]

I don't think I could even explain the concept of a forum to a Gen Z. The only reason I"m here is because I"m old and it lets me hold onto the glory days of the early 2000s internet.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352521]Is it just me, or is the forum getting fewer and fewer comments?

We're on the verge of opening day and it seems kind of dead around here.

Is it partially because Topps is being so late and inconsistent with releases? Products seem to be releasing sporadically and further apart than ever before.

Is it partially because it's not so easy for average participants in the hobby to make money anymore? The forum was bustling during the first year of the pandemic when sales and prices were skyrocketing.

Is it partially because a lot of activity has moved over to other social media platforms? Is card pumping and grifting more effective on those platforms?

Is it because so many prominent users have been banned? Bbases comes to mind, but there are multiple others.

Help me out -- what's going on? Do I need to start making regular posts to boost activity around here? I swear to god, I will do it. Work be damned.[/QUOTE]

No new blood, population will eventually die out. Plus, who wants to have to weed through posts from people like bbases or fabiani12333?

[QUOTE=Dacubs2;19352586]can't afford the hobby as much anymore[/QUOTE]

Good point -- prices have been much higher in recent years. It's made the hobby less accessible to average folks and long-time hobbyists. Group breaking has become a big part of the hobby.

[QUOTE=SleeperCards;19352606]No new blood, population will eventually die out. Plus, who wants to have to weed through posts from people like bbases or fabiani12333?[/QUOTE]

Why are you coming over from the football section? Just to insult me?

[QUOTE=JWBlue;19352589]Am I the only one that believes there are more posts than 5 years ago?[/QUOTE]

I was here five years ago and it seemed like there were several heavily active threads going every day in the baseball section.

[QUOTE=rms13;19352605]I don't think I could you could even explain the concept of a forum to a Gen Z. The only reason I"m here is because I"m old and it lets me hold onto the glory days of the early 2000s internet.[/QUOTE]

What's the difference between forums and comment sections on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Tiktok? Forums are more organized.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352521]Is it just me, or is the forum getting fewer and fewer comments?

We're on the verge of opening day and it seems kind of dead around here.

Is it partially because Topps is being so late and inconsistent with releases? Products seem to be releasing sporadically and further apart than ever before.

Is it partially because it's not so easy for average participants in the hobby to make money anymore? The forum was bustling during the first year of the pandemic when sales and prices were skyrocketing.

Is it partially because a lot of activity has moved over to other social media platforms? Is card pumping and grifting more effective on those platforms?

Is it because so many prominent users have been banned? Bbases comes to mind, but there are multiple others.

Help me out -- what's going on? Do I need to start making regular posts to boost activity around here? I swear to god, I will do it. Work be damned.[/QUOTE]

How much attention do you need

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352609]Why are you coming over from the football section? Just to insult me?[/QUOTE]

The forums show last active topic, I clicked on it thinking does some idiot really not know the answer to that question? I didn't know who made the original post, it just turned out to be you.

[QUOTE=bub838;19352614]How much attention do you need[/QUOTE]

So, you don't think the forum is slowing down? You think I'm just looking for attention?

Just the lull before opening day...sit back, kick your feet up and watch meaningless ST games like the rest of us.

I don’t post much here anymore. Specific FB groups are more beneficial and interactive than this board. So much negativity/condescension in each thread has driven many ppl off. Box break section is DOA the moment anyone posts a break. Just my 2 cents. Miss the good old days.

Ronny still won!

Slowly?

[QUOTE=ThoseBackPages;19352630]Ronny still won![/QUOTE]That's just because the voters only cared about how he played baseball. If they had only considered that Mookie had a better smile, he would surely have won. :)!

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352613]What's the difference between forums and comment sections on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Tiktok? Forums are more organized.[/QUOTE]

Because if you have to sign up for a specific account just to talk about baseball cards instead of using the tik tok, instagram or reddit account that you already have. I don't have any social media accounts so that doesn't apply to me but I'd imagine that's the opinon of people who are already on those platforms where they can discuss anything they want instead of going to a specific outdated website to discuss their niche hobbies. And there are a lot more people on those social meida platforms (which I actually think it s big negative). But yes not much difference in function.

I was using the Reddit baseball card for a while I can say that trading and selling was much more active there. But it was also like the only thing. Every post is about buying, selling and trading and very little actual hobby or sports discussion

[QUOTE=daviswr7;19352626]I don’t post much here anymore. Specific FB groups are more beneficial and interactive than this board. So much negativity/condescension in each thread has driven many ppl off. Box break section is DOA the moment anyone posts a break. Just my 2 cents. Miss the good old days.[/QUOTE]

I agree with this. Anything remotely un PC gets flamed into oblivion. A lot of Jon Stewart types here spreading their snark and condescension. It’s tiresome and predictable. The anonymity is also a factor. On Facebook you’re your name. Here you can be annoying with no real world consequences.

[QUOTE=rms13;19352644]Because if you have to sign up for a specific account just to talk about baseball cards instead of using the tik tok, instagram or reddit account that you already have. I don't have any social media accounts so that doesn't apply to me but I'd imagine that's the opinon of people who are already on those platforms where they can discuss anything they want instead of going to a specific outdated website to discuss their niche hobbies. And there are a lot more people on those social meida platforms (which I actually think it s big negative). But yes not much difference in function.

I was using the Reddit baseball card for a while I can say that trading and selling was much more active there. But it was also like the only thing. Every post is about buying, selling and trading and very little actual hobby or sports discussion[/QUOTE]

Reddit is extremely popular and it basically has the same format as BO. In fact, they're about to go public and they rely exclusively on user-generated content.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352583]lol what? I am single handedly suppressing activity on BO?[/QUOTE]


[IMG]https://media2.giphy.com/media/gVoBC0SuaHStq/giphy.gif[/IMG]


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[QUOTE=DarcyWinston;19352646]I agree with this. Anything remotely un PC gets flamed into oblivion. A lot of Jon Stewart types here spreading their snark and condescension. It’s tiresome and predictable. The anonymity is also a factor. On Facebook you’re your name. Here you can be annoying with no real world consequences.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, on other social platforms they can doxx you, scam you, cancel you, shadow ban you, get you fired etc.

Another reason people use social media platforms is to monetize their content. It's like everyone wants to be an influencer and run a grift instead of just being a part of a community of people with shared interests.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352661]Yeah, on other social platforms they can doxx you, scam you, cancel you, shadow ban you, get you fired etc.[/QUOTE]

Here they ban quickly and without mercy. Bbases and supermanbrandon were serial posters who are now banned. You can’t get doxxed but you have a short leash here. Censorship is enforced and leads to dull discussions. Who cares if a particular poster annoys you. You can just add them to the ignore list and move on. The most popular threads here involve annoying people. What I hate is the groupthink that evolves around one viewpoint.

On a side note, the football forum is too dominated by a few posters to the exclusion of everyone else. I rarely post there.

Everything is slowly dying, all the time.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352521]Is it just me, or is the forum getting fewer and fewer comments?

We're on the verge of opening day and it seems kind of dead around here.

Is it partially because Topps is being so late and inconsistent with releases? Products seem to be releasing sporadically and further apart than ever before.

Is it partially because it's not so easy for average participants in the hobby to make money anymore? The forum was bustling during the first year of the pandemic when sales and prices were skyrocketing.

Is it partially because a lot of activity has moved over to other social media platforms? Is card pumping and grifting more effective on those platforms?

Is it because so many prominent users have been banned? Bbases comes to mind, but there are multiple others.

Help me out -- what's going on? Do I need to start making regular posts to boost activity around here? I swear to god, I will do it. Work be damned.[/QUOTE]

Those who were banned contributed very little that was positive to the community.

Still, there are many condescending and holier than thou attitudes here which often ruin good dialog.

I think you are just missing the COVID times.

Or, perhaps it is Fanatics killing the forum. We might need another thread on that.

[QUOTE=DarcyWinston;19352670]Here they ban quickly and without mercy. Bbases and supermanbrandon were serial posters who are now banned. You can’t get doxxed but you have a short leash here. Censorship is enforced and leads to dull discussions. Who cares if a particular poster annoys you. You can just add them to the ignore list and move on. The most popular threads here involve annoying people. What I hate is the groupthink that evolves around one viewpoint.

On a side note, the football forum is too dominated by a few posters to the exclusion of everyone else. I rarely post there.[/QUOTE]

Totally disagree you get a short leash here. Guys like K13 and BBases were allowed to post here for years before finally getting the boot

[QUOTE=Chris P;19352681]Totally disagree you get a short leash here. Guys like K13 and BBases were allowed to post here for years before finally getting the boot[/QUOTE]

Completely agree on those two.

No idea what happened with Superman Brandon, thought most of the posts were reasonable -- clearly missed something.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352661]Yeah, on other social platforms they can doxx you, scam you, cancel you, shadow ban you, get you fired etc.[/QUOTE]

Non sports collector first and love the Star Wars and Marvel groups I am in on FB…Never had a problem with buys and selling in years. Mods run a tight ship. No BS. People happy for other ppls breaks and a more uplifting and happy environment. It gets downright toxic in this place sometimes. Exhausting. Predictable. Always seem to be the same ppl.

When the stats and games matter, the conversation will pick up.

Not a bad thread. Ignore the angry, old bitties :)!

[QUOTE=DarcyWinston;19352646]I agree with this. Anything remotely un PC gets flamed into oblivion. A lot of Jon Stewart types here spreading their snark and condescension. It’s tiresome and predictable. The anonymity is also a factor. [B]On Facebook you’re your name. [/B]Here you can be annoying with no real world consequences.[/QUOTE]

You can be any name you want on there. There's no ID verification on there.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352613]What's the difference between forums and comment sections on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Tiktok? Forums are more organized.[/QUOTE]


This... Hate the social media formats.

I think what was a big draw were the box/case break sections. With the prices of wax, it seems like those places are ghost towns now, so I wonder if that has something to do with it.

I think it's a changing landscape of what the "hobby" unfortunately has become.

The predominate voices are no longer traditional hobbyists and collectors. It's the Gary Vee/SCI types. Post COVID they are beginning to control the conversation. And with that, that conversation is unfortunately happening on other platforms.

I hate that I typed that because it makes me sound like MTP, but I think it's a sad reality.

The son who wanted the card now convinces people to deposit their cash into Bitcoin machines!

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352521]Is it just me, or is the forum getting fewer and fewer comments?

We're on the verge of opening day and it seems kind of dead around here.

Is it partially because Topps is being so late and inconsistent with releases? Products seem to be releasing sporadically and further apart than ever before.

Is it partially because it's not so easy for average participants in the hobby to make money anymore? The forum was bustling during the first year of the pandemic when sales and prices were skyrocketing.

Is it partially because a lot of activity has moved over to other social media platforms? Is card pumping and grifting more effective on those platforms?

Is it because so many prominent users have been banned? Bbases comes to mind, but there are multiple others.

Help me out -- what's going on? Do I need to start making regular posts to boost activity around here? I swear to god, I will do it. Work be damned.[/QUOTE]

Sneaker bois are gone and the target/walmart thread aren't on the front every single day.

Covid hit. Brought in a lot of new people to the hobby. Mostly younger generation(Get off my lawn!) that tend to use social media more. I don't have an Instagram, but I think a lot of card stuff has been moved to there and other platforms

[QUOTE=DarcyWinston;19352670]Here they ban quickly and without mercy. Bbases and supermanbrandon were serial posters who are now banned. You can’t get doxxed but you have a short leash here. Censorship is enforced and leads to dull discussions. Who cares if a particular poster annoys you. You can just add them to the ignore list and move on. The most popular threads here involve annoying people. What I hate is the groupthink that evolves around one viewpoint.

On a side note, the football forum is too dominated by a few posters to the exclusion of everyone else. I rarely post there.[/QUOTE]

It’s the opposite, the leash is incredibly long here.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352622]So, you don't think the forum is slowing down? You think I'm just looking for attention?[/QUOTE]

Yes and yes. To actually answer your question, this forum is populated with a loud minority of older collectors who are fiercely protective of “their” hobby and are defensive to outright hostile to anyone who doesn’t participate in a way they find acceptable. New users are never going to stick around when they’re constantly being tasked with a hobby purity test or surrounded with seemingly miserable people.

Eventually it will just be MTP and Khal making snide comments into the ether with TBP popping in to yell TenX! until they turn off the lights.

A lot of people lost their asses from 2020 through 2021. Four years ago you had MANY people involved and traffic was at an all time high. Now we're the survivors. Gone are the sneakerbois, the gamblers and those who didn't listen and kept buying at inflated prices.

Grifters like BBases or K13 turned threads into debates about how right or wrong they were and people lost interest. Spring training's end and the beginning of the season is three weeks away so when everyone's teams or players start rolling, things should pick up a bit.

To give a short answer to your question, YES, things have slowed down.

Not much to discuss anymore when it comes to the current year cards.

[QUOTE=bub838;19352749]Yes and yes. To actually answer your question, this forum is populated with a loud minority of older collectors who are fiercely protective of “their” hobby and are defensive to outright hostile to anyone who doesn’t participate in a way they find acceptable. New users are never going to stick around when they’re constantly being tasked with a hobby purity test or surrounded with seemingly miserable people.

Eventually it will just be MTP and Khal making snide comments into the ether with TBP popping in to yell TenX! until they turn off the lights.[/QUOTE]

I mean, no offense, but Khal and MTP have been here much longer than you. It's like you're telling others who've contributed a lot more to the forum how they should be using the forum. They were here when the forum was a lot more popular, and they are here now that it's slowed down.

I like diverse points of view. I don't like eco chambers.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352785]I don't like eco chambers.[/QUOTE]

Leave the flora outta this! Oh, you meant echo, my bad.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352521]Is it just me, or is the forum getting fewer and fewer comments?

We're on the verge of opening day and it seems kind of dead around here.

Is it partially because Topps is being so late and inconsistent with releases? Products seem to be releasing sporadically and further apart than ever before.

Is it partially because it's not so easy for average participants in the hobby to make money anymore? The forum was bustling during the first year of the pandemic when sales and prices were skyrocketing.

Is it partially because a lot of activity has moved over to other social media platforms? Is card pumping and grifting more effective on those platforms?

Is it because so many prominent users have been banned? Bbases comes to mind, but there are multiple others.

[B]Help me out -- what's going on? Do I need to start making regular posts to boost activity around here? I swear to god, I will do it. Work be damned.[/B][/QUOTE]

That's the exact opposite of what it would take to get me to post more. Honestly, you turn every thread you post more than a few of times into an argument, and not everyone is here for that.

Every thread on the front page in this section has been posted in within the past 12 hours, and the season hasn't started yet. Also, the no new blood thing is definitely a reason why things may feel like they've slowed, because getting banned is not the only reason people leave. Probably just more people leaving than [B]legitimate[/B] new people.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352785]I mean, no offense, but Khal and MTP have been here much longer than you. It's like you're telling others who've contributed a lot more to the forum how they should be using the forum. They were here when the forum was a lot more popular, and they are here now that it's slowed down.

I like diverse points of view. I don't like eco chambers.[/QUOTE]

The quintessential Fabiani misinterpretation.
*chefs kiss*

This is by a good margin the slowest I can remember the board being since 2018. But I also log in pretty sporadically. I don't have anything against some of the most frequent posters in here who got banned. Without knowing what they did to get booted, I'd prefer to have those voices back. It was familiar white noise if nothing else.

twitter card hobby has a lot of ...... lets use a safe word here ..... non-smart folks participating there.

IG is the worlds largest dating site, with a lot of card dudes that are there to measure their collections against each other.

this place has a lot of educated collectors, easily "the best" (whatever that may mean) group of knowledgeable hobby folks around

Most of all the once great sports trading forums are gone or basically ghost towns. Surprised this one is still afloat as well as it is.

I still dig it and have a lot of what I consider board friends. If we lived in the same city there are plenty of people I’d share some beers or a doobie with.

[QUOTE=no10pin;19352819]That's the exact opposite of what it would take to get me to post more. Honestly, you turn every thread you post more than a few of times into an argument, and not everyone is here for that.

Every thread on the front page in this section has been posted in within the past 12 hours, and the season hasn't started yet. Also, the no new blood thing is definitely a reason why things may feel like they've slowed, because getting banned is not the only reason people leave. Probably just more people leaving than [B]legitimate[/B] new people.[/QUOTE]

I don't know why this is about me. I post sporadically. Do I engage in arguments sometimes? Yes. But so do other posters. That's what an open forum is supposed to be about -- various forms of social engagement. Otherwise, it's just group think.

I enjoy reading other people's comments. But I haven't seen as much discussion lately and it's disappointing.

[QUOTE=bub838;19352832]The quintessential Fabiani misinterpretation.
*chefs kiss*[/QUOTE]

I'm going to be honest -- I don't know who the hell you are. I'm trying to remember what I've seen you post. Obviously, you've had a bad interaction with me, but what that was, I can't remember.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352851]I don't know why this is about me. I post sporadically. Do I engage in arguments sometimes? Yes. But so do other posters. That's what an open forum is supposed to be about -- various forms of social engagement. Otherwise, it's just group think.

I enjoy reading other people's comments. But I haven't seen as much discussion lately and it's disappointing.[/QUOTE]

I was half kidding with my first sentence, but honestly in the threads you do post in a lot, it's an endless argument. There's a difference between 'social engagement' and making your point 77 times in slightly different ways. Like I said, that's just not everyone's cup of tea.

Maybe it's a little quieter than usual, but when the regular season starts I think it'll pick up.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19352785]I mean, no offense, but Khal and MTP have been here much longer than you. It's like you're telling others who've contributed a lot more to the forum how they should be using the forum. They were here when the forum was a lot more popular, and they are here now that it's slowed down.

I like diverse points of view. I don't like eco chambers.[/QUOTE]

Who is MTP? Never met her

Yes, because blowout never promotes it our does anything to keep it up to date with current times.

[QUOTE=bub838;19352749]Yes and yes. To actually answer your question, this forum is populated with a loud minority of older collectors who are fiercely protective of “their” hobby and are defensive to outright hostile to anyone who doesn’t participate in a way they find acceptable. New users are never going to stick around when they’re constantly being tasked with a hobby purity test or surrounded with seemingly miserable people.

Eventually it will just be MTP and Khal making snide comments into the ether with TBP popping in to yell TenX! until they turn off the lights.[/QUOTE]

They are protective of the hobby or blowout fourms because a lot of SHlT has happened here(and outside the fourms) in the past that paints the hobby in a negative light. Prospect Rush and the unicorn Haiku comes to mind. Unfortunately I wasn't here to experience it since I was a member of beckett fourms until they screwed up the fourms setup there. The old saying, Fool me once ok. Fool me twice, it's on me.

I think. BO is still the premier hobby hangout. Wish bo had a discord. Every time I see a sone hobby news that goes viral on TikTok or twitter. It’s always starts from a post from here.

Been here about two years. It’s a good place to kill a couple minutes.

But it’s the off-season. I suppose that if there isn’t anything to say it’s best not to say anything.

The b/s/t always has movement. I’m into WWE and that section gets regular hits following televised events.

I have wondered the same thing. It's like somone flipped a switch. I feel like I missed the boat and everyone moved on to a different platform and forgot to tell me. Box break posts are a ghost town which reflects my own spending habits for the last six years. Beuller... Beuller...

[QUOTE=boxbuster7;19352894]Who is MTP? Never met her[/QUOTE]

MoreToppsPlease… the most miserable human here (and that’s saying something!).

[QUOTE=atk825;19352523]You're chasing everyone off.[/QUOTE]

:cry:

[QUOTE=SleeperCards;19352615]The forums show last active topic, I clicked on it thinking does some idiot really not know the answer to that question? I didn't know who made the original post, it just turned out to be you.[/QUOTE]

:cry:

What is wrong with you?

#ThanksTopps

Have noticed it with the nonsports forum. Never was a high traffic sub, but it seems even less traffic than ever, threads remain on the first page for a week+ (makes baseball section seem like a buzzing metropolis). The regular posters in nonsports probably number less than like 15 people. It was definitely busier during the pandemic boom, as people from sports were getting in on marvel cards and speculating etc. The exodus of a lot of that crowd explains part of it, but even besides that, while I've only been on here since 2016, I vaguely remember it being a lot more posters in set threads before the pandemic.

That being said, compared to the other nonsports forum (non-sport update forum, under Beckett now I believe), this one definitely sees more action. While forums do seem to be going by the wayside thanks to social media- some are *really* dead- BO seems to have fared reasonably ok. While the number of unique regular posters seems pretty low, there are still a decent number of posts and debates/discussions happening.

[QUOTE=ThoseBackPages;19352841]
this place has a lot of educated collectors, easily "the best" (whatever that may mean) group of knowledgeable hobby folks around[/QUOTE]

Especially for newer product, I would agree. If we are talking about knowledgeable hobby folks, I'd have to also look to the net54baseball forums, the amount of vintage knowledge on there astounding..downright baseball card scholars, if there were such a thing.

[QUOTE=no10pin;19352819]That's the exact opposite of what it would take to get me to post more. Honestly, you turn every thread you post more than a few of times into an argument, and not everyone is here for that.

Every thread on the front page in this section has been posted in within the past 12 hours, and the season hasn't started yet. Also, the no new blood thing is definitely a reason why things may feel like they've slowed, because getting banned is not the only reason people leave. [B]Probably just more people leaving than [B]legitimate[/B] new people.[/B][/QUOTE]

^^^Hobby wide phenomenon.

To the OP, I'll be posting my list for 2024 in the near future. That will garner at least 100 views and five comments...three of which will be mine.

Should also note a thread about the forum dying got to 73 posts and over 2,000 views during the span of what, 6 hours since posted :D

I think it's a great sign that things are finally getting back to normal.

The increased activity during the pandemic centered around pumping and dumping, which operates at a much faster pace than collecting. Many of the frequent posters during the pandemic pump are long gone. The hobby for many just isn't so fun when you aren't making easy money and you are holding heavy, heavy bags from failed purchases.

Those of us who used to open a lot of wax just don't do it anymore because buy in prices are just ridiculous and primarily controlled by a single entity that caters towards breakers.

People get excited when everything and anything you buy goes up in price. When players do well and prices stay stagnant or actually go down, it's nothing fun to talk about.

Capitulation still has to occur, though I see flashes of it already in several segments of the market.

The great news is - there is plenty of everything out there and that FOMO feeling you had during the pandemic has all but disappeared. Impulse buys are practically non-existent now.

We need a period of post-pandemic letdown in this hobby for our long-term enjoyment and survival. People need to take a break and should take a break.

The hobby will always be here when you get back and welcome you with open arms.