What’s it going to take to revitalize the NBA card hobby?
 

The 2024-25 basketball card release season is already dead and we just got started. The hoops card hobby is as down as it has ever been. What needs to happen to recharge the excitement and make the basketball card hobby great again?

Bronny

Getting the NBA back to a watchable sport would be a good start.

It depends what you mean by revitalize basketball cards. Do you mean increase the value of cards? Do you mean get people collecting players/teams/sets again? Do you mean get people talking about cards again?

To me, revitalizing cards/hobby is more about card and collecting consumption than card values. And that's a tough battle to fight. You see it in baseball where team, player, set, run collectors are still thriving but baseball has a lot more history and collectors care about that history. Most basketball collectors seem to prioritize maximizing the value and status of their collection.

[QUOTE=volblorx8634;19871221]It depends what you mean by revitalize basketball cards. Do you mean increase the value of cards? Do you mean get people collecting players/teams/sets again? Do you mean get people talking about cards again?

To me, revitalizing cards/hobby is more about card and collecting consumption than card values. And that's a tough battle to fight. You see it in baseball where team, player, set, run collectors are still thriving but baseball has a lot more history and collectors care about that history. Most basketball collectors seem to prioritize maximizing the value and status of their collection.[/QUOTE]

I mean everything. What’s going to bring the collectors and investors back again. What’s going to make the sport number two again behind the nfl? What’s going to make customers buy basketball wax instead of the other sports and non-sports when they go to a shop or decide to join a break? What’s going to bring folks back to shows to hunt for their favorite players and sets?

It’s frankly dead now - OKC and CLE don’t have any long-lasting hobby-boosting stimuli. The cream of the crop is already super pricey with only space to fall.

What’s going to bring hobbyists from other sports back into basketball?

This class is weaker so the players may take a while to come along. Meanwhile, if you are asking where the hype is, look no further than Cooper Flagg's bowman 1st cards which are selling for exorbitant amounts.

[QUOTE=kipgen;19871231]This class is weaker so the players may take a while to come along. Meanwhile, if you are asking where the hype is, look no further than Cooper Flagg's bowman 1st cards which are selling for exorbitant amounts.[/QUOTE]

Are you really counting on AK48 to make the hobby great again? Plus, he’s a dookie, they don’t have very good hobby track records.

He seems like a perfect candidate for the pump and dump crowd and that’s not what I’m looking for. Basketball guys have been burned enough over the last five years.

[QUOTE=hermanotarjeta;19871233]Are you really counting on AK48 to make the hobby great again? Plus, he’s a dookie, they don’t have very good hobby track records.

He seems like a perfect candidate for the pump and dump crowd and that’s not what I’m looking for. Basketball guys have been burned enough over the last five years.[/QUOTE]

What exactly are you looking for?

[QUOTE=kipgen;19871234]What exactly are you looking for?[/QUOTE]

Not just the “next one” but the stimulus that will get the people loving all of the NBA again, including the vets, ie, the entire NBA package.

I think that teams like the Pacers, OKC, Boston, Cavs are a perfect ecosystem for team collectors to grow. How many dealers in local markets and at shows are presenting that in a way that is cohesive and encourages team collecting to take root?

Judging by the extremely rare cards of the player I collect going for relative pennies, while being a driving force on one of the long term best teams in the Midwest, not many.

If Luka, and LeBron win a title I imagine the short term bump would be big. Honestly though, (and I just got back into the hobby since I was a kid in the 90's) It seems like all values were based off of Victor Wembanyama. Everyone here has a better understanding of the hobby then me but it's crazy how some players have huge hobby value and some don't. Like, I know that big men dont get much Hobby love but you look at what Jokic is doing on a nightly basis and it's so amazing but doesn't move the hobby needle at all. Meanwhile, and I know he is hurt but people would lose their minds if Wemby had a 30/20/20 game or a 60/10/10 which Jokic has done just in the last month. Like I said, I'm new to this world but there are the "anointed" Kings of the hobby that have to less than other player to see their values rise. Some of it is likeability and I get that. Like Jayson Tatum is just not a really likable player for some reason and thats fine but the hobby really just decreases it's chances to grow or maintain popularity when the performance of a certain percentage of players is all that matters. If the Cavs win a championship this year it would be an incredible story and be really cool for the sport but the Hobby would be better served with another Curry or LeBron title or SGA getting his first.

I typed all this as entered my brain, incoherent ramblings.

You all probably witnessed the Zion craze. Is there a reset that needs to happen after such a highly touted player doesn't live up to the hype? I mean, there is only so much money to go around so if the average person got themselves way upside down in Zion cards, they presumably have less expendable money to spend on other players down the road. I think Wemby is the real deal and is destined for some great things. That said, it would be disastrous for him to fail as there is so much money tied up in him right now.

[QUOTE=CardClub2Elect;19871255]If Luka, and LeBron win a title I imagine the short term bump would be big. Honestly though, (and I just got back into the hobby since I was a kid in the 90's) It seems like all values were based off of Victor Wembanyama. Everyone here has a better understanding of the hobby then me but it's crazy how some players have huge hobby value and some don't. Like, I know that big men dont get much Hobby love but you look at what Jokic is doing on a nightly basis and it's so amazing but doesn't move the hobby needle at all. Meanwhile, and I know he is hurt but people would lose their minds if Wemby had a 30/20/20 game or a 60/10/10 which Jokic has done just in the last month. Like I said, I'm new to this world but there are the "anointed" Kings of the hobby that have to less than other player to see their values rise. Some of it is likeability and I get that. Like Jayson Tatum is just not a really likable player for some reason and thats fine but the hobby really just decreases it's chances to grow or maintain popularity when the performance of a certain percentage of players is all that matters. If the Cavs win a championship this year it would be an incredible story and be really cool for the sport but the Hobby would be better served with another Curry or LeBron title or SGA getting his first.

I typed all this as entered my brain, incoherent ramblings.

You all probably witnessed the Zion craze. Is there a reset that needs to happen after such a highly touted player doesn't live up to the hype? I mean, there is only so much money to go around so if the average person got themselves way upside down in Zion cards, they presumably have less expendable money to spend on other players down the road. I think Wemby is the real deal and is destined for some great things. That said, it would be disastrous for him to fail as there is so much money tied up in him right now.[/QUOTE]

Your point that the NBA hobby is an “all or nothing” phenomena is an interesting observation. It feels like all the other sports have a stronger team following whereas the NBA is more star focused, which may reflect what made the NBA such a strong product four decades ago but isn’t working as well today, especially if the mega stars are simply unlikable.

It won’t be revitalized until Panini starts releasing Keith Van Horn cards again

[B]Jokic is doing on a nightly basis and it's so amazing but doesn't move the hobby needle at all. [/B]

I know it's more pop based but his Prizm PSA 10 RC is like $800 and a guy like Luka is barely $300. That isn't nothing.

Also, we are shifting to an era of team ball. Haliburton, the supposed star of the Pacers, is best known for his turnover-to-assist ratio. I mean that is what we point to statistically to show why he is great. Nesmith, we look at the 50/40/90 metric and clutch points because 16 points a game, baked into the team sharing principles, doesn't capture the efficiency.

OKC as well. Shai is great, but he is also part of a greater team of potentially collectible players. I think that shifting to the mindset of "star-plus" creates all kinds of opportunities. It has served baseball well, even if not many fans attend the actual games any more.

I love hearing.... The problem is that the game is so bad!.....

But also....

The Thunder and the Cavs don't move the hobby!


Which one is it folks? Those two teams are playing some of the best basketball out there. Considering that neither have an all time great roster, you could argue that they have both played historically great basketball for their level of talent.

They will also get a lot more exposure this playoffs. It's gradual.

People in NY now have history with Pacers, seeing them as the villain series stealers of last year. Indy is a really fun team to watch and only this year got a few marquee television games.

Cavs didn't really get any attention until this season.

OKC was seen as bland. It still is by those who haven't seen them recently.

The rivalries need time to build and gel, particularly among teams that can keep the basic core together a few seasons. Denver was not really a fun team and they lost three key pieces directly after winning. Boston will have a huge target, a lot of people will tune in to whatever series they play, rooting for the underdog.

Knicks have really developed a fanbase. I always thought their fans were anemic and conditioned to losing. Now they are loud and annoying. And Warriors and Lakers have their west coast adherents, both are interesting teams with a good mix of veteran stars.

Can dealers explain that to collectors? Should they have that responsibility?

caitlin clark and bronny go one on one

/ thread

I think there's two different conversations here:

1. What's the state of the NBA?

2. What's the state of basketball card collecting?

They could affect each other, but don't have to. I also think the whole collecting is dead thing is overblown. People are still collecting sets, players, teams etc. even if they don't tell you about it online.

For the first time ever, there soon will not be a player who is actively being pumped as THE/A GOAT.

That is a hobby sport specific headwind.

Stop players like Luka from doing the hunched over, palms up, crybaby act after EVERY play.

Decrease 3 pointers so it's actually basketball.

Stop paying players like Embiid, Harden, Leonard, Simmons, Butler, George, Etc $500,000 per game.

Basically, fix the NBA and the cards will follow

I thought nomad started this thread

you've fallen far hermano

The game has some fixing to do. I still think the simple answer is to bring back some hand check rules and encourage defensive play. As mentioned, teams like OKC and CLE aren't going to move the larger NBA ratings. Also a Lakers run would spark a big ratings bonanza. The NBA lives on star players defining an era. We are at the end of the Lebron/Curry era. When the next player fills in, things will feel more normal. It might be as simple as Wemby mania to kick in again.

As far as cards, those always follow the rookie class. This year is no good. Flagg will bring in a bunch of rippers/flippers. There will always be the next big hype thing to get the current year's card pricing pumping. This year maybe the exception.

All this to say, I think the NBA is in a dip right now. It will be back soon enough. It just takes a big media narrative to pump all the algorithms and get back into the culture zeitgeist.

[QUOTE=boxbuster7;19871437]I thought nomad started this thread

you've fallen far hermano[/QUOTE]

I'm an insidious influence.

Since Wemby has cooled off Copper Flagg has to be legit. The hobby needs that guy. Jordan hasn't had any cards in his Bulls Uni since 09. Kobe hasn't had any cards since his untimely passing. LeBron seems to have fallen a bit and isn't that guy anymore. There are a few tier 2 guys right now (Curry, Joker, Giannis, SGA, Luka, maybe Tatum?) and tier 2 hof'ers (Magic, Bird, Kareem, Shaq) but no tier one right now.

Wemby was that guy for a bit but that passed. As crazy ad it sounds, LeBron isn't that level anymore excluding a few key rc's/exquisite.