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

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by Chris P

There's nothing wrong with it. He collects PSA 10 cards. Why do you have to mock what people collect?

His obsession with me is weird... considering he "blocked me right away"

I'm also one of the few that actually collects, if you believe the hobby as a whole, and I don't sell my PSA 10's. I have a legit PC that I add to

Ironically if he was still following me maybe he'd see the five figure cards I've posted in addition to Ryan Leaf and Christian Laettner

Blowout ain't the place for normies... as Frenzy would say

[Chris P]

Originally Posted by asujbl

His obsession with me is weird... considering he "blocked me right away"

I'm also one of the few that actually collects, if you believe the hobby as a whole, and I don't sell my PSA 10's. I have a legit PC that I add to

Ironically if he was still following me maybe he'd see the five figure cards I've posted in addition to Ryan Leaf and Christian Laettner

Blowout ain't the place for normies... as Frenzy would say

I can't stand people who mock what others collect. This place is supposed to a place we can show off our collections. It's a big turnoff if some jerk comes in and belittles and mocks what other people like to collect

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by Chris P

I can't stand people who mock what others collect. This place is supposed to a place we can show off our collections. It's a big turnoff if some jerk comes in and belittles and mocks what other people like to collect

99% of posts are hating on the hobby because no one collects... yet I get in trouble for collecting

That's Blowout baby

[mfw13]

Affordable wax.....it's that simple....

People lose interest pretty quickly when there are no products they can rip themselves....because buying singles on the internet gets boring pretty quick.

[chris_ac]

I wish a website with genuine intent for trading card pursuits was maintained and updated to showcase collectors and their collections and all card product details with verification especially for older product checklists/info. Kind of what Beckett’s idea was originally. Don’t need the pricing anymore. Just the rest. C-Note list from readers, full page pulls, collections, and even card guys bumping into their favorite player stories, hopefully verified in the age of influencing.

+1 on the aspiration of reasonable box prices. But buying singles on the interwebs is not necessarily about boring time passage, but the value of patience, budgeting, and carefully crafted wantlists when picking which singles to buy and which to pass even if the masses love it but you do not.

Besides, I never was one to pull my players much in all the wax I have opened. Some of us do not have that kind of luck.

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Affordable wax.....it's that simple....

People lose interest pretty quickly when there are no products they can rip themselves....because buying singles on the internet gets boring pretty quick.

Only boring because prices of players have little relationship to their actual potential and performance.

If prices were more responsive to actual games and team performance, buying and trading singles, even without the mystery box phenomenon of ripping wax, would be vastly more interesting and profitable.

Right now we have two intractable camps. The collectors for life and the adrenalin rush breakers/rippers. But that sweet middle is where the action should be. Especially in as paradigm-shifting a moment as the playoffs.

Example A. Just picked this up in auction for $34. Good chance, going up against Lillard, Double A pops off for 20+. A key rookie gold on a good team in the midst of the playoffs can't get more traction than this. Not gonna complain but sheesh. This wouldn't even buy me an Andre Drummond spot in an Impeccable break. Collectors are really working with blinders.

[drobfan8]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Affordable wax.....it's that simple....

People lose interest pretty quickly when there are no products they can rip themselves....because buying singles on the internet gets boring pretty quick.

Agreed.

Some quality, affordable releases to buy in to without the risk of getting absolutely hosed.

I would like to bust again, but it's either trash or risk the farm.

Hopefully Fanatics will have an Exquisite type release.

I'm intrigued for what Topps paper will look like and Topps chrome. Will they have Gold refractors at /50 or /99 or copy Panini and go /10.

[hermanotarjeta]

If the likeable players aren’t there, no product can save the sport.

[Gem10collection]

More value needs to go to the end-user (collector) and less to the producers and middlemen.

Example:
1. New box prices having much higher EXPECTED VALUE than now.
2. Auction houses, authentication/grading, and vaulting services charging far lower fees and commissions.

The above was how the hobby was for the years leading up to the pandemic parabolic bubble. And actually, the aforementioned businesses would still do well because their volume would grow.

[PuddleMonkey]

I like Ryan Leaf and Christian Laettner

[PuddleMonkey]

Josh can be witty, his personality isn't for everyone.

[slyguy]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Affordable wax.....it's that simple....

People lose interest pretty quickly when there are no products they can rip themselves....because buying singles on the internet gets boring pretty quick.

Yep, agreed.

People always try to make cards into a FFB game or stock market of sorts (try to pick the guys who will have the stats... try to hit the big cards in a big box with breaks on YT).

...In reality, it helps to have all kinds of cards, discover new players. That's what makes the good ones actually stand out.

The hobby boxes at insane prices just forces people into gambling on breaks or buying singles. That's not as fun as ripping yourself, but who can spend $500 on a prizm NBA hobby box? [more for fotl, other hobby boxes]

[Hail2TheVictors]

Originally Posted by Chris P

I can't stand people who mock what others collect. This place is supposed to a place we can show off our collections. It's a big turnoff if some jerk comes in and belittles and mocks what other people like to collect

This place has turned into a complete cesspool - thanks to a handful of posters.

Quite a fall from a few years ago.

[Nomad]

Im having fun. There are all kinds of interesting posts if you know where to look.

A kind of 'you do you' and I will applaud your heroes ethos reigns.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by Hail2TheVictors

This place has turned into a complete cesspool - thanks to a handful of posters.

Quite a fall from a few years ago.

Always blaming the people instead of the real reasons which are:

1. New products with zero appeal. Most of the conversation here centered around new releases. Now, nobody is interested in any of it.

2. Blowout is an outdated format for the hobby that was replaced by IG in 2020.

I don’t think there’s any fixing #1. Products will continue to get more expensive, less creative, and less desirable outside of a small handful of super pumped inserts and parallels.

[Torro]

Originally Posted by drobfan8

Agreed.

Some quality, affordable releases to buy in to without the risk of getting absolutely hosed.

I would like to bust again, but it's either trash or risk the farm.

Hopefully Fanatics will have an Exquisite type release.

I'm intrigued for what Topps paper will look like and Topps chrome. Will they have Gold refractors at /50 or /99 or copy Panini and go /10.

The issue is that guys who have been in the hobby for long time are comparing the quality and prices of todays wax with what it used to be. If there are more people willing to pay $500 for the hobby box than the number of boxes produced then how can the prices come down. If the quality of the product goes up then also the interest/demand goes up = more expensive prices. If the prices are extremely low then bots/flippers will be buying up all and relisting them on ebay = the production company dont earn but creates an option for flippers to earn instead.

Its really basic and simple, I dont understand how people dont understand that. There is no "simple solution" and it will not be what it used to be (only if the demand and popularity goes way down). The only realistic option that I see would be something like 1 box per person at low price, that would give collectors an option to break also and be more engaged with the hobby (but without KYC there will still be ways for flippers to buy all)

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Always blaming the people instead of the real reasons which are:

1. New products with zero appeal. Most of the conversation here centered around new releases. Now, nobody is interested in any of it.

2. Blowout is an outdated format for the hobby that was replaced by IG in 2020.

I don’t think there’s any fixing #1. Products will continue to get more expensive, less creative, and less desirable outside of a small handful of super pumped inserts and parallels.

On the other hand with Topps 3 we have the first game used Nesmith since his rookie year (edit: first Pacers mem of any type). Such a simple thing. Represent young emerging players other than the presumed stars. Give ordinary collectors meaningful issues to collect.

[JoshMN]

Originally Posted by asujbl

Keep my name out of your mouth.

Is your real name actually "azzjubilee"? That's awesome! But I can see why you'd switch to "asujbl" for public purposes...

[ThatGuyPal]

You don’t “revitalize” you get your people for the long haul as in every sport since it may seem like everyone collects everything on here but you have your hockey guys, your basketball guys, football etc etc. and then similar to hockey with a Connor Bedard or basketball with a Wemby or Skenes in baseball you draw in a new crowd who usually doesn’t last beyond that or the next season. Beyond the Jordan doc which did prob breathe some life but was also a perfect storm there’s no secret that’s gonna revitalize the hobby as a whole same as it won’t mean the hobby is in a great place the next wemby that comes along and has everyone camping at Walmarts again.

[Nomad]

You also though need to follow other established collecting communities in creating a vibrant ecosystem of not only rainbows, but rare issue collectors. The Walmart camper, similar to the breaker, is downstream. They benefit from the valuations provided by the upstream, knowledgable collecting community that assigns value.

Just like how most who purchase Apple stock have no idea why. The reason the company exists and can scale is because of the downstream, in terms of sheer dollars. But its not why the company exists.

[WaiverWire]

I vote with my dollars. Haven’t gone to any games this year. Haven’t bought any NBA cards this basketball season. It’s not my problem to fix the fan experience or the card hobby. But this happens sometimes - a year or two or ten where there is less interest.

[Nomad]

The salary system contributes. Really hard to keep a team of familiar faces together. The 90s Bulls would have been broken up three times during their reign.

[codered]

Originally Posted by Torro

The issue is that guys who have been in the hobby for long time are comparing the quality and prices of todays wax with what it used to be. If there are more people willing to pay $500 for the hobby box than the number of boxes produced then how can the prices come down. If the quality of the product goes up then also the interest/demand goes up = more expensive prices. If the prices are extremely low then bots/flippers will be buying up all and relisting them on ebay = the production company dont earn but creates an option for flippers to earn instead.

Its really basic and simple, I dont understand how people dont understand that. There is no "simple solution" and it will not be what it used to be (only if the demand and popularity goes way down). The only realistic option that I see would be something like 1 box per person at low price, that would give collectors an option to break also and be more engaged with the hobby (but without KYC there will still be ways for flippers to buy all)

Disagree wholeheartedly…….

It’s not basic and simple because the whole entire model of how product is being opened has changed dramatically in the last decade.

10 years ago, breakers may have accounted for 10% (maybe 20% if I’m being generous) of all products being opened. Collectors dictated market value of boxes. If a product was great the increase would happen gradually as more of the product was being broken and harder to find. Lesser products that sat of the shelves and would drop until the market decided would a suitable value was for said product.

Today products don’t sit. Breakers are probably buying up 80% (maybe higher) of hobby cases/boxes. Breakers push up the prices even before products are released because they need the inventory. They don’t make money without having inventory to break. They pass the added cost to people joining breaks who either A) have no other choice but to join breaks as boxes are too expensive/poor value/poor return, B) people who have joined the hobby since 2020 and don’t know better or C) degenerate gamblers that use this as an avenue to feed their addiction.

There aren’t a bunch of people willing to pay $500+ for a box of prizm in the traditional sense rather people buy to resell as breaks

If breakers were cut out of the chain you would see much much different prices. They may not be as low as they were 10 years ago but much closer to those prices than you think

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by codered

Disagree wholeheartedly…….

It’s not basic and simple because the whole entire model of how product is being opened has changed dramatically in the last decade.

10 years ago, breakers may have accounted for 10% (maybe 20% if I’m being generous) of all products being opened. Collectors dictated market value of boxes. If a product was great the increase would happen gradually as more of the product was being broken and harder to find. Lesser products that sat of the shelves and would drop until the market decided would a suitable value was for said product.

Today products don’t sit. Breakers are probably buying up 80% (maybe higher) of hobby cases/boxes. Breakers push up the prices even before products are released because they need the inventory. They don’t make money without having inventory to break. They pass the added cost to people joining breaks who either A) have no other choice but to join breaks as boxes are too expensive/poor value/poor return, B) people who have joined the hobby since 2020 and don’t know better or C) degenerate gamblers that use this as an avenue to feed their addiction.

There aren’t a bunch of people willing to pay $500+ for a box of prizm in the traditional sense rather people buy to resell as breaks

If breakers were cut out of the chain you would see much much different prices. They may not be as low as they were 10 years ago but much closer to those prices than you think

This is an outstanding analysis.

I went to the shop today for the first time in a few months. I didn’t see a single basketball product I was tempted to open, and we are in the playoffs, which I’m excited about.

[DR Murph]

Originally Posted by Hail2TheVictors

This place has turned into a complete cesspool - thanks to a handful of posters.

Quite a fall from a few years ago.

I prefer to look at it this way—it’s more like some people act like they are an old school WWF wrestling heel manager and can’t be taken seriously. From bragging about day trading, ripping on a National show that of course they didn’t attend, to calling most people stupid to elevate themselves—they got it all! Once you see it from that lens, it’s actually pretty humorous.