Gary Vaynerchuk & Josh Luber Discuss the Future of Trading Cards - VIP Night At The National
PROMETHIUS88
Posts: 2,826 ✭✭✭✭✭
Ok, so I will preface this by saying I won't be there until Thursday so I won't be attending this event. I will also apologize if this comes across sounding bad. But who are these guys? I mean, I look them up and found what they do but I'm trying to figure out why/how they are speaking at this event. Luber seems to be a rich guy who started an IPO and is in the collectible sneaker market. Gary V, well, it says he is in memorabilia. I know that he is some motivational speaker and I guess is into cards. Only other thing I know about him was watching him on the Vintage Breaks video completely destroying old tobacco packs that they opened. My take from that was that he didn't know much and in my opinion came across like a tool. So, I guess what I'm asking, is what is the basis for these two guys leading a discussion on the future of trading cards? Thanks for any insight!
Comments
I guess it would be like Barry Bonds discussing the future of figure skating.
A motivational speaker and a guy known for an IPO ..... So the first one gets you feeling good about the card market and the second tells you where to send your life savings for an easy profit.
I actively collect Kirby Puckett. I have collections of Michael Jordan, Emmitt Smith, Roberto Clemente, Dwight Gooden, Tom Seaver, Errict Rhett and Evan Longoria.
The future of trading cards is common sense. All you have to do is go to Ebay, and you'll know the future. People are going to collect their favorite athletes cards no matter what. As long as there are superstar athletes, there will be a demand for cards.
How exactly is it common sense that anyone interested in an athlete will be interested in trading cards? People managed to be interested in athletes before trading cards were popular, and they could very well remain interested in athletes after trading cards are no longer popular.
It's common sense that as long as there are superstar athletes, there will be people who want cards of their favorite athletes. People like to have cards of their favorite athletes.
Why do you think card companies make cards? Because they know people like to have cards of there favorite athletes, and they will pay to have them.
If you are trying to convince me that cards are currently produced, I’m aware of that. The part that is open for debate is that people will “always” want cards just because they have for a few decades. It isn’t common sense at all, actually.
I'm saying as long as their are superstar athletes, their will be a demand for their cards. Look at how people are fighting over cards on Ebay everyday. Trout, Lebron, Brady, Brees, Durant, Curry, etc. People want cards of their favorite athletes. They fight like animals over them.
I understand what you’re saying. You’re generalizing what will happen in the future based on what has happened in the past and present. Anyone having done that throughout history would have been wrong a lot of the time.
I'm just going by what I see on Ebay. I could be wrong. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Hope these two bros can resolve your dispute.
I feel better already.
I mean, look, don't we all like to feel a connection to our favorite sports stars? Isn't that why we entered the hobby? Isn't that why we collect?
Darn, it's only VIP attendees. Looks like I need to upgrade
Collecting Unopened from '72-'83; mostly BBCE certified boxes/cases/racks.
Prefer to buy in bulk.
I can’t tell if you’re serious with all this, but expand your mind and envision the possibility that there are other ways of feeling connected with sports stars than collecting pieces of cardboard.
That particular hobby is very important to us. There is no particular reason to think it will be important to future generations.
Really thought the one dude was Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit.
Yes, I'm serious. The reason I collect is to feel a connection to my favorite athletes. I don't know if future generations will feel the same, but judging by the competition on Ebay for cards, I would say A LOT of people feel the same way.
Dude.....the thread is about the FUTURE of trading cards. We all understand about the present.
We have more than touched on this in other threads and I'm happy because I am getting to know some of you better. Card collecting in one form or another has been important to many for seven straight decades beginning in the 1950's. Maybe back even further but I'm not versed at all in anything pre 1950's. I'd go out on a limb and predict that streak isn't ending any time soon.
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
I don't know how it is going to look 50 or 100 years from now, but I'd say it's going to be strong for a while to come.
If this seemed to be continuing in a static pattern, I might agree. However, children enjoyed collecting cards from the 1950s through the 1990s or so. They seem to have largely abandoned card collecting for other entertainment interests in the ensuing couple of decades. That to me is a red flag for future health of the hobby, though I understand not everyone agrees with that assessment.
Dang xbox.
I think the hobby will be ok for a while to come.
It's interesting that you bring this up. I meant to start a post about it last week but have failed at being better in life and just haven't gotten around to it. Basically, I went to the Cardinals vs Pirates game in Busch stadium last Wednesday. I'm a Cubs fan but I like baseball and stadium food. It was hot so the $150 I spent on beer was good too. Anyhow, I took a stack of cards with me. About 50 in total in card savers. Mainly Cardinal and Pirates players. Had some Trout, Pujols, Ohtani and Judge cards as well. A lot of kids at the game and I was positioned in the front row of the left field bleachers. Well, I also had another pair of front row seats right down the left field line as well. Bought them the morning of because they were super cheap and I thought it might keep us out of the sun for just a little bid. So, as I saw kids, I would ask who their favorite player was and dig into my pockets and hand out cards. I also asked if they collected cards and the vast majority said they did. Now, I didn't go into detail about how into it they were but it was surprising that nearly all of them said they do. I even had one girl that was super excited because she said it was her first baseball card. I could say this gives a good representation that kids really are still collecting cards. But, I think it might be a little prejudice because all of the kids were at a baseball game so obviously they like baseball. We did meet this one kid.... 14 years old. He was from NC and his dad is stationed nearby. His parents dropped him off at the stadium so they could go to IKEA and then were coming back for the game. This was the coolest 14 year old I have ever met. Knew more about baseball than the average adult. Super impressive!!
@PROMETHIUS88 Interesting. My son is 12 and he has told me he has run into only one or two kids in his school that are interested in collecting cards. Some Pokémon interest a few years back but these days very little.
It would be a shame for the hobby to die out because of video games. The xbox could be the doomsday asteroid slowly heading towards our cardboard earth. I think we have a while before impact. I'm going by the way Ebay is. It's like a heavyweight fight with A LOT of auctions. That tells me that the hobby is ptetty strong. I don't see any reason that it would just die out any time soon.
Ultimately, I think the hobby will be strong for a while to come though. Ebay sure is making a lot from it.
Fewer people collect cards than did 20-30 years ago, and the majority collecting today are 40+ years old. We won’t live forever, and while there are still kids who collect, my experience is that there a lot fewer than there used to be. I don’t think that’s a positive trend.
I also would add that collectors of all kinds, not just sports cards, tend to be myopic. It’s important to remember that, while we gravitate to communities like this one, compromised of like minded individuals who are passionate about this hobby, this forum and others are not a representative cross section of society as a whole. Most people I know don’t give a crap about cards. We need to remember that all hobbies are niches, and I would add that, to me, our niche seems to be shrinking.
Gross eBay sales figures in 2019 are not predictive of sales figures in 2040.
Yaz Master Set
#1 Gino Cappelletti master set
#1 John Hannah master set
Also collecting Andre Tippett, Patriots Greats' RCs, 1964 Venezuelan Topps, 1974 Topps Red Sox
My 12 year old loves Buster Posey, but could care less about having a card of his. I think this is the rule, rather than the exception in today's world.
Honestly I had never heard of either one of these guys until this insert set showed up in series 2 this year.
https://ebay.com/itm/293130904573
He also appears in several different versions of AG. I guess that isn't strange. All sorts of things show up in that set.
https://ebay.com/itm/323861959201
Kris
My 1971 Topps adventure - Davis Men in Black
Looks like doubledragon is going down with his Ebay argument ship.
ETA: The cartoon woman is my wife.
@doubledragon Things in the future will be like they are now because they are now. That argument works until it doesn't.
Kris
My 1971 Topps adventure - Davis Men in Black
If that is a real picture, then whatever these clowns have to say will have no effect on what I do. I want to punch both of them just looking at them.
People that are huge fans of players don’t necessarily collect cards.
And folks that collect cards don’t necessarily collect specific athletes.
I mean you can’t even buy cards at any of the local convenience stores where I live. Used to be able to buy cards at every corner store.
I get being positive about the future of the hobby but how does a 10 year old get into collecting when the hobby has gone mostly online? Just shake my head when people say that the hobby is healthy, its a relatively small group of 40- 50 year old men that collect. Short of having a parent that collects I don’t even know how a kid would get into it.
When I was a kid we all collected, and I’m the only guy in my group that got back in.
As I’ve said before 52 Mantles are not a good proxy for the health of the hobby. I’d say the card companies being barely solvent says more then what a rare
PMG Jordan sells for. You can’t subtract a whole generation of collectors and still grow. 10 years olds don’t collect anymore, what are the odds they come into the hobby as 30 year olds?
Not trying to be negative, I’m obsessed with cards and think everyone should collect. But this hobby of ours is NOT accessible and IMO save high end will shrink dramatically.
Believe me, I'm starting to understand that. Believe me.
Dude, I hope you are at the National and go to this event and give us live updates.
Gary Vanerchuk or however you spell his name has a dang auto card in the 2019 Allen & Ginter set.
The need to start collecting as a child is being way over emphasized IMO. It’s been an adult hobby for 30 years. I guess many think that needs to happen because that’s how it was back in the day. But I love all of your opinions!
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
Really not the kind of spirit I'm trying to maintain around here. Let's aim a bit higher next time.
I like Gary Vaynerchuk. He speaks tons of truth. Only recently have I heard him mention trading cards.
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
Dan, it’s an adult hobby made up of adults who almost all started collecting as kids. That’s why it is being emphasized.
Gary V is a very smart guy. Started in the wine business and knows his stuff. Net worth in the 200mm range. Interesting that he’s dipping his toes in cards.
We are looking at this from vantage points that couldn’t be more different. I respect your stance.
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
This is the type of individual - i.e. Gary Vee - either ya like or ya don't?
Just go to youtube and google his name - or this title: Why Basketball Cards Will Outperform Sneaker Reselling
I didn't put up the video due to our rules about profanity.
My impression?
He may focus more on the hobby with respect to return on investment. E.g. he thinks the Jordan RC is still undervalued.
He’s a legend with the younger crowd. Yes, he has a potty mouth. But I’ve listened to him enough the past few years to confidently have the opinion that he speaks truths.... and like I said before, never until recently was the topic trading cards.
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
Well now I have to go check him out.
Kris
My 1971 Topps adventure - Davis Men in Black
I must not be part of the “younger crowd” anymore, because I’d never heard of him til last month
Yaz Master Set
#1 Gino Cappelletti master set
#1 John Hannah master set
Also collecting Andre Tippett, Patriots Greats' RCs, 1964 Venezuelan Topps, 1974 Topps Red Sox
It happens to everybody. Welcome to Fuddy Duddy land.
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
First I ever heard of him was on the VB show ripping those tobacco packs. As I said before, it was a total dumpster fire. I did Google him. There's a dude who has some hilarious HOT takes on him..... he is obviously not a fan. Pretty easy to find if you look for eff Gary V. I guess it is a love or hate kind of thing.