Detroit vs. LA collectors
ndleo
Posts: 4,144 ✭✭✭✭✭
I recently moved to LA from Detroit last month for a new job. The two cities are like night and day, you can decide which city the night and the other the day. First of all, I wonder what the California driver's exam must have on it since no one seems to know the rules of the road. However it is nice to be on the streets and not be surrounded by SUVs. Plus the weather and women.......anyways I've already noticed a few differences between the Detroit collector and the LA collector.
1. There are more collectors in LA - This may seem obvious since LA has 5X the people, but it seems like I see more actual collectors at shows than in Detroit. Everyone in Detroit is a part time dealer, so sell prices are very weak at shows. This also means that selection is poor in Detroit shows since all of the good stuff seems to end up somewhere else.
2. LA collectors do not care about any other team except the Lakers, Dodgers, and USC - The Clippers fever that gripped LA for about 15 minutes was almost comical. Detroit collectors favor local teams also, but with so many other teams close by (ie Steelers, Indians, Chicago), you saw more variety.
3. Hockey is more popular in LA than I thought it would be - It was strange to hear people talk about the Red Wings like they were the Yankees.
4. The lack of an NFL really shows up in the hobby - I was able to pick-up several 1970's football sets in solid NM-MT condition for less than 50% book. A 1979 set I just bought yielded 8 PSA 9s, including all of the key rookies.
5. There are more hobby stores in LA - Again it may seem obvious since there are more people, but even if you account for population, the shops per collector ratio is higher. Also a lot of the shops are pure cards shops and not tied to other sports novelties.
Anyways that's my take based on six weeks in LA.
1. There are more collectors in LA - This may seem obvious since LA has 5X the people, but it seems like I see more actual collectors at shows than in Detroit. Everyone in Detroit is a part time dealer, so sell prices are very weak at shows. This also means that selection is poor in Detroit shows since all of the good stuff seems to end up somewhere else.
2. LA collectors do not care about any other team except the Lakers, Dodgers, and USC - The Clippers fever that gripped LA for about 15 minutes was almost comical. Detroit collectors favor local teams also, but with so many other teams close by (ie Steelers, Indians, Chicago), you saw more variety.
3. Hockey is more popular in LA than I thought it would be - It was strange to hear people talk about the Red Wings like they were the Yankees.
4. The lack of an NFL really shows up in the hobby - I was able to pick-up several 1970's football sets in solid NM-MT condition for less than 50% book. A 1979 set I just bought yielded 8 PSA 9s, including all of the key rookies.
5. There are more hobby stores in LA - Again it may seem obvious since there are more people, but even if you account for population, the shops per collector ratio is higher. Also a lot of the shops are pure cards shops and not tied to other sports novelties.
Anyways that's my take based on six weeks in LA.
Mike
0
Comments
#1- 2nd biggest city in the country. When you consider LA is basically non stop from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border, and from the ocean to the desert, it's even bigger.
#4 Not a football town. What little football interest there is is satisfied by USC and UCLA. No way in hell I"m going for another penny of sales tax to get a team here either- we've got 2 baseball, 2 hockey and 2 basketball.
#5 Don't waste your time in the stores! There was a great rundown by Scumbi on the stores in town a year or so ago, it was bang on.
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
I was born here and have never had an affinity for the Dodgers
Anthony, if that's true, why do you hoard 1958 Dodgers Bell Brand cards?
Chris
When I collected in the 70's I could never afford '58's- had lots of the 60's, but the '58's were beyond the budget of an 8th grader with paper route. Eventually thru trades (that I probably got hosed on by guys 3X my age) I was able to pick up Gilliam and Zimmer. Eventually those and everything else got sold.
25 years later I get back into collecting, and came across a seller with a few of them. I've got a bit more disposable income now and was able to pick them up- and kept upgrading. IMO they are one of the toughest regional issues of the '50's, and certainly one of the ugliest. But like '48 Leafs, there is a certain beauty in their ugliness.
Lots of talk and pot shots a people Chris, but I've yet to hear of what you collect. Do you collect?
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
<< <i>Lots of talk and pot shots a people Chris, but I've yet to hear of what you collect. Do you collect? >>
This is a thread the I WILL follow !!!!
Compare that story to the heavyweight brawl I saw at a Lions Monday Night game at the old Silverdome about 10 years ago. I don't know who won, but some fat slob with a red Jordan Bulls jersey was dragged out of the upper bowl by security to save his a$$. The jersey was the home version. Think about it. Gotta love the thugs from the D.
<< <i>Griff - I'll admit my experience is limited, but I think the #1 team in LA (in terms of people talking around the expresso machine at work) is still the Lakers, followed by USC. The Dodgers have a strong following also, as evidenced by the smack I heard when I wore a SF Giants jersey around town (I got it as a gift and I like the black jersey). Funny is that the Dodgers never spoke to me directly, they would turn to their buddy/GF/wife and whine about Barry Bonds cheating.
Compare that story to the heavyweight brawl I saw at a Lions Monday Night game at the old Silverdome about 10 years ago. I don't know who won, but some fat slob with a red Jordan Bulls jersey was dragged out of the upper bowl by security to save his a$$. The jersey was the home version. Think about it. Gotta love the thugs from the D. >>
There were some classic brawls in the Silverdome. I remember seeing 6 of them break out during a relatively meaningless Falcons/ Lions game one Sunday, and that was after the Lions jumped out to a 28 point lead.
Also, I'm totally lost with the 'home jersey' thing. Unless the Bulls' home jersey at the time was white....
4. Actually, if there's a lot of Raiders fans in SoCal area, even thought they moved back to Oakland over 11 years ago. Funny because I remember there are a lot more Raider fans who wear Raider Jerseys than when we had them in L.A. Also 49ers, Cowboys and to some extent, Broncos and Packers are strong here too.
2. As a Angel and Clipper fan, there seems to be more stuff on those players in the shows I go to. Of course this works to my advantage since I can get those cards for cheap than say Lakers or Dodgers cards!
3. Actually as a hockey collector, there was a time (before the Sidney Crosby mania) when you didn't see any dealers have hockey. Even during the lockout, you could hardly find anyone dumping there good stuff, even though I got good dealers on key auto RC's like Rick Nash.
There do seem to be a lot of Raider fans, but I think that has more to do with people identifying with the image of the team, rather than the actual team. When they were in LA there were some serious brawls in the stands, and I think that hurt their attendance as well. Plus, who wants to go to a football game when it's 85 degrees?
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
<< <i>Compare that story to the heavyweight brawl I saw at a Lions Monday Night game at the old Silverdome about 10 years ago. >>
Those Lions Monday night games at the Silverdome are legendary for drunkard brawls. All those auto workers come and take out their frustrations on the hapless Lions.
I also remember late in a game looking around and seeing several fights at the same time. It was truly scary.
<< <i>...the #1 team in LA (in terms of people talking around the expresso machine at work) is still the Lakers, followed by USC... >>
To understand the true meaning of fan following in L.A. is to understand the true meaning of the word "fickle". L.A. loves whoever is in first place.
<< <i>However it is nice to be on the streets and not be surrounded by SUVs. >>
Which L.A. are you in???!!!
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
I had Lions season tickets for Barry Sanders' entire career. He was the #1 reason that I went to the games, #2 was the brawls that started in the 3rd qtr, #3 was watching Scott Mitchell get booed. I was surprised no one ever got killed at the Silverdome. Security always seemed to show up about 10 min too late.
Also I need to add that winning isn't enough in LA, you need to do it with stars and style to be truly loved.
Boopotts - Yes the Jordan jersey was white until his blood made it a road jersey. That was the 49er game the Lions won when the SF kicker hit the upright at the end of the game. Monday Night + 49ers + angry Detroit autoworker + Fat Slob smarting off in a Jordan jersey = Ali/Frazier IV.
I'm debating if I should change my NFL allegience. I really don't care for San Diego, the Raiders, or the 49'ers. I'm thinking about cheering for Dallas since that was my favorite team in the 1970's.
Yes, I do collect. Living in New Hampshire, my main interest has always been Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins and Patriots cards and memorabilia. I have player sets of Yaz and Bobby Orr. In recent years I have branched out into many other cards (and and even other teams) and am going after cards from pre-war, the many Topps inserts and test issues, regional sets, oddball sets, etc. I basically collect what appeals to me.
Chris
Cataloging all those pesky, unlisted 1963 Topps football color variations Updated 2/13/05
Pro Football Researchers Assoc.
I also like to collect, and read, books about football. I especially like the ones about the early days.
Cataloging all those pesky, unlisted 1963 Topps football color variations Updated 2/13/05
In fact, IMHO, a college football playoff would be more popular than the NFL playoffs and much more popular than March Madness (except maybe for the first two days).
A few years when they were winning championships left and right, all you'd see on the freeway were little Laker flags on the top of cars. If the Dodgers won the world series, I don't think you'd see the same reaction.
People have left the Dodgers for dead (no good team in almost 20 years). The Clippers are an afterthought, even though they did great this year. And for some people (alot of people), the Raiders never left.