Is it even possible for children today to get into baseball cards? (topic especially for card store

Estil

I, along with the rest of you, have fond memories of when we were little boys and girls (yes, I'm sure there are girls/women into sports cards as well, even though we don't hear as much about it), and we would buys packs of cards at our local hobby shop, flea market, or in a pinch, a convience store. My dad got me my first cards back in 1989 (I was nine at the time), buying mainly Donruss and Topps packs for me, and thus why those two are among my favorite sets (who doesn't love those colorful 1989 Donruss borders?). Later when I was 13-15 (late 1993-1996ish or so) I got back into collecting and bought more packs, especially 1993 Topps and 1994 Fleer (cuz you got five gold cards in jumbo packs and an insert in every pack respectively). At least in both cases, there were packs that were $1 (or even less) so kids could easily get into collecting.

But what about today? From what I gather, there are virtually no packs for $1 (you're lucky to find even $2 packs) and unlike in the good ol' days of 15 card packs, you're lucky to even have 10-12 cards a pack. So my question is (especially to current store owners) is this; how can we possibly get new collectors to join our wonderful hobby if packs are so much more expensive and out of reach for most kids? Cuz if we don't get any new collectors to join our congregation, well...

PS: We don't have any trading card stores in my hometown of Owensboro, KY and the one flea market we do have with trading cards, all they care about are those silly Magic cards. Thus, I have no clue personally as to how hobby stores are going today in terms of younger collectors.

Griffins

my son and I (he's 8) open a few boxes a year together of the set we like the most. This year it was Allen and Ginters, last year '56 Heritage, the year before Cracker Jacks. He loves putting the set together, and there are always a lot of dupes. He gives those to friends as they aren't worth selling, and his friends supplement those with packs here and there (I think the packs for all those are about $3-4 each). Most people buy packs for the GU stuff anyway, so it's easy to swap the base cards around.
It's easy to kindle interest in vintage cards these days- all the sets I named above are based on previous designs, so his friends all ask to see the really old stuff. And they love having cards of players they see at the ballpark and on TV.
The Allen and Ginters are really cool since they also have cards of famous non players, like the Wright Brothers, former presidents, etc. My son loved looking up Rutherford Hayes and US Grant to see how they fit in the timeline that only had Washington, Lincoln and W in his mind.

Guru

I hear ya! We have a few here in Louisville, but not much. And, when I go there I always feel like I'm being ripped off. It's weird really. I don't even want to think about getting someone else involved in this hobby that might be younger because for the most part they can't afford it unless they want to drain their parents pockets dry.

lawnmowerman

Im not a store owner but I do frequent some local stores. Mostly the people I see in the stores are kids but they are not into sports cards. They are into that magic / vodoo card stuff. I purposely leave my girls out in the vehicle with my wife because of the magic posters and stuff that goes on with that. I try not to subject my children to that stuff.

ajmoeller81

From a card company's perspective, which consumer would you rather go after? The kid who can afford a couple $1 packs per week, or the man who thinks a $500 pack of a couple Upper Deck basketball cards seems reasonable? Throw in grading and the "investment" side of baseball cards and it's just no longer a kid's game.

Estil

<< <i>Im not a store owner but I do frequent some local stores. Mostly the people I see in the stores are kids but they are not into sports cards. They are into that magic / vodoo card stuff. I purposely leave my girls out in the vehicle with my wife because of the magic posters and stuff that goes on with that. I try not to subject my children to that stuff. >>



That's the whole point; I'm just disappointed they'd rather do whatever is the latest fad (though to be fair that Magic game had been around for at least ten years) rather than a time honored 120+ year sports card tradition.

Estil

<< <i>From a card company's perspective, which consumer would you rather go after? The kid who can afford a couple $1 packs per week, or the man who thinks a $500 pack of a couple Upper Deck basketball cards seems reasonable? Throw in grading and the "investment" side of baseball cards and it's just no longer a kid's game. >>



And how do they propose they get new collectors, new generations of hobbyists?

5STAT

This has been talked about before...about the younger kids...and how to keep them involved.
I did it simply by buying the cheapest current product that I could find...and putting it on the shelves. Like Topps retail...Fleer Platinum...Tradition...and cheaper UD stuff..Pros and Prospects...
Sometimes, you could find good sales on cards that had been out for awhile....and reap the benefits....last years Donruss DK..and DK Updates were great products to rip...for the money!

Now for the little kids....I always hand out free packs..or racks to catch their eye!!
I also have a box with their favorite team (Red Sox, Celtics, Pats and Bruins here)....with cheaper singles...and team sets...that way they can get bang for their buck.

Another thing I did was sell of boxes of cards that I had just opened for next to nothing. I mean I would rip a box of Fleer Tradition and pull the inserts..the stars and Red Sox...and then put the rest of the box in a 400-500 count box...fill it with more shiney newer cards...and sell them off for $4-$5 each.....

As for the older kids and late teenagers...they seem to want to spend the $$$$ on today's high price stuff. Last week, at our monthly show...a 19 year old kid plopped down $2200 for an Exquisite case and sat there and opened it. He did pull a couple of goos cards that SHOULD net him a profit....but man...what if it was a bust??? $2200 is more than my 2 mortgages put together!! lol

Estil

I know! If I had $2200, I'd rather have complete NRMT+ sets of 1974-79 Topps, and still have change to spare for my other collecting projects. I mean, why waste that kind of money on some obscure product that will crash in value within a few years (you all know it will) when you could have classics for that much? I just don't understand some collectors today, but then again you all might think I'm nuts for working on 1992-95 Fleer and Ultra master sets.

Geez, and I remember when collectors were upset over 1993 Finest packs being $25 at that time and being too expensive for younger collectors (and cartons of 1993 Finest still go for at least $250 even today). I just can't believe there are now packs over $100 and people are actually crazy enough to buy them...

larryallen73

My son is almost 4 so I think about this issue. He loves his Yu-gi-oh cards and is happy to throw a few baseball cards around the room. He is too young to really know yet. I hope one day (when he is 10-12?) he will enjoy sports cards like I did when I was young. I assume more than anything it's the kind of thing that comes and goes. Will sports cards ever be as strong as the late 80's/early 90's? Probably not but I think sports cards will be popular again. I really do.

packman

My son who is 6 yrs old loves to collect non-sports cards. We will watch a movie (e.g, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars movies) and then buy a box of cards to open together. He and I split the packs and trade cards to complete our personal sets. He also loves art and history. So, I have bought some beaters of Ogden tobacco cards of historical figures and famous artists. They are cheap and he likes learning about them. I have tried to get him interested in baseball cards. However, he does not have an interest in them. Maybe one day he will.

David

digicat

I have no kids yet, but one of my co-worker's kids was thrilled when I have her several 800 ct boxes of 80s/90s commons to give to him. I guess for a 12 year old, getting cards older than him was a big thrill.

Estil

<< <i>I have no kids yet, but one of my co-worker's kids was thrilled when I have her several 800 ct boxes of 80s/90s commons to give to him. I guess for a 12 year old, getting cards older than him was a big thrill. >>



I was thinking that too. Perhaps what stores could do is have a bunch of those really cheap late 1980s/early 1990s wax packs in a big grab box or something. Indeed, it would be sweet for kids to get to open packs that are older than they are. Even whole sets from that time can be had for an afforable $5. So perhaps they might not be able to afford all that new sparkly 2006 cards, but there's plenty of perfectly collectable stuff they can afford if you go back a few years.

Maybe the days of getting packs for 25-50 cents each aren't over after all if you don't mind them not being the current year.

fandango

Around me, the longest standing Card Store CLOSED...there are now ZERO CARD STORES that i know of in my COUNTY!!!!

only place to get cards around here is Target and walmart--YUCK

dont know where to even think about buying hobby boxes.....(except online)

I give free cards to kids at work in order to spur their interest......

I agree. we need more kid friendly sets and packs of baseball cards (not MAgic cards).....

alnavman

I have a 12 year old son who likes the cards, likes to open packs and likes the idea of DAD spending money on the cards. However to be honest he isn't like I was at his age as far as wanting to complete the sets, etc, etc. In fact if he has a choice on what to spend his allowance on baseball or any other sport card isn't on his list......I think there are too many other things that kids are into today..........
My 9 year old daughter enjoys cards more..but she's more into the non sport and now she wants to complete the new Elvis set that just came out...nothing wrong with that...

al.

tedh111

there are plenty of products each year that are 2 or 3 dollars and under. Unfortunatly, the kids don't want these packs because they are brainwashed into thinking they cannot get "anything" out of those packs....

Stone193

We have talked about this before and I posted that card sales is up this year.

Also, they have ramped up efforts to get children excited about collecting and going to local shops with promotions like:

Turn Back the Clock football by Topps - they offered a special five card pack for 5 cents. Those 5 cards were the first in a 22 card set - collectors have to return each week and get the next card free when they purchase a pack of Topps FB cards.

Upper Deck - has a wrapper redemption program for 2006-7 for is hockey products.

Other companies have had memorabilia redemption programs also.

Moreover, a number of hobby stores reported to Card Trade magazine that their summer sales were better this year than in years past. They also reported their store traffic among youngsters had also increased. It is believed more aggressive advertising efforts to promote baseball cards, have helped bring new collectors to the hobby and convinced former collectors to get involved once again.

John Harding, owner of Johnn's Sports in CO Springs, said his sales this summer were the best in 15 years.

Are there still problems for the hobby and store owners? Yes.

The lag time between products drives traffic down - the "dumping of product" such that the value drops and store owners are stuck holding the bag was a big problem.

Just imagine buying product for 40$/box and then seeing it dumped at a big show for 35$? That happened in spades in the 90's. And I'm talking wholesale - not retail.

mike

helionaut

Kids love cards. Cards sell themselves, as does the hobby. It doesn't matter if it's baseball or basketball or Pokemon, kids enjoy looking at them and playing with them. And the cost is less important than you might think. Kids have no trouble spending $3-10 on packs of collectible card games or $60 on video games. It all has to do with kindling the perception of value, and the question of turning them into lifelong hobbyists is tougher, and depends more on the person than anything. Some people have a collector's instinct and some don't. I was at a show in San Antonion yesterday and in this big hall they had the room divided with a curtain. One side of the hall was having the card show, and the other side was having a bead show. God knows how you can have a whole show on beads, but I guess bead collectors (? Buyers? Beaders? Whatever you do with them) have the same reaction to cards. Anyway, at one point a couple little boys, about 6 to 8, who in my mind had been dragged to the bead show by extremely cruel mothers, came around the curtain to the "good" side and were instantly excited by all the cards. Within 10 seconds they were hypnotised and the youngest had been dispatched to the other side to ask for more money. They loved team sets of Astros and Cardinals. They were in awe of the Bazooka and Total Albert Pujols cards and Ken Griffey keychains this guy had in his dollar bin. I'm sure with a little guidance they could become real card collectors. While the perception of value of a 2006 Craig Biggio card will change quickly, especially as soon as they see a Beckett, it's that original excitement that has to be maintained, even if it's just a tiny bit, to keep the drive alive.