Sports Card Addiction is Real
About two years ago, I wrote an article about the prevalence of sports card addictions. The article focused on how a sports card addiction can grow and what it means to call a habit an addiction. It resonated with the community.
Thefts at Card Shows: Security and Accountability
A recent repost on X by @bowman1951 got me thinking again. I didn't confirm the story he reposted. Still, it sounds like a situation I heard about when I was writing the addiction article. The post criticizes the breaking community, but I am more focused on the man who spent $244,000 on breaks. Disclaimer: there are a few curse words.
Is It Worth Going to Local Card Shows?
Man addicted to breaking and buying into a quarter million 💵💵💵 lays it all out and your expected negative return. pic.twitter.com/wxrgkvrS4y
— Bowman1951's Card Adventures (@bowman1951) January 23, 2025
Iconic Cards: 2001 Topps Ichiro Suzuki Rookie #726
The replies to the post were also revealing. Some people who replied were brave enough to share their experiences with a sports card addiction.
Through X, I asked Bradshaw how he knew he had an addiction. He replied, "When it started to negatively affect my family and work." He hasn't bought a card in more than six years.
"It's not difficult at all, really," he said. "I started by focusing on trading and selling cause I had plenty of products. Because of trading, I made so many hobby friends. Friends that I'll have forever. The hobby is an amazing place, but you have to start by building relationships, supporting others, and being positive."
Most people will not have an addiction. They might overspend, pay down debt, and move forward in a more financially responsible manner. But for others, sports cards can become an easy trap for people with addictive tendencies. The chase to hit a high-value card can be akin to going on a hot streak on a roulette table. The dopamine hit can be intoxicating, with card buyers chasing their next hit.
Some people buy cards because they like to collect cards. But others buy cards because they want to make money - and that's OK so long as they are measured in their approach and understand that making money takes a lot of work and industry insight. Some observers blame the breakers for a rise in addiction.
However, breakers can't be held responsible for someone's spending habits. But, good breakers can play a role in recognizing clients spending above their means. A good breaker should check in on their clients, especially if they spend large amounts of money with them.
One simple, easy idea could be to put the Gambling Addiction Hotline number on a breaker's site, whether on WhatNot, Facebook, or Fanatics Live. Sellers have to start acknowledging that several hobby elements are akin to gambling. For most, it's not an issue, but giving people with an addiction a way out is an ethical way to approach the business.
