Logan Paul, Gary Vee Talk The Past, Present, and Future of the Non-Sport Market at The National
The National continues to expand its footprint within the non-sport portion of the hobby, gaining increasing momentum in 2026. On Thursday of this year's convention, Logan Paul and Gary Vee, creator of Topps Chrome VeeFriends, discussed their thoughts on the hobby with Sports Card Nonsense's Jesse Gibson.
The insightful discussion covered a variety of topics, with the overall theme being that the TCG/Non-Sport market is white-hot. Many in the hobby, including Gary Vee, see a real possibility that the TCG/Non-Sport market will challenge the sports card market for an ever-growing share of the collectibles market.
The Future of Brand IP
Non-Sport brands continue to gain traction in the hobby. Paul and Gary shared the belief that for long-term stability, it is crucial for IPs to diversify and offer products and experiences across multiple areas of popular culture. Brands need to do more than just produce trading cards, and highly successful IPs take a broad approach to the collectible market. Major franchises like Disney, Marvel/DC, and Pokémon are all demonstrating a continuous push to expand beyond a single category in the collectibles market.
Is Wrestling a Sport or Entertainment?
Paul discussed the challenges of performing in WWE, stating that professional wrestling is the hardest thing that he has done. When asked whether he considers wrestling a sport or entertainment, he replied emphatically, "It's both!"
Paul shared that the physical and mental demands of being a performer have been immense, noting that he has sustained serious injuries during his time in the ring. Balancing high-level athletics with pure entertainment requires a level of physical and mental versatility that every successful WWE superstar needs to embody to be successful.
The Collector is Getting Smarter
Both Gary and Logan shared their reasons for believing the hobby is in a more mature and better-informed position compared to the COVID-era boom and crash. They noted that collectors continue to look for ways to leverage data to their advantage and become more knowledgeable about the current and potential future value of their cards. This shift toward a better-informed market is helping collectors avoid the impulsive, uneducated mistakes many novice collectors made in 2020-2021.
No One Can Predict the Future...
With the market continuing to run white-hot and The National setting attendance records, it can feel like a never-ending upward trend. However, Gary Vee cautioned that no market goes up forever. He emphasized that personal accountability is key and that collectors need to know their limits, investing and prospecting only with funds that they are willing and able to lose. Recognizing that prices naturally change is a crucial lesson for collectors to learn.
Create Your Process and Collect What You Love!
Both expressed a passion for collecting. Gary shared that he remains bullish on fictional characters, especially focusing on rookie cards and first appearances of non-sport figures from the 1930s to the 1980s. Paul shared that his current favorite Pokémon cards to collect are Gengar and Steelix.
Offering advice to young collectors, Gary Vee stated that with $100, he would encourage a young collector to use that money to grind $1-$2 boxes, buying in volume to resell to fellow collectors. He argued that learning firsthand from the profits and losses of what moves and what doesn't builds an educated, goal-oriented mindset needed to secure a healthy mindset in the hobby.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
P. Arvin Parker is a lifelong collector of all things sports and pop culture. He is a Minnesotan, a Veteran, and an Ojibwe man who lives and dies by all things Minnesota. After spending the last 20 years working in the mental health field, he has reignited his love for collecting. His passion for the hobby centers on the people and stories of the world of collectibles.