Opinion: The 5 most annoying trends in sports cards
The sports card industry is in the middle of a boom. Single grail cards are selling for all-time highs. Everything's great, right? Well... not exactly. There are some things - some recent, others less so - that need to change.
Breaking has become a huge part of the hobby over the last few years. It's become a way for those of on a budget to take part in the fun of getting to own some cards out of a product that might otherwise be too expensive. The thing is - not every card pulled from these breaks is going to be a "banger". It's clear you want to build excitement and keep your customers engaged, but save the "ooohs" and "aaahhs" for when a great card is actually pulled.
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Anyone scrolling through YouTube looking for hobby content has seen it without a doubt. The "cover photos" of the videos made by content creators in the hobby are easy to find. It seems instead of letting the content of the video speak for itself, it's necessary to increase our interest by making an extremely happy or sad face or looking as surprised as Kevin in Home Alone. Who is the target audience here? 6 year-olds? The collectors are wanting to be informed and guided with thoughtful content. It can be funny, sure - but leave the fake, exaggerated faces at the door, please.
Speaking of content creators, how many more clearly rehearsed videos of influencers walking through card shows and making mega dollar "deals" will collectors have to endure? How many more "special moments" will we have to suffer through? Obviously these folks have tons of subscribers so this is perhaps a contrarian take, but it'd be nice to watch authenticity and not what feels like a "show" for the video cameras and likes on social media.
Rookie card collectors must sometimes live lives of quiet desperation. It used to be that the hobby community could decide on a "preferred" rookie card of a player that would then become the standard. Things have changed. Which rookie card of Bryce Harper is the best for an investment? Would you rather have the Topps Chrome or Bowman Chrome of Shohei Ohtani? Or the multiple Topps Update cards? Consensus is getting harder to find.
It's not a secret - Michael Jordan is the king of the hobby. So why the isn't he in any new basketball card products? Upper Deck has a long-standing exclusive partnership with Jordan - the trouble is, Upper Deck doesn't have an NBA license to produce basketball cards. Since years, there have been no new auto cards, no new patch cards - MJ is frozen in time within the hobby. Give the people what they want! Find a way to get a deal done and let the new generation experience the thrill of pulling a Jordan card.
Brian Hough became a fan of the hobby by opening packs of 1986 Donruss and 1987 Topps baseball with his dad and little brother. He has been writing about the collectibles industry for years, initially as a price guide editor for Tuff Stuff Magazine, which was a monthly sports magazine focused on sports cards and collectibles, particularly known for its price guides and checklists, that initially launched in April 1984.