The Top 5 Takeaways From The National in 2026

With the 2026 National Sports Collectors Convention in the rear-view mirror, it's time to take a look back at what was an amazing week in Rosemont, IL. Every aspect of the hobby is booming, from participation and grading to singles pricing; everything is up.

This was my first experience at The National, and while I've been to the CSA shows in Chantilly a dozen times, nothing really could have prepared me for the spectacle and the scale of The National.

5) Social Media is Not Real-Life

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I don't know how to explain it any better than to say I look at Twitter every morning and see almost nothing but negative comments about The National. Meanwhile, everyone in the place had a smile on their face, and almost everyone was enjoying themselves.

Whether people were combing through dollar boxes, building sets, kids there with their parents or grandparents, dealers, corporate types, etc. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, was happy and excited to be there.

Were some dealers grumpy? Sure. Were some people overpriced? Yeah. Did I watch a group of kids open a box of cards and throw all the base on the floor even though a trash can was literally feet away? Unfortunately, also yes. Was the line at Starbucks at 8 am longer than the line to get in? Also, yes.

You know what, though? The overwhelming majority of people I saw as I walked around for five days were people enjoying themselves. Dealers being good to kids. Trades happening pretty much anywhere and everywhere.

4) People Are Afraid of Change

I'm not going to harp on the negative too long, mostly because there wasn't a ton, but there was a reason the upstairs was so busy and packed all week. The newer, younger dealers were much more accommodating, inviting, and willing to work on deals.

3) The Future of The Hobby is in a Great Place

There were so many families at The National, and not just a dad following a kid with a full Zion case, either. I just mean families walking around collecting things that they love. That was truly awesome to see.

I should also add that there is nothing wrong with kids running around with Zion cases, although I would prefer they were more careful with them and didn't just drop them on glass cases. I say this not as a dealer, but just as someone who saw the horror on multiple dealers' faces when they slammed those things down on glass.

Kids looked like they were having a blast at The National. More importantly, families looked like they were having a blast at The National. Whether it was younger kids, teenagers, or adult fathers and sons, family was a very large part of the convention. There is just something special about a generational bond over one common thing - and to see that many families walking around was very cool.

2) GOATs are in Extreme Demand

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I talked to multiple dealers and got the same response from all of them: "Ohtani."

As soon as anything of Shohei Ohtani was in a showcase, if it was priced near comps, it was moving. With some cards, they were moving over comps, but most were not going under 92 percent of comps. There were no discounts to be had on Ohtani, and the same could be said for Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, and some of the bigger names in vintage as well.

I know people are tired of hearing about it (I've seen your YouTube comments), but the GOAT market is really safe right now.

1) The National and Fanatics Fest Need Each Other

Michael Rubin and Mike Mahan stopped by the SCN Booth at The National and reiterated, again, that Fanatics has no interest in "ending" The National via Fanatics Fest.

It feels like this needs repeating as I will go back to my first point, that social media is not real life, about the number of people on Twitter who said Topps and Fanatics had no presence at The National and barely tried. They had the two most important people at their company walking around. They had one of the biggest corporate booth's at the entire convention. Not to mention, the lines to pick up their daily EQL drops from National packs.

This is all to say, the two not only can co-exist, but need each other. Fanatics Fest gets them hooked through sports and activations, and The National keeps them collecting. Were the EQL drops perfect? No, they were not, but that doesn't mean they gave up to focus on Fanatics Fest.

Overall, it was an awesome experience and I cannot wait to go back in 2027.

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