Fans Aghast at WNBA Card Prices for Box Featuring Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Rookies
Global sensations Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese going from college basketball to the WNBA this year heightened the sport's entire profile.
The WNBA has countless fans today who might not have been able to name five players in the league just one year ago. And this heightened attention and interest has surely made the WNBA a ton of money.
But added intrigue doesn't always work out well for fans. A great example of this is ticket prices skyrocketing at many WNBA games, making it difficult for many fans to afford to witness Clark, Reese, or some other player's greatness live.
Another example of this surfaced on Saturday when X user @ericwhiteback broke the news that sports trading card company Panini has priced their new WNBA boxes at $3,000, as part of what's called a Dutch Auction.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨
— The Collectibles Guru (@ericwhiteback) October 12, 2024
Panini has priced their new WNBA boxes at $3,000 EACH. pic.twitter.com/JcF43lrD7z
For those who are unaware of online auction nuance, a Dutch Auction is, per cardlines.com, when "the price starts at a very high number. It then decreases at consistent intervals. Eventually, when the price hits a 'fair market value,' the product will sell out."
In other words, the initial price is set extremely high before it gets gradually lowered until someone purchases it.
The floor price (which is the lowest amount the card set can be bought at) is set at $750.
But the exorbitant starting point is this specific card pack shows that Panini expects high demand, given the stature of Clark, Reese, and the rest of the 2024 WNBA rookie class.
Despite this, fans are still stunned by the price of these trading cards.
"The players couldn't even afford a box 🤣," X user @extramediumDET joked.
The players couldn't even afford a box 🤣
— extramedium (@extramediumDET) October 12, 2024
Another fan said, "Damn you used to be able to buy a wnba franchise for that".
A third fan posted a GIF of an exasperated Ryan Reynolds.
Sorry but… pic.twitter.com/XlVofGUYte
— 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒏 🪐 (@Hynek_Maneuver) October 12, 2024
While this initial price might seem absurd, there's a good chance some Clark or Reese fan out there is willing to pay it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Grant Young covers women’s basketball for Women’s Fastbreak and Indiana Fever On SI. His coverage centers on league trends and the growth of women’s basketball, both on and off the court. He also creates digital content focused on the sport’s biggest moments and personalities.
Follow GrvntYoung