Dr. James Beckett: Sports Card Insights

Collectors are frequently asking me about investment risk with sports cards - here today on the exact 20th anniversary of 9/11 are seven macro (potentially apochalytic) trends that could significantly affect our hobby (at least the way we have always known it).  My intention is to be sobering, not depressing - however today is a melancholy day of reflection and thoughts of the future.  There are N...

Kevin Sullivan and Monica Paul had me as a guest on their weekly Mic Drop podcast from the Dallas Sports Commission - here are the portions that dealt with our hobby and sports card insights.

Ben Ecklar came to Beckett Publications in 1994, probably his first full-time job, and continuously helped build our hobby to what it is today, having been at Panini for the past many years, after leaving our company.  He will be missed not just for his hobby excellence, but for the even better person he was.  We didn't have the chance to say goodbye to Ben, but we can pray for his wife and six ki...

Listener Corey Barnes suggested Rich and I discuss notable non-rookie cards over the decades - we start with 1952 Topps and work our way up - more to come.

Do pure collectors recoil at the word investment - is there a stigma - most, but not all, hobbyists consider sports cards and memorabilia an alternative investment. 

Many think there are too many parallels these days.  Victor Roman, Rookie Card Specialist, asked the group to re-consider whether the parallels of the base RC should also be considered RC's or as merely rookie year cards, like inserts.

The big Fanatics news and shake-up in the sports cards category will certainly affect the existing marketplaces where cards are bought and sold.

Listeners do not run out questions - some interesting and eclectic ones this time - send yours to doctorjamesbeckett@gmail.com  and thanks!

Andy and I continued our wide-ranging conversation, about the hobby and other tangential considerations that might surprise you.  Thanks again, Andy, for sharing your story! 

Andy (accomplished artist, writer, musician) describes the artistic freedom given him by Topps in approaching and executing his 70-year retrospective of the graphic imagery of Topps through the years - thanks Andy!

Our group of hobby content creators discussed the future of card manufacturers and how we think the recent Fanatics news might affect them and others in the hobby ecosystem.

The hobby content creators dinner at the Watters Creek show on Saturday Aug 28th immediately after the show - here are the self intros of the attendees and as well as their take on stickiness as it applies to their hobby content.  Thanks to all!

Basketball questions only for this dueling questions battle with Adam Gray.  Any ideas you have for episode topics - send to doctorjamesbeckett@gmail.com  and thanks!

The rest of the questions from Nat and to Nat about our great hobby and how we see it and have seen it in our experiences.

Another six listener questions on a variety of hobby subjects - lots of big happenings these days - exciting to be in the greatest hobby in the world.

John (Sports Card Nation) and Corey (YamWax) both asked me some penetrating questions about how I and others collect or have collected over the decades - thanks John and Corey!

John Newman's new monthly live show debuted with Corey of YamWax as co-host and myself as guest - we had a great time talking hobby for an hour - here's a few excerpts and thanks John and Corey!

Kyle's Wax Museum podcast is one of my favorite regular listens - here Kyle and I bounce basketball hobby questions off each other.

Bob Brill's Brill Report was a must-read back in the 1990's, plus Bob did so many other innovative things in the organized hobby - we hear directly from Bob about his interesting journey.

Dan Ertle shares his (non-sport and comic book) collecting story and how CBCS has blended into the outstanding Beckett Media team of graders and authenticators. 

Questions to and from Nat Turner, collector extraordinaire, and owner/CEO of PSA/Collectors Universe.

Fanatics will be taking over for Topps in 2025 as the sole licensee for the  baseball card category.  This morning on Hobby Hotline I was joined by nine other co-hosts for this live timely call-in show - an hour and a half distilled into ten minutes - check it out!

Five different and new questions from listeners accumulated and answered - send your questions to doctorjamesbeckett@gmail.com  and thanks!

These are remarks coming before and after our scheduled Basketball Dueling Questions episode (to be released shortly), which I thought were worthy of inclusion - thanks Adam! 

Huge bombshell news that Fanatics will be taking over the baseball card license from Topps in 2025 as a joint venture with MLB and MLBPA.  Major implications!