Sports Cards Live

In Part 1 of Episode 274 of Sports Cards Live, Jeremy Lee and co-host Joe Poirot welcome Mike from Junk Wax Hero for a deep dive into grading philosophies, card aesthetics, and the growing “slabnostic” movement. Mike shares why he’s done submitting to PSA, how CGC’s partnership with JSA is shifting autograph value perceptions, and why collectors may be waking up from the “PSA spell.” Mike breaks d...

What if you can’t make it to the National — but still feel its pull? In this special bonus episode of Road to the National, we’re joined by Dave Spinrad, better known on Instagram as @ratedrabbi. Dave has attended several Nationals, but this year, life, family, and a new calling in California are keeping him home. Still, he remains deeply connected to the rhythm of the hobby. We discuss how the Na...

In the final segment of Episode 273, Chris McGill, Josh Adams, and Ben Burrows join Jeremy for a fast-paced discussion packed with sharp insights and hobby laughs. Ben shares behind-the-scenes details on the ballooning scale of Fanatics Fest, including the event’s planned expansion to the full 3.3 million sq. ft. of the Javits Center—raising big questions about its future vs. the National. Chris a...

In Part 3 of this week's Sports Cards Live, Theo Rebottini (@clementecollector) makes the bold claim that player collecting is the best way to collect—and Jeremy pushes back. What follows is a passionate and nuanced debate about the pros and cons of collecting your GOAT, the emotional risk of collecting modern players, and the limitations of a narrow player PC. Jeremy shares his multi-focused appr...

In Part 2 of Episode 273, the conversation turns toward one of the most personal and hotly debated concepts in the hobby: what exactly is a grail card? Jeremy is joined by Josh Adams (@midwestvintagecards) and, for the first time on Sports Cards Live, Theo from the Clemente Collector YouTube channel. Together they unpack the evolving meaning of the word “grail” — is it about price, scarcity, perso...

In Part 1 of Episode 273, Jeremy Lee welcomes Arena Club founder and serial entrepreneur Brian Lee for a deep-dive conversation into the origins and future of Arena Club—a company that’s trying to do grading, marketplace, and repacks differently. Brian shares the story of how a frustrating conversation at the 2022 National with a vague repack seller sparked the idea for Arena Club’s “Slab Packs,”...

Chris McGill shares why the National is the hobby’s spiritual center — and how it recharges his passion every year. In Episode 6 of our Road to the National series, we’re joined by Chris McGill, cofounder of Card Ladder and a passionate collector. Chris reflects on his past National experiences, including the unforgettable moment he tracked down a true PC unicorn: the 2017 Select Black 1/1 Christi...

In the final segment of Episode 272, Ben Hossler (Rolling Insights) and Chris McGill (Card Ladder / House of Jordans) return for a wide-ranging discussion that blends hobby analytics with collecting philosophy. Using updated Young Guns hockey data, we explore which players’ cards rose or fell in value and why — tying in performance metrics, PSA 10 populations, and even Instagram follower counts. W...

Ben Hossler of Rolling Insights returns with updated analytics on PSA 10 Young Guns hockey cards, comparing mid-season values to end-of-season prices. He joins Chris McGill (aka Chris_HOJ) and host Jeremy Lee to break down which players saw price movement, what Instagram follower counts reveal about popularity, and how tools like Rolling Insights and Card Ladder can give collectors a potential edg...

In Part 3 of Episode 271, Chris McGill (aka Chris_HOJ) joins Joe Poirot, Leighton Sheldon, and Jeremy to explore the nuances of card value in today’s hobby. The conversation kicks off with the rising PSA 10 premiums and questions whether today’s multipliers — often 5x, 10x, or more — are truly justified by the cards themselves. The panel dives into the psychology behind paying up for a label, how...

In Part 2 of Episode 271, Leighton Sheldon shares a real-life story from the front lines of buying vintage collections — a high-value deal that nearly fell apart over a PSA 8 card with visible debris trapped inside the slab. Hear how Layton kept his cool, navigated the seller’s emotions, and helped turn a tense situation into a productive outcome. Then the panel dives into a deep and at times phil...

We kick off Episode 271 with Joe Poirot and welcome back “Hobby President” John Mangini for a thought-provoking conversation about collecting philosophy and hobby behavior. We introduce and unpack two emerging terms — own appeal and flight collecting — and ask a core question: do we take time to appreciate the cards we already own, or are we always chasing the next one? The discussion explores how...

In Part 5 of Episode 271, the panel wrestles with one of the hobby’s more nuanced and quietly controversial behaviors: sharing cards online that you no longer own. Is it deceptive? Is it aspirational? Or is it simply part of storytelling in the hobby? Chris McRae, Chris McGill, Joe Poirot, and Jeremy Lee explore how collectors present their collections on social media, the tension between personal...

Stretching Budgets, Auction Regrets & the Rise of Card Funding In Part 4 of Episode 271, the discussion turns to a familiar dilemma in the hobby: should you buy the card even if you’re not quite ready? Jeremy, Joe, Chris McRae, and Chris McGill share real stories about pushing past budget limits, chasing grails, and the cards they still regret not buying. From megabidding strategies to auction sni...

In Part 3 of Episode 271, the panel takes on one of the hobby’s most debated topics: grading premiums and whether the slab should matter more than the card itself. Chris McRae kicks things off with his now-viral take — “The card over the slab, every time” — sparking a lively discussion with Chris McGill, Chris Hoge, Joe Poirot, and Jeremy Lee about: The psychology behind PSA 10 multipliers Why som...

In Part 2 of Episode 271, The Smarter Collector Chris McRae returns to share one of his most resonant ideas: the three-bucket method for evaluating your collection. Every card falls into one of three categories — essential, value add, or junk — and this simple framework can be a game-changer when consolidating, downsizing, or refining your personal collection. Jeremy Lee, Joe Poirot, and Leighton...

In Part 1 of Episode 271, Jeremy Lee kicks off Sports Cards Live with a full slate of hobby updates, Father's Day shoutouts, and some playoff talk — all while fighting off a cold. Then Chris McRae, better known as The Smarter Collector, joins the show for a deep dive into a key question for any collector: What are your dealbreakers? Sticker autos, non–game-used memorabilia, bad centering, paper lo...

REA Auctions’ Brian Dwyer previews the National — and what makes it special. In Episode 5 of our Road to the National series, we're joined by Brian Dwyer, President of REA Auctions. Brian shares his perspective on the National’s impact on the hobby, how REA strategically times its summer catalog around the show, and why their booth feels more like a museum than a sales floor. He also discusses REA...

In Episode 4 of the Road to the National series, Adam Gray (@thereal27guy), basketball card expert and content creator, joins us to reflect on why the National Sports Collectors Convention is a can’t-miss event. From friendships forged on the floor to the thrill of that one big deal, Adam shares stories, strategies, and insights into how collectors can make the most of the experience. Adam also re...

Road to the National Ep. 3: Upper Deck's New Patch Security Innovation with Jason Masherah In Episode 3 of the "Road to the National" series, we sit down with Jason Masherah, President of Upper Deck, to discuss the company's exciting plans for the 2025 National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. Jason shares exclusive insights into Upper Deck’s game-changing innovation: a new authentication...

Road to the National Ep. 2: Dr. James Beckett on Hobby Growth, the National, and Collecting Wisdom In this episode of Road to the National, I’m joined by the legendary Dr. James Beckett—one of the most influential figures in the sports card hobby. We discuss the excitement of the 2025 National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago, including tips for first-time attendees and insights into how th...

Getting Ready for the National with Graig Miller (Midlife Cards) | Road to the National Ep. 1 In this kickoff episode of Road to the National, I’m joined by vintage collector and YouTube content creator Graig Miller from  @MidLifeCards . We dive into what makes the National Sports Collectors Convention such a special event for hobbyists—whether you’re a seasoned veteran or attending for the first...

Chris McGill closes the show with another thought-provoking segment, starting with a discussion on whether collecting in lanes is necessary — and if those lanes can actually change as collectors evolve. The conversation shifts to how auction prices and sales comps are increasingly influencing collectors' choices and how Chris thinks about “framing” cards with more context to better understand what...

Tony from @tjisonline joins the show to introduce his new Basketball Card Hall of Fame project, modeled after the baseball and football card counterparts. We explore the vintage hobby through the lens of parallels like Burger King and Pepsi issues, before a compelling roundtable with Tony, Chris and Joe around some of the hobby’s most debated topics: registration vs. centering, rarity vs. preferen...

Mikey Singer joins the show from Edmonton as the team looks ahead to next weekend’s Sport Card Expo. With a stacked guest list including Glenn Anderson, Marty McSorley, and Mike Krushelnyski, Jeremy previews the live interviews he’ll be conducting on the main stage and shares insight on what makes the Edmonton show unique. The conversation covers the current mood of the hobby heading into summer—w...