The Hobby is Dead

[eliteco3]

i am a hobbyist for sports cards and do not feel the hobby is dead. There are active group case breaks on breakers tv that allow people to be a part of something bigger. People trade and buy from me all the time showing enthusiasm and thankfulness when their cards arrive. I have never enjoyed the hobby more than now.

[odjickfan]

Unlike some that have posted in this thread, at least you have clearly stated that you are an investor vice a hobbyist and that you are looking to make money elsewhere.

I'm an hobbyist, but I think it's a bad move for my future to spend 2-5k$ per year on wax. I'll still be around, but with lower-end stuff. I'll enjoy the hobby as much as now, but differently. It won't be the thrill of opening high-end wax, it will be the fun of working on trades, building a little set here and there, participate to small group breaks, a low-end or discounted box here and there.

For silver coins, they are like art pieces. Great work on the design of them. They are really collectible. And, if you know what you do, you don't turn a 100$ bill into 20$ of stuff like with a box of cards.

[jsokol1626]

I'm an hobbyist, but I think it's a bad move for my future to spend 2-5k$ per year on wax. I'll still be around, but with lower-end stuff. I'll enjoy the hobby as much as now, but differently. It won't be the thrill of opening high-end wax, it will be the fun of working on trades, building a little set here and there, participate to small group breaks, a low-end or discounted box here and there.

For silver coins, they are like art pieces. Great work on the design of them. They are really collectible. And, if you know what you do, you don't turn a 100$ bill into 20$ of stuff like with a box of cards.

I went that route within the card hobby and I'm fine with it. Trading, although a little more scarce, nowadays, is still a lot of fun.

[jsokol1626]

i am a hobbyist for sports cards and do not feel the hobby is dead. There are active group case breaks on breakers tv that allow people to be a part of something bigger. People trade and buy from me all the time showing enthusiasm and thankfulness when their cards arrive. I have never enjoyed the hobby more than now.

You should look to participate in more trading on SCF, we're always looking for active trade partners.

[Cunnuc]

Personally I feel the hobby is nearing a point of make-or-break. What I care more about is how we can generate more traffic on the forums. I've suggested SCF biz cards for flyers that those of us who sell on eBay could put into mailers or possibly drop off at local LCS. Whether UD goes belly up or not the cards that exist now, will exist then, and trading will be more important than ever. I just would like to see more activity on the forums, more new members, etc.

I feel the same to an extent. I have suggested SCF advertisement in the way or clothing to wear at such places as the Expo. I do mention to eBay members from time to time about trading on SCF and that eBay is a 'secondary market' and sometimes your best bet is to come to SCF first.

I also have been worried about the direction the Hobby has taken over the past few years (although I got back into it around 09-10 season) and have even stopped collecting Upper Deck sets and busting wax. I have stuck to ITG since I know what the production run is and I find more value in it.

I also think this is a make or break year(s) for the Hobby. Specifically Upper Deck. If they do not change things around starting this year I may step back from the hobby quite drastically. I do however feel they have taken a step in the right direction with one of their releases, a minor step in the right direction with UD1 and a fine suggestion with an upcoming release. Things are slowly turning to the right direction I feel. A slower process than I would like but I suppose that's really all I could expect.

I would love for SCF to become much more popular and for trading in general to be more popular. Since the rise of postage in North America I can definitely tell there has been a drop in sales/trades. There is a bit of a paradigm shift in the making though with the services provided by COMC.

I feel that if COMC is promoted for their services and SCF is promoted for their members and cards (inventory) available that we could revive all that has been lost from the hobby's recent decline and hopefully with in time actually improve the member base of the forum and have much more trading going on.

[KingKuba]

Card companies should advertise on TV.
UD has no money though and with every sport getting exclusives why would they care. Group breakers will buy up all the wax

Look how long we'll have to wait for a rookie auto this year from UD....but their customer base enjoys the same old same old...

[Tripredacus]

Card companies should advertise on TV.

They do at times... at least for baseball. I recall seeing a Bowman commercial on MLB Network during this years Spring Training coverage.

[habscards]

I am not that big of an UD fan but I will admit that they do build up their rookies very well. At at least this is how I see it. At least with their staple products.


Artifacts-redemption rookies
Series One-first on card rookies
Black Diamond-rookies with more parallels
SPx-sticker auto rookies
Showcase/Hot Prospects-sticker auto patch rookies
SP Authentic-hard signed rookies
Ultimate-shorter printed hard signed auto rookies
Cup-hard signed auto rookie patch


Sure their are other sets UD produces but the transition very well from regular to sticker to hard signed rookies. They do a very good job at this.

[jsokol1626]

Card companies should advertise on TV.
UD has no money though and with every sport getting exclusives why would they care. Group breakers will buy up all the wax

Look how long we'll have to wait for a rookie auto this year from UD....but their customer base enjoys the same old same old...

I would love to see your verifiable sources for some of the wild claims you make. I've got some news for you, the trading card industry survived for more than 75 years without ever putting an autograph anything in a pack.With regard to a company's assets, where do you think they get the money to purchase an exclusive licensing agreement? And do you suppose they spend those millions $ without without ample research into the return they can expect on their investment? "The same old same old", what the heck does that mean? You complain about the cost of products, yet you want autographs, unique designs and who knows what else in addition to lower prices?

No, the hobby isn't dead, not by a long shot, but it's often misunderstood and taken way out of context. Just ask the vintage collectors how much they care about autographs and glitzy new designs.

[piper1]

I would love to see your verifiable sources for some of the wild claims you make. I've got some news for you, the trading card industry survived for more than 75 years without ever putting an autograph anything in a pack.With regard to a company's assets, where do you think they get the money to purchase an exclusive licensing agreement? And do you suppose they spend those millions $ without without ample research into the return they can expect on their investment? "The same old same old", what the heck does that mean? You complain about the cost of products, yet you want autographs, unique designs and who knows what else in addition to lower prices?

No, the hobby isn't dead, not by a long shot, but it's often misunderstood and taken way out of context. Just ask the vintage collectors how much they care about autographs and glitzy new designs.

You made his little day by responding to his post. He contributes nothing meaningful to any thread and his only goal seems to be to stir the pot.