Feedback Wanted: 2025 Show & Tell Contest

[RGM81]

We are in the final planning stages for the 2025 Show & Tell Contest, and some changes to the format are coming. I’m not going to share it out yet but we are looking to have a major prize for the overall contest winner and also one for consistent engagement with the contest itself.

In order to boost participation I’d like to ask what themes you would like to see each week. I have tracked all of the entries from this past year and some ideas worked better than others, which is fine. But what would get you posting and participating? Do you want to see more themes for players, teams, products? Throw some ideas around and they will hopefully find their way into next year’s contest.

The goal is to have some fun, show off some awesome cards, and get more people engaged year-round.

[RGM81]

@GabbyGuy @johnse27 @09232003 @fatfrank @Seahawks Fan @manthis @PRoy33Collector @Bimola @cjs-sportscards @scarrman @mikecole141 @bali88 @Goose97 @morasha7 @mooneyes
Would love to hear from our longtime participants and all potential new ones also!

[bali88]

I really liked the Show & Tell Contest, I would like to continue participating.I'm glad that this forum is still active despite all the social media.I liked the contest. Since I don't open boxes or collect active players, I don't care about new card series.But contest, like favorite signature, most beautiful patch, most unique card in your collection, etc. are still welcome.

[manthis]

yes other input is good.
like to see what others think.

[mikecole141]

A small list of things to consider:

1. Only allow 2 repeats of any entries from this year's contest into the next year's contest. You can do this by putting a limit on the number of repeat entries used in the 2024 contest that can be used in 2025, and even have some weeks where they can be no repeats of any entries from 2024 into certain specific weeks, force us to use more cards and keep the contest from just being a rehash of the same cards from the previous year.

2. Avoid specific teams, no best Montreal Canadiens card, no best Oilers card, keep it limited to no less than divisions, same for Nations, no best Team Canada alone, best National Team cards instead.

3. No individual players, no best Connor McDavid, no best Wayne Gretzky, keep using things like best defenseman, and add things best second round pick, or have a best non-Hart/non-Vezina trophy winner.

4. put more emphasis on lower and mid range products and less on super high end. Less Cup, less 8 and 12 person autos/memorabilia. More on single, duals, or even triples from sets everybody has either bought or easily trades for. Most on here can't drop a 1/1 Cup dual shield, or an SPA 8 player auto card. keeping more weeks open for everybody may help generate or maintain interest.

5. No specific company categories, like best Upper Deck card, while I only buy Upper Deck, there are still collectors on here who either stick to vintage or put more emphasis on Leaf/President's Choice, or older ITG/Panini. Keeping weeks open to as much as possible is preferable.

The contest almost has the feel, or the relation to a scavenger hunt, we know our collections pretty good, make people sift a little bit more to find a suitable entry to show off, and fewer category weeks where all we have to do is pull the stack of bigger cards in the collection..

[GabbyGuy]

A small list of things to consider:

1. Only allow 2 repeats of any entries from this year's contest into the next year's contest. You can do this by putting a limit on the number of repeat entries used in the 2024 contest that can be used in 2025, and even have some weeks where they can be no repeats of any entries from 2024 into certain specific weeks, force us to use more cards and keep the contest from just being a rehash of the same cards from the previous year.

2. Avoid specific teams, no best Montreal Canadiens card, no best Oilers card, keep it limited to no less than divisions, same for Nations, no best Team Canada alone, best National Team cards instead.

3. No individual players, no best Connor McDavid, no best Wayne Gretzky, keep using things like best defenseman, and add things best second round pick, or have a best non-Hart/non-Vezina trophy winner.

4. put more emphasis on lower and mid range products and less on super high end. Less Cup, less 8 and 12 person autos/memorabilia. More on single, duals, or even triples from sets everybody has either bought or easily trades for. Most on here can't drop a 1/1 Cup dual shield, or an SPA 8 player auto card. keeping more weeks open for everybody may help generate or maintain interest.

5. No specific company categories, like best Upper Deck card, while I only buy Upper Deck, there are still collectors on here who either stick to vintage or put more emphasis on Leaf/President's Choice, or older ITG/Panini. Keeping weeks open to as much as possible is preferable.

The contest almost has the feel, or the relation to a scavenger hunt, we know our collections pretty good, make people sift a little bit more to find a suitable entry to show off, and fewer category weeks where all we have to do is pull the stack of bigger cards in the collection..

I like a lot of these ideas that mikecole141 lists...Especially these parts:

2. Avoid specific teams, no best Montreal Canadiens card, no best Oilers card, keep it limited to no less than divisions, same for Nations, no best Team Canada alone, best National Team cards instead.

3. No individual players, no best Connor McDavid, no best Wayne Gretzky, keep using things like best defenseman, and add things best second round pick, or have a best non-Hart/non-Vezina trophy winner.

4. put more emphasis on lower and mid range products and less on super high end. Less Cup, less 8 and 12 person autos/memorabilia. More on single, duals, or even triples from sets everybody has either bought or easily trades for. Most on here can't drop a 1/1 Cup dual shield, or an SPA 8 player auto card. keeping more weeks open for everybody may help generate or maintain interest.

5. No specific company categories, like best Upper Deck card, while I only buy Upper Deck, there are still collectors on here who either stick to vintage or put more emphasis on Leaf/President's Choice, or older ITG/Panini. Keeping weeks open to as much as possible is preferable.

Just spit balling here: I'd add...maybe use players from different Decades...use teams that have relocated...best non-1st round draft picks: 2nd round draft picks and up, etc...best card of player from a 1967 Expansion team....1000 game players...players who won Olympic Gold Medals...players who won more obscure awards like Lady Byng or Selke Trophy.

Just my opinion. Thanks!

--Curt

[cjb]

Never really liked the show and tell thread. Seems like one big flex competition

[doniceage]

Never really liked the show and tell thread. Seems like one big flex competition

It would not be if there is no focused on high end cards like mentioned above in the suggestions above. Of course you have to hear more comments like this to truly think going this way. I mean folks are not going to want to join a forum to see a base card but might be piqued to see a Cup patch out of 10 lol.

Don

[RGM81]

Appreciate the input, y'all, thank you. Will be putting together the plan for next year over the holiday break so get those ideas in while you can!

[fatfrank]

Limit the number of times an individual can submit a certain player or team unless that is the category of the week.

Maybe have an either blank or blank option to help include people that are not buying newer sets or have trouble getting Tim Horton's cards.

I personally love to see inserts that I was not aware of, and that I do not have to break the bank to hunt down to add to my pc.

Oddball categories: card number blank of a set, card serial numbered between ### and ###, insert set with some word in the title.

I think the key is categories that can include the wide variety of collectors.