What's up everybody? Welcome back to episode two forty five on Hobby Hotline.
We are here being hosted on the illustrious bench Clear Media Network. Make sure
you hit the like and subscribe button here. Also make sure to go over
to our YouTube and hit the like and subscribe button as well. Today I
am joined by the wonderful Erica Love What You Collect and Brody t K.
We'll start with you. Erica, how's your week going? What you got
going on? I'm doing good. My week is good. I actually just
got back into the country. My daughter and I backpack rope for a month,
so we literally just got back on Thursday. So we're just adjin um
jet leg and all that jazz. But it was cool. And also when
we were in London, we went to a sports cards show, so that
was our first international um show, so it was really cool. Awesome.
That's really cool. And I love your aces shirt you got on today.
We're gonna get into some WNBA topics a little bit later on some women's college
basketball all that kind of stuff. We also, like I said, we
have Brody the Kid here with us today. Brody, how's it going good?
I only got one week? Like the school. So that's awesome.
A little tired, got final, but that'll be awesome on something with that.
Yeah, well I love that. I mean, I'm sure we all
probably remember that last week, last week of school, vibes are probably uh,
you know, vibes are probably pretty high. Getting ready for the summer.
What do you got, you know, I mean, I know you
you've got like sports and stuff, which you've got anything going on the summer,
like the you know, sports related or cards related that you want to
like shout out. Oh yeah, I mean we got the national obviously,
I don't have baseball. I've got camp. So it's gonna be fun summer.
I can't wait. Awesome. Yeah, yeah, that's exciting for you
know, Erica and I I'm sure there isn't really much of a summer break.
It's kind of once you get out of college and once you get out
of high school, it kind of just all blends together. Summer is actually
just the weather where you kind of stay inside a little bit because it gets
a little bit too hot. I mean for me, I'm down here in
Atlanta, so like the summer is like it'll be you know, it'll be
nine o'clock in the morning, it'll be like one hundred and ten degrees.
So I'm trying to figure out, you know, I've been getting back on
my running schedule, so I'm trying to figure out when is going to be
the best time for that with you know, with the hot weather. I
wanted to give a shout out to everybody watching as well. Leaven comments,
leave us a comment with you know what, where you're watching this show today.
I mean, that's always a fun topic that I see people kind of
commenting from all over the country. I think that's one of the cool things
about shows like this is you know, all over the country, and then
we've had some international viewers as well, so that's always exciting. We are
actually going to start out with an interesting news story coming out of the NFL
Rookie Premiere, which is for people who are you know, maybe new to
sports card. This is basically the time of the year when the rookies for
the NFL start to sign some of their cards. They also get the photo
shoots for some of the cards. So you know, we've seen like Don
Russ Optic all those kinds of um all those all all those kinds of cards,
and then I think Prism National treasures and they start to sign some of
their collegiate cards as well. And one of the news stories that actually came
out was that on one of the first days here, Adam Schefter reported that
the four top quarterbacks, Bryce Young, CJ. Shroud, Uh, Anthony
Richardson, and Will Levis were attending attending a lunch with Fanatic CEO Michael Rubin,
Tom Brady, and then Travis Scott also was in attendance. There there
were tending or they were discussing entrepreneurship and brand building, which I mean,
in my opinion, I think this is one of the big differences that we're
going to see within sports cards when it comes to brand you know, brand
building and what the company is doing or some of these players and how they're
kind of treating the players. I mean, Erica, I'll start out with
you what we're kind of some of your initial thoughts when he saw this news,
Um, this was trind to me as expected. Um, obviously they're
going to go to the direction of you know, more player involvement, more
um, player first incentives, making it more experiential for the consumers and growing
in the market base. So yeah, this is as expected and more to
come and it's going to be less of what we're used to seeing in the
past and currently, and uh yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be a
new new world. I believe what fanatics is going down, right, Yeah,
I agree. And I mean I think with Michael Rubin, compared to
maybe some of the other I guess CEOs that have been CEOs of sports card
companies, I mean, I don't think we really have grasped how famous Michael
Rubin is. I think that's you know, he can call Devin Booker in
a card shop and he picks up in two seconds. You know, he
gets Travis Scott, he gets Tom Brady to come to come to these events.
So Brodie, I'll kick to you as well, like what do you
think of this news? Like, how do you think it's gonna affect cards
or do you think it's more of just you know, maybe fanatics trying to
help build sort of the brands a little bit better. Well, I think
it could be kind of interesting if somehow they could strike a deal with some
of these quarterbacks. I mean we don't know obviously, but if they somehow
do some exclusives, it could be game changing, especially for guys like Bryce
Young and c. J. Strout A for Pini and for Fanatics because they
would be out of Panini sets, which would Pani sets would go down,
and then for Fanatics sets, it would be interesting. Would they put them
into all their Bowman University sets? And maybe just why all these collegiates that
I don't know why it said Collie Collegiate they've been putting out because they put
out Bowman you Chrome, then they put out Bowman's Best, and then they
just put out Bowman Inception. And this is why they've kind of been putting
them out, like hey, or around, so we just want to keep
putting these out so you can see them. You can see them. So
they were like, hey, we're here, so we're gonna put these guys
in there soon, so be ready. But I don't know, it could
be interesting. I don't know it just yeah. I mean, I think
I think TOPS has sort of shown over the past few years that they weren't
I don't know if scared is necessarily the right word, but they are more
willing to come out with these unlicensed sets if they know that in the future
they're going to be getting the license sets. I mean, we had a
bow and Chrome U basketball on a BOWM and Chrome U football set last year
which had the Bryce Young I think C J. Shroud was in that,
but it wasn't licensed. I think the interesting thing actually with that Bryce Young
card is that, like Alabama's uniforms are so like not logo heavy, so
like that Bryce Young, people might not even realize that that Bryce Young actually
isn't licensed because I don't think Alabama's uniforms, other than like maybe a logo
on the front, really have that many logos on it. Like I think,
you know, there's a lot of more photoshop going on with some of
the other some of the other cards. So you know, one of the
things that Brady said, I think there was a video that came out.
He was talking about how he talked to Will Levis. He was like,
you know, being drafted in the second round really doesn't matter that much,
and then he kicked it back to Bryce Young. It was like, yeah,
being picked first overall really doesn't matter, because he kind of was comparing
his experience to himself being you know, drafted in the sixth round. So
I think it's kind of interesting the dynamic of quarterback cards in the hobby so
ericare for you like if you're looking at I mean, I'm not sure how
into buying quarterback cards you are necessarily, but like from from your perspective,
like, do you think that the risk of buying one of the higher drafted
quarterbacks is worth it versus like you know, for Brady, no one really
knew that Brady was going to turn into what he did, but like maybe
spending a little bit less money buying maybe somebody that is, let's just say,
drafted in the later rounds, Like, do you think that the risk
and reward is worth it buying those like expensive, higher end, higher pit
draft pick cards. I had I'm two fold this question. So personally now
um, but overall and where I see things going, I think it will
will start to make a little bit more sense because I really think that we're
going more and more towards the direction of sports betting UM mindset and how the
hobby operates with the cards. It's already there, Like, but I think
it's going to be ten X and two years is going to be ten X
is literally going to be like walking into casino placing his sports bets, and
it's gonna like that's how I believe that we're going in terms of this uh
so yeah, and with fanatics machine behind him, with the marketing and like
you said, Michael Ruben, like we didn't realize how famous he was.
It's not about how famous he is. It's about how in tune and how
connected he is to the individuals that he associates with. That's what's that's what's
different about him. And um, you know, like I mean a person
I don't care about, you know, people and whatever statuses and stuff like
that. But what I do admire about him is that he at least tries
to be over minded and learning about other people's views and then incorporate in business
and in the world real world trying to help. So um yeah, so
you know, I just think that uh yeah, Pry, I think I
think we will will we will hit another price increase once, you know,
they really roll in their marketing strategies and stuff like that, because new consumers
are becoming in really exciting, anxious to do something new and with such low
demand, like with new when we'll be safe we double the hobby space down,
there's going to be demand for the cars and it's not the supplied that's
going to be available, so that's going to automatically, you know, drive
prices up. So yeah, right, yeah, I mean I think that's
a great point. And actually to your point, I think that's sort of,
uh, sort of what I meant when in terms of like the famous
conversation with Michael Rubin, I think he is, you know, has so
many different has so many connections, but so many different types of connections that
I think it's very it's be very interesting to sort of see how he can
like merge like sort of all these connections like almost I feel like it'll almost
be like The Avengers where he'll like at one point there will be like,
you know, I think this is a good example him and then like you
know, he obviously his friends with like preeople like jay Z mcmill. I
mean, we all kind of uh, these are the friendships that he sort
of is always posting on social media stuff like that. But I mean i'd
be I'll be interested to see sort of maybe some of the behind the scenes
stuff that fanatics is going to do. So I'll kick it over to you,
Brodie. When it comes to the foot football cards kind of within this
hobby, do you think that do you think that fanatics coming in and eventually
they're going to be making these football cards that they're going to be more popular
than what Panini does. I mean, I guess maybe the question that I
have is for you, like what are your hopes when it comes to fanatics
making football cards versus like what Panini is doing now. I guess I think
that's kind of like a time time will tell kind of question. I'm not
sure. I think we'll really see as they start making them. I don't
know. That's a hard one to guess. And I think we've also see
two If they ended up buying pretty too, I think that could also be
something that happens to um. Yeah, I don't know. It's a tough
one. Yeah. I think what I see with them there, it's going
to be a lot of new, new, new, you know, mixing
with like new designs, new products, and then mixing and physical with experiential
you know. So it's going to be just a lot of just new.
It's gonna be kind of like the Jetsons, you know, we back in
the based to my suggestions like oh my god, it's flying cars, and
yeah, it's going to be kind of like that in three years when we
see what fanatics does. Now. I'm not saying it's gonna be good or
bad, but it's just gonna be a lot of innovation and trying new things
and you know, and really trying to grow because obviously they're here to make
money, you know, so the only way to actually make money, money
that they invested in buying all this stuff is to expand the market, and
expand the market. The market the general public does not it's not going to
really be interested in the sports card market like as is. They have one
or two cards, fine, but being active no, But so they have
to take an approach of you know, experience base and different things. I
was wondering too because I was playing prison Monopoly, which also a very fun
game. I was wondering too, Well, they just can they eventually just
like buy everything at some point, Like because I just brought up them buying
penny, I wonder if they will just end up buying like a ton of
companies, Like I actually kind of think it's possible and it could just end
up being a monopoly, Like I think it could happen. I think it
could happen. Yeah, I mean I agree with that. I mean I
think a couple other sort of pieces of news that are kind of related to
this is like, uh, DraftKings had you know, they're like the fantasy
sports and now they're getting into like sports betting. They had recently a twenty
eighteen prison break that they were released that they did like over this past week.
I actually didn't wasn't able to catch the actual broadcast, but I know
that they were selling spots in like a break like DraftKings, like I think
is one of the biggest sports companies, and I mean I think Mike,
I think Kaylish Effort, Matt Kaylish, I think his name is. He
is in the Gary V circle with DraftKings, and then I think that also
kind of includes Michael Rubin as well, So I mean that's maybe where you're
seeing that. Fanatics also recently bought Points Bet, I believe, which is
like one of the bigger sports books in I don't know if it's in the
world or in the United States or whatever, but I mean I agree with
you, Brodie actually, like I think I wonder when Fanatics is going to
be like, Okay, we're good, or if they if they're going to
continue to keep buying the stuff. And I almost I'm a little bit nervous
that they're going to get over their head, to be completely honest, like,
I don't know necessarily. I mean, they're a big enough company that
I think they can bring anybody in. They can bring any industry expert in
probably because like especially the way that they're growing, like they're growing in a
bunch of different ways. I don't know if they're going to keep buying different
entities and different markets and try and really just become like the the everything sports
company. You if you want to buy clothing, you can buy stuff through
them, if you want to buy cards, if you want to bet on
sports, if you want to maybe fantasy sports is coming up soon. But
it's like it's kind of everything. So I mean, i'll broady, I'll
ask you this question. Do you think because I think you had a good
point there, like do you think that Fanatics is do you think that they're
buying too many things? Or like do you wish that like they'll continue to
grow and maybe become sort of like that that everything sports company. I guess
maybe they're buying a little too much, or maybe maybe they need to Maybe
they're like good enough like where they are now because they have like all the
pieces of the puzzle, or maybe there's like a couple more things that they
need to add, But they don't need to like keep expanding and get like
everything, you know what I mean, Like they don't need to be the
monopoly, but they need pieces. But then they need to stop because right
it still needs I feel like there still needs to be competition like that.
What is what makes this hobby like a hobby? I feel like this is
the competition that we have. Yeah, I'll take it to you as well,
and I ask you sort of the same questions. Oh yeah, Like
I agree with you, Rudy personally, I totally agree with you. When
the flip side business wise, you know, it's all about the dollar.
Like no matter how nicer and touch someone is who's running the company is,
it's still about you know, increasing profits and you know all of that jazz.
So it's you know, for them, it's kind of like they're saying,
like, you know, I used to play basketball, and it's being
saying like a coach would rather have opposing players that are like really good or
calls and problems, They would rather have them on their bench and not play
them versus having to go against them. So like the same thing with business,
Like I would rather just buy the company, and like it can just
be sitting on the shelf than me having to go against them, or it
can be the strategy of let me buy this company and it saves me,
you know, two years of time to do a twenty percent of research because
they've done eighty percent of the research. All I need is to extract this
amount because it saves us time. And one thing that fanatics is focused on
is getting the most done in a short period of time to really capitalize on
the way the sports landscape has changed dramatically with nil, with decrease in sports
viewership professionally, with you know, our NBA superstars aging like they have the
time window like once the Lebron and Steph Curry and like the grades that are
playing right now stop playing, sports viewership is going to plummet. And I'm
not hating it's not, you know, but I'm just saying, like I
know so many people, men and women that watch NBA just for Lebron James
or Steph Curry. They don't give a crap about the local team. They
don't. It doesn't interest them, no matter how good or talented or skill.
These players are people you know, in general, are just attached to
watching greatness, and you know, so fanatics, you know, they own
a window of like you know, within this next one to two years,
we need to be hitting these major markers to be fully established. So that's
why you know the strategy of just you know, buying things up. It
works for them, and they should keep doing it. But you know,
I just hope they continue to really just hire the right minds and have a
good balance between good business but also I'm doing what's right for the world,
so right, I mean, I think that's also I think what you said
there is a really phenomenal point about like Steph Curry and Lebron James, Like
those two players have such a global reach right now in the NBA, and
I'm wondering if there's really anybody in the league that has that same reach.
I mean, I think he honest potentially could maybe Jason Tatum, maybe Luca
Zion I think could have if he hadn't I don't know, gotten injured every
single season. Like I just so, I don't even know, I'm not
even gonna get into that conversation, but like I don't know, if there's
anybody in the league right now, like even Kevin Durant is another example.
I think the players in the league right now are on such almost like a
pedestal above the second tier of superstars that, in my opinion, it gets
a little bit sketchy when it comes to like what's going to happen in the
future with you know, maybe it's whether it's fanatics or whether you know,
whatever happens with Panini, like with these cards, like or even just you
know, viewership in general, Like are we reaching a peak almost, like
because we've seen ups and downs in terms of you know, every year we
continue to see TV ratings go up, Like, at what point does that
not happen? Like does that like I don't know, I mean, you
know, I think this year hopefully, I don't know. I mean,
I'm a Celtics fan, so I'm obviously rooting for the Celtics, but like
I'm wondering what the best matchup could be, Like is it you know,
is it Celtics Lakers? Probably, But like you know, if it's Nuggets
heat, is that also going to bring in a similar audience? Like,
I mean, I think in general, like with the NHL, right now.
That's one of the big issues that I think they're going to have in
terms of TV ratings for the conference finals. In the finals, you have
four teams in well vague, I guess it's kind of you know, they
have at least a decent amount of decent amount of the market, but you
have Dallas, Vegas, Florida, and Carolina, like four kind of random
teams like not like nobody from the nobody from the original six, which I
guess the original six maybe not as important as it used to be. But
either way, like I think, you know, like you were saying,
the TV ratings, I think it's going to continue to you know, hopefully
we continue to see a rise and that hopefully helps the sports card market.
But I guess it's really going to come down to, like I think Brodie
had said earlier, like who really knows, Like it's still there's still time
will tell what exactly is uh what exactly is going to happen, and so
we'll we'll transition from the quarterbacks of this year to the big names that are
going to be coming in the u NBA and w NBA and you know college.
Uh So there these past couple of weeks, we've seen some pretty quickly
developing stories. When it comes to Victor Wembaniana. Uh, he you know,
gets he's going to be drafted number one, He's supposed to be this
next super prospect, kind of similar. You know, Brody, I know
you're from Chicago, so I'm sure you're pretty hyped upbout Connor Bardard going to
going first overall to the Blackhawksard. Yeah, right, that's pretty that's pretty
cool as well. So I think it's interesting this year we're seeing two kind
of like super prospects coming out of basketball and hockey. But the you know
cards coming out now Obviously, you know Victor Wemanianna, he gets announced that
he's going to be in the Bowman inception set, he's going to be on
the Checklist, and then he gets announced that he's going to be on the
Bowman Chrome you set. Now the cards for Wembangnanna in this inception set.
Unfortunately, I've seen a couple come out on social media. They're redemptions,
which I think makes makes sense because like the announcement kind of came a little
bit quickly down the road. So um, you know, Brody, I'll
start with you, like what are kind of your initial thoughts on the this
set with Caitlyn Clark as well. I mean we'll get into that, but
Caitlin Clark, Victor Wembanana, what are kind of your initial thoughts on these
you know, these Bowman Chrome You and then the Bowman Inception sets coming out.
I think it's cool that they're doing multi sport. I kind of like
that. I like I like the design, they look cool. Um,
I just I've seen so many of them. That's like the one thing.
I've seen so many pictures of the redemption of women Yanna, So that's like
that's like the one concern I have. And for him coming to the league,
the one thing I have is he might need to go to the weight
room a little bit because he's kind of a little bit of a goofpick right.
Yeah, that's that's the point for a different time. But um yeah,
I don't know. I'm just not really like a huge prospector guy,
especially for basketball like internationally, because I don't really watch. I'm a bigger
college basketball guy because because I like the atmosphere of it. Um So yeah,
I don't know, we'll see I'm not I'm not really your guy.
For that. Yah. Um, So Eric, I'll ask you kind of
the same question, like what are some of your you know, these two
sets are I mean, I think are going to maybe in my opinion,
I think these sets are going to I don't want to say revolutionize, but
I think they're going to be a big deal in the grand scheme of things
when it comes to college cards. I think, you know, we have
like a like Caitlyn Clark. I mean it is I watched her pretty closely
this season. Uh, and she's just like a superstar basically, and you
know there's some superstars in the you know, w NBA. You got your
Aces shirt like I was mentioning earlier. So I'm you know, I'm interested
from your perspective, like what do you think of these cards and kind of
uh the you know, just the the autographs between the two in general.
I guess yes, Um, I'll start I'm gonna start off with ladies first,
So I'll start off with Caitlin and the ladies. I think that this
is great for women's college basketball players because with nil social media, how things
have changed within the last few years. It's become even have more then even
bigger reach and the demand for you know, um, the top female basketball
players sports cards are is really high. Like it's really high. And I
know people say those college uniforms well for women's basketball, that that doesn't I
don't think that's the case, to be honest, because people drool over Candice
Parker cards with her Tennessee uniform or or maya more or her un you kind
of uniform or or you know, or page or you know a fud like
they they want those cards just as much or if not more, because of
the significance and how and how invested people are and women's college basketball. You
gotta remember, women's college college basketball plays on the same timeline as men's college
basketball, So PHIL is like a full season w BA. It's it's like
it's a way shorter period in terms of how it feels, and you know,
so it's two different markets. Uh. Like me personally, I would
love to get a case in court card in her Iowa Jersey because when I
think about it, I think about how great she has been. You know,
Like for me personally, if you asked me if I wanted Sabred in
that school card, which card would I rather have? An Oregon card or
um a Liberty card. I would personally rather the organ card because I remember
her the greatness that she was doing a college Like that's more appealing for me,
And I think that's how it is for them, for them, the
followers of women's sports. But um, on the flip side with Victor,
Um, I'm happy to see him in a set and everything. Uh,
international players is kind of they trans They don't really translate as as well as
people like to think they do, you know, like Janni's he's very undappreciative,
But I believe that's because he is not um American, you know,
point Blake period. Like we can go down the list of you know,
form worn and play players and they're just dramatically underappreciated in that sense. Uh.
And I think Victor is going to kind of fall on that same boat.
Um, you know. And and I think this is a lot of
pressure being put on him. Like I saw a little brief from the draft
and I'm like, oh wow, Like he's getting a lot of like not
lebron as pressure, but it's close. This is it's closest to like the
Lebron coming out since I've seen. But I just don't think that's fair for
him, and I don't think that no one will will come even close to
Lebron Lebron's story, So I don't know. I would me personally if you
ask me if I was going to buy a card between these two, Caitlin
or Victor, I will buy Caitlin. To be honest with you, Yeah,
I'm actually I'm I'm in the same same boat. I mean, like
I said, it was unfortunate this season that page Buker's got injured like in
the first Yukon practice. I mean yeah, and then you know, I
think the storyline's going into the next college women's college basketball season. I think
it's probably going to be the most anticipated. Like I mean, I guess
you know there the media I think has done a better job at covering it.
So I think maybe we know the names more, which I think that
has led to it being more anticipated. I mean, I think, you
know, you've got LSU with Angel, she is like a superstar in the
making. I think you could consider her probably already a superstar maybe. And
they have Van Leaves, who is transferring from from Louisville, who is another
you know player who it has like a pretty big size nil like contracted just
in general, and then you obviously got Paige Bukers coming back, he got
Caitlyn Clark. I mean, I'm hoping that we're you know, I guess
I'm hoping that maybe we're gonna see like a each of them get their own
region, and then in the final four, maybe there's like matchups between the
two of them. I mean that would be I mean, that's like a
dream scenario, I think between those three teams. But I think even then
this year we're seeing like Leah Boston go first overall, So that was extremely
exciting. I mean, she's one of the other names that's coming out of
this set. And then the Bowman Chrome Youth said as well, So I'm
actually in the same boat as you. Like, if we're between the two,
I would go Caitlyn Clark. You know, I like Victor Wembannon.
I think you know, his name always gets, you know, clicks when
you're making content. But h in my opinion, like, I mean,
we've seen Caitlyn Clark, We've seen her just go out there and just you
know, I thought I thought she had a phenomenal, phenomenal season. I
mean, LSU, I think they maybe had a they obviously had a better
team overall, all, like more good players, like uh so, yeah,
I mean I'm in the same boat as you, and I'm brody you.
I think you had a point before. I kind of was going off
there a little bit. No, I would just I would rather have the
Kitla Clark too, because I mean, I just like the college significant with
the doll even though I'm not an Iowa fan. I'm an Illinois fan,
so that's like the only problem with that. But you know, I mean
I remember the I think it was the twenty seventeen or twenty eighteen Notre Dame
woman's team that I watched when they hit the buzzer beater. I have a
huge family Notre Dame fan and that was one of the craziest woman's national Tournament
teams I ever watched. It was awesome. We had a great time watching
that team. Yeah, I would. I would also love to see fanatics
like you know, when I said they wouldn't be doing new new I hope
that they really really do new new stuff and like something like release a product
at the start of you know, college basketball season. You know, it
could be mixed the men's and women's like together, but have something to be
excited for have something that in live games people can be incorporating with you know,
with marketing talking about you know and then you know. So I would
love I would love for that because I hate all of the off season releases
because it just it's it just doesn't understand the logistics and business behind it.
But as someone who watches sports and collects cards, it just doesn't make sense,
Like it doesn't. I agree, And I mean I think the one
thing when they announced the Bowman Chrome Use set, I was like, they
I wish that they had, like I think that they need to. I'm
hoping Fanatics maybe does this. I'm not one hundred percent year if they will,
but like I'm hoping that we can get like more more sets around significant
times of the year, so like you know, more like more you know,
whatever the tops chrome basketball or whatever comes out during the NBA Finals,
Like I think that would be really cool, or like when they bring in
football, like or if they get Prism or whatever the whatever the brand ends
up being, like the biggest brand comes out during the championship or like you
know, the college products or the first product comes out you know, during
the draft or like during the All Star game or something like that. I
just think I think that there's it's kind of twofold there. There are a
lot of products, so I mean, I guess it's kind of tough to
maybe schedule it that way. But I just think that maybe if they've reduced
the amount of products, unfortunately, that might lead to an increase in the
print run. But I think that there's maybe there could be more thought put
behind, like when products are coming out during the year. Yeah, I
think that would be I personally believe that's something that Fanatics is already is on
there the may points to do because in order for them, like them to
continue to grow, they have to do it that way. Like what like
like like it would be so cool to have like an NBA Final Special Release
pack come out, you know, even if it's so limited, like but
it's live like you literally can you know, like to capitalize on that for
the newer market because at the end of the day, people who don't collect
cards and or sports fans, it has to line up when they're watching it
is when they actually opening products or being very active and buying products, Like
that's the only way to really capitalize one How can you example, like my
best friend. Like we um, we went to the casino to watch the
Aces game, the playoff game, and I surprised him with a Kelsey Plum
card. He was so hype like like he loved the way she played,
like he loved her like and but we we watched the game that scene day,
like if I would give it to him like all season, it'll be
still cool. But it wouldn't he wouldn't ahead as a much excitement because it
broke backup memory. So when we look at that card, he'd be like,
yo, I remember me. He was at the casino spending time.
It all connects, like you know, human emotions to feelings and everything like
that, and that's how consumerism is, like you know, it just makes
sure. But Fanatics is gonna be fine because because they operate, they operate
when their business aspect and people have to remember like you know, for people
in the hobby, the hobby is like one hundred percent thing, but Fanatics,
the sports card hobby is probably when fifteen percent of their whole thing.
So it's going to be just very interesting. Yeah. Um, you know,
Brody, do you have any like kind of final thoughts on sort of
these the prospect cards that are coming out or what what what's kind of exciting
for you? I know you kind of mentioned some things. What's like exciting
for you? Like the you have like a player you're excited for, I
mean Connor Bredard, I would imagine probably you're pretty excited for. Yeah,
I'm excited to see those and all the Illinois players. We got a couple
going into the draft supposedly, so I'll be excited to see them leave.
Yeah, probably, yeah, And I mean you're I how do I wear
this nicely? I was a Bruins fan or I am a Bruins fan,
so I wasn't necessarily following I kind of was following the Connor Bdard's saga.
But like, as you know, Blackhawks didn't have the best season, uh
kind of unfortunately traded away of one of your superstar Patrick Kane unfortunately. So
like for you, like what like was something was Connor Bardard? Were you
surprised that they got the first pick or was it something where you were you
doing like seances with like candles and like like lighting stuff and trying to like
make sure you could get them. Oh, I thought they raked it.
I didn't think there was any way on my dad showed me. I'm like,
oh, this is raged. There's no way they want him to go
to Chicago. They didn't want him to go to Canada. They want him
to go to Chicago so that they could rebuild the new Patrick Kane. They
didn't want him go to Vancouver to Chicago being in the middle of the country.
That's that's why did they rigged it? Guaranteed. I think it's also
interesting a lot of that's what kind of a lot of people were saying too
about like when Benyonna going to the spurs um I am in the boat where
I'm seventy five twenty five on the NBA, is potentially there's some a little
bit of rigging going on there. I mean, you know, yeah,
Anthony, this is a conspiracy theory potentially, but maybe not. But like
when Lebron left when they when he left for the Heat, three out of
the four years he was gone, the Calves got the first pick in a
lottery, so I don't understand how that happens. And then the one year
that they didn't get the first pick was the Anthony Davis draft and that was
the same year that the Charlotte I believe it was Charlotte, or was New
Orleans, whichever one it was at the time. I think it was New
Orleans. They sold the NBA owned the team, and they sold the team
and then they got the first pick. So, you know, Victor Wembannona
going to maybe one of the teams that has the best developing of international prospects.
I mean, I think it's definitely a good thing for him. I
mean, you know, he's gonna have a number of international You got Tony
Parker, you got man who's nobly I mean, Popovich, He's you know
that that kind of team in general is just good at developing prospects. So
I think that's that's a good thing. I mean, I don't know,
you know, maybe if Zion had gone somewhere that you know, I don't
know, had a better development of prospects, maybe things would have turned out
a little bit differently unfortunately, but you know, it is what it is.
But yeah, um, so, I mean, well we'll kind of
wrap this topic up a little bit. So you know, Erica, what
um do you have, Like who are you most excited for kind of in
these in these process in these new Bowman Chrome use sets, like is Caitlin
Clark the player that you're kind of most excited for. Were that? Were
there any other names that you kind of had your eye on in these u
in these sets that are coming out. Okay, I'm personally I'm gonna anti
breaking type with this phase right now. So I haven't really put much thought
into it, but from what I've seen, I really like, I would
really love to have a nice Kitlin Clark card and a Lah Boston card.
So I saw the Leah Boston. I don't know if it was a patch
card. It was a really nice card I saw the first. But I
would really like to have those two players because they've had outstanding college careers and
it's been honor and wonderful to watch them play it. So, yeah,
those are the two for me. And then yeah, same same kind of
question for you, Bertie or you know, you said you had a couple
of or you had a couple of Illinois players that were in the draft.
Who were some of the players that maybe you're excited for that are coming out
of this draft. Yeah, I actually looked at the checklist. Yeah,
I actually just kind of been seeing who people have pulled. I don't know
if they're in the checklists or not. But Coleman Hawkins and Terry Shannon Junior
not sure if they're in the checklists or not. But I'll actually after we
get off this, I'll probably go and look at the checklist autograph. Awesome.
Awesome. Yeah. And then and then this week some of the other
kind of news that uh sort of came out was there was a new triple
logo man coming out with Luca Lebron uh Steph Curry. We obviously remember last
year the crazy hype around that Lebron triple logo man. Um, So you
know, okay, it's you, Erica. First. Is this is this
a car that kind of gets you excited or is it sort of just like
another you know, marketing piece for Panini at this point? Um, it
does. It does not get me excited at all. Actually, I just
I just kind of just look at it as like, Okay, um,
definitely a marketing push. This is the type of card or that it's only
really hyped up and popular because other people listen to other people, right,
you know, like if X and I do theyn't like it esthetically, then
most people don't like I don't know, So that's a note for me.
I was really I was really disappointed to see Luca on this card. But
you know already, you know, you know how that cookie crumbles. But
I would like to see another player in his place on that card. Just
keep it, keep it a championship winning all time fifty great card if you
you know, put your honest one here instead of like right, yeah,
yeah, um, you know, I love Luca. You know I'm right
from it all, but I just just a little premature right now, like
you know, so right makes sense, Brodie'll kick to you kind of same
question here is this something you know? I feel like these are, to
be honest, I feel like these types of cards are sort of out of
all of our price ranges. But like, is this a card that you're
excited for or um, you know, what are your thoughts on the card?
I guess well, I mean I see a little broad in the middle,
but I don't see him on the left of the right, so that
I was kind of just like yeah, whatever, Like I just was like,
man, it was it would have a bit coolth lebron with done all
three again because that card is awesome. I love that card last year when
you know, kind of golden and Drake we're doing live streams awesome. Yeah,
ye all seriousness. I mean I was just kind of joking with you
because all the hype for the Triple Ago Man last year. But it's cool.
But I mean I like the seventy fifth anniversary, but I mean I'd
rather have signatures of all three of the amount of cards too, clearly,
honest. Yeah. Yeah, I mean I think the seventy fifth anniversary logo
is pretty cool. Like so, I mean, Eric, I'll ask you,
do you think that like cards with this seventy fifth anniversary logo are going
to be desirable? Like do you think it matters or do you think it's
like something where it's just you know, it's gonna be another in whatever,
ten fifteen years. It's just we're not going to look back and be like,
all those seventy fifth anniversary cards like those were the ones that you really
want to get. I don't. I don't think that's going to be the
case to be. No, no, no, yeah, I'm kind of
in the same boat. I mean they are really they are cool logos,
but at the same time, it's like, ah, like you know,
maybe it's just another marketing, marketing kind of thing for them. I guess
yeah, And they could have done better these companies. You know, it's
these companies really lack in terms of just brainstorm and good ideas, like you
could they could have done so much other creative thing to make really cool cards.
Like Brody said, like the lebron car from last year, that was
a cool card because it just broke down like each that that he made of
a greatness, like you know, uh, that was great, Like they
could have done some other really cool stuff like that. But I don't know,
right, it's just crazy. Yeah, And Brodie, I mean I'll
ask you kind of the similar question here. Do you think do you think
cards with this seventy fifth anniversary logo are are going to be you know,
important in the grand scheme of things or do you think it's going to be
just kind of like another card like in the in the in the grand scheme
of things? Probably just another card. I don't Yeah, I don't.
I don't see anything really that's like too exciting. Yeah. I'm seeing a
lot of comments too, like let's see a lot of people, you know,
Collector's dream more hype marketing. Uh, Ziggy said Logoman's overrated. They
are overrated. Yeah, well overproduced. Logoman's are overproduced. I think the
one thing that I sort of have an issue with with Logo Man is that,
like I feel like it used to be only in like National Treasures you
would get Logo Man, and then it turned into or you'd only get it
in Flawless, or you'd only get it in a certain amount of sets.
But now it's like almost every set has like a one of one Logo Man,
and I almost think it's I almost think that it's taken away sort of
some of the mystique of it, I guess, And I mean I would
be interested. I would imagine these probably are game worn. I think I'm
not one hundred percent sure about that, but like, I mean, that's
one thing that I hope really fanatics can step in and really take back sort
of the memorabilia in cards. Like you know, they obviously have such a
huge network of players that are you know it either signed to them, and
then they also are kind of the the exclusive partner for a lot of these
companies. So like we'll see sort of what happens down the road. I
mean, for you, Erica, Like where do you think fanatics can come
in and maybe make these cards a little bit more important or or better,
I guess, because like, yes, it is good, good marketing,
but like at the same time, it's like it's the same concept that they
came out with last year, Like at what point. The thing I also
get nervous about is like when do they just come out with another Lebron triple
logo? Man, Like I'm nervous that they would do something like that because
of how much money they made. So like, for you, Erica,
what's something that you're hoping that sort of fanatically maybe fix when it comes to
these types of memorabilia cards, Uh, more creativity And it's not that hard
to be more creative, you know. And it's it's like I don't.
I have tons of ideas, but I just but I don't know, like
be more, be more creative, Like I just don't. I just don't
understand. I just like even like this cart right here, like like why
why is Luca on this cart? Like what is the reason for it?
Like like like I would love to know with the even like from from who
you know, I don't they can't give me a good put like put like
KD I mean or I mean anyway I feel like any more any veteran that's
maybe in them better conversation, because like I mean, over the years,
we've seen triple cards that like one of the players you've never heard of.
I don't think Luca is going to be in that conversation, but I do
think that like the the to make a card that should be as prestigious,
I think as they want this one. I feel like a K. D
or Um. I mean, I don't know, Brodie for you, for
you, like if you were to replace Luca on this card, like what
what player? Uh? What player would you choose? I mean, or
even just like what if you would make a triple card like this, Like
who were the players that you would include? You could add anyone like Durant,
Joannese. It just needs to be somebody that's like want a title.
It just Luca just seems out of place. I feel like it's not that
he's like not really good or won't do great things. It's just he's out
of place, Like he's what two of the greatest ever into like the guys
that are like the one percent of the one percent of the one percent of
all time, and he's just kind of chilling on the right side of this
card, He's yeah, put you on its on there, right, yeah.
And also yeah, with the significance of the seventy five is this also
ties with the seventy five lists, right, So why couldn't they have done
something with the active players who are active do something like that. It's not
that hard to be creative, like or at least the three players on this
card should have been off that list like regards to how you feel about the
list or not. But that makes more sense, and that's things that will
transcend, you know, later down because I remember clearly when the fifty list
came out. I was younger, I remember remember all the height the people
being mad about shacking on on the list is then the third But that's something
that I always remember and carry through. I do feel as though that the
seventy five lists will, you know, kind of lingers similar like that.
But I don't know, it's just it's not hard to be creative. Guys
like fanatics like you know whoever these people make Panini right, right. Yeah.
We've actually had some good comments some cards that I want to point out.
So like Zach said that he would rather have a Bo Jackson football baseball
card. I mean that bo Jackson's one of my favorite athletes. Like his
eighty six rookie card is one of my favorite cards. And then you know
you got the iconic one where he's holding the bat. That's another iconic card.
Um let's see who else we had. I think somebody said, oh,
then Janie like we were saying, somebody said, uh, White Sox
fan said, uh, Yokich, and then Zach also said, uh Tony
Cook from the Bowl, that would be a cool one. I mean,
it's unfortunate, you know. I think the one thing that fanatics and panini
need to look out for in the near future is that like Lebron isn't m
I think he's he's signed the exclusive to upper decks, so when he retires,
he's not going to be in products, similar to what happened with Michael
Jordan. Like Michael Jordan has and like Wayne Gretzky for hockey, these players
aren't in new sets because they I think it's that they aren't part of the
Basketball Players Association, or it's it's something along those lines. I know they
signed the exclusive with our pretext, so like once once Lebron isn't in the
league, that's that's also why there aren't any Lebron autos, not any of
these products. So like, for example, this card wouldn't be able to
be like a Lebron Triple Auto like which that would be, I mean,
phenomenal, but like unfortunately, that's kind of the reason why I think they're
maybe trying to cash in on Lebron cards right now with doing everything they can
to really get those get those products. Uh, let's see we got Also,
yeah, somebody said Luca has fallen. Kids are when kids are saying
he's out of place. I don't, I don't. I think he might
be referring to you, Brody. Unfortunately you're not. Yeah, yeah,
I remember when I first met Brody actually at the twenty UM twenty nineteen national.
I think you gave me one of the wristbands that you were giving out,
and you know, it's it's it's kind of crazy to see that you've,
uh you have grown up pretty significantly over the past few years, which
really cool to see. Um Triple Sorry to block you there, Brodie,
but Triple Logo teammates would have been cool. For example, Celtics Pierce Allen.
I mean that would have been I mean, that's a phenomenal idea in
my opinion, but obviously as a Celtics fan, that that would be that'd
be crazy. So yeah, Brody, go ahead. If we were doing
like, like what if we wanted to make the seventy five impactful, Like
what if we did like Lebron is on the right for like the modern day
well is like early day NBA, I don't know, like Bill Russell,
like somebody like that, somebody on those lines, and then in the middle
obviously can't do Jordan, but right, somebody like Larry Bird or somebody like
that, Like, do somebody from each era each twenty five years era and
it kind of makes it like maybe their greatest of each era something like that,
because that could make seventy five feel impactful. Yeah, that would be
really cool. Um do do you guys know if these are game used or
not? I don't remember. I think they should be, right or maybe
are they not, because that would I mean if they're not that kind of
ruins the point of the cards like that. I know the last year's Lebron
card was all the logomans from when he played on those other teams, But
um, I mean, is that something you know, Eric, I'll start
with you there is do do the like how much of a difference do you
think it makes for memorabilia to be game war and versus you know, yeah
body like Dick Sporting Goods or whatever? Huge and capital letters? Yeah,
huge difference day and night. Like it just it amazes me that they put
you know, not not game warned by the actual player on these cards and
this think that we were going to be a okay with that, Like,
no, stop disrespecting consumers. Stop disrespecting us by putting bs in products like
this like carry it. I don't like, doesn't doesn't make any sense.
Well does because companies don't care about us, But I don't know, I
don't like it, right. Uh yeah, I'll ask you kind of the
same same question boarding imagine your answer is probably be very similar. But you
know, um what do you what do you think of the you know,
game warren versus uh, the Dicks, Sporting goods jerseys. Oh yeah,
obviously game warrant it's super important. But I was watching Ken Golden Show and
he had something on there that I think right away was like a huge example
for me to use game war and stuff. He wanted to Carl Malone's I
don't know if it was like his house or items storage or something, but
he had all of the Dreams teams jerseys and shoes that they wore. They
never washed them, all their home uniforms, and they're actually on its site
right now up for up. They never washed them. There's blood stains everything.
So I just think it's awesome. Why would you want to go buy
that something like that, it Dicks Sporting Goods when you could have that like
put just put them in the card please, right right? Yeah? And
I mean I think it's definitely you know, I feel like that's a fine
line when you're buying, when you're buying these used jerseys and you're making them
into memorabilia pieces. Like I think I saw a m I saw the shirt
that Lebron wore, the pregame shirt that Lebron wore when he broke the scoring
record. I think it was Heritage Auctions, I believe, or maybe it
was Hunt Auctions. I forget the exact auction house, but they the shirts
sold for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and in my opinion, I
was just like, why would you know, why would sports card companies not
come in and buy something like that and then put that in cards, because
they they one hundred percent could easily make more than one hundred and fifty thousand
dollars if they were to buy something like that. So Eric, I'll i'll
ask you this question. Do you think that sports card companies should buy kind
of iconic memorabilia pieces like that and tournament in the cards or do you think
that like that should be kind of kept intact or whoever bought it, like
uh, and it shouldn't be something that is made into cards. I guess
that's a great question. I lean more towards keeping it intact because that's you
know, that's a museum. That's a museum pieces. But I think maybe
a small percentage you can go into cards. I just don't think all of
them, I don't think, but uh yeah, I won't. I have
no problem with you know, with those shoe string cards or like the tongue
cards from shoes like those are cool. Those are nice cards. Or the
glove like I have a football glove card. I think that card is so
cool, like you know, uh, so yeah, I think that they
should make more of those type of products, um for sure, but make
sure they have really good designs with it and just try to keep the quality
up as well. Like it sucks. It sucks full in a card to
get in the card and and then it's all dinged up, like even fresh,
like it's nothing worse, well it's stuff worse than it, and like,
but it really sucks. It makes you feel like why I'm why am
I even trying to enjoy this hobby when it's I get crap? Right,
that's my own w about that. Yeah, unfortunately you are. We are
running into issues like that. I mean, I think in another good comment,
three Jerry West silhouettes on one card would be super cool. I mean
there's literally so many, I don't know, there's I think there's so many
different combinations they really could go for. So, I mean, I'll ask
you actually brought it the same question. Do you think that would you like
to see them make cards out of iconic pieces of memorabilia or do you think
it's almost like something where they should they shouldn't be They can buy the game,
use stuff, but then they shouldn't make you know, they shouldn't like
iconic like another Sorry. Another example of a jersey that recently sold was in
the playoffs during Alan Irison's rookie year. I think it was in a similar
price range. I think it was in the one fifty price range where the
jersey that Alan Irison actually wore they photo matched the whole uniform, and that
was another one that's sold. Like so, I'll ask you the same similar
question. Do you think that they should keep these memorabilia pieces together or do
you would you like to see more maybe in a sports card product. I
would say keep them together. But I think there's really a way they can
do this, and they can make it a chase like thing. If they
can put redemptions, special redemptions and products like Flawless and evidence for the whole
item, I think it would be awesome. The chase would be incredible.
I think it would be the biggest chase possible because you'd I think it would
be really cool. I don't know if you if they bought I don't know
Carl Moon's Dream Team uniform, I'll just go at that and there was a
redemption for it and you've got it, Oh my goodness, that it would
be awesome. Or if they bought the whole dream if they bought everybody's and
you didn't know who we were getting. It could be Jordan, or it
could be John Stockton. I mean that would be pretty cool. You could
keep the whole memorability attacked, or it could be a huge chase for it.
Ken Golden Drake could be going live. Everybody could be chasing for it.
Kind of be a cool experience all around. Yeah, almost they could.
They could almost do like maybe make like a super oversized card with like
the with the full jersey, like similar how they do like the jersey displays,
but like make it almost like a card. Like I think that would
be kind of an interesting concept, like because they already do oversized cards in
some box. But I think I'm, like I said, I'm on the
fence between like I think I think these iconic pieces should be kept whole.
But also like I'm also thinking from a from the sports card perspective, like
they easily could they easily could make products with some of these crazy jerseys and
market the products with the jerseys in them. That's kind of the other thing
that I feel, like, Um, if they were to try something new,
that might be a good idea, But I think your your idea with
like a redemption card or some sort of because I mean even if they don't,
because it would I would think that they if they did that, if
they made like an actual design of the card, but it's like a redemption
almost like how they do Um. I think it's tops uh Alan and Ginter.
Maybe where they do the like rip cards where it's like you can rip
it and there might be a card on the inside. I think that would
be kind of cool. Um. So you know all, I think there
are so many different things, I mean, Erica. So I'll i'll you
know, well, we'll go with you and then we'll sort of kind of
we're coming up on the end of the show here. So if you had
any ideas, uh for fanatics or Panini, like what would you want to
see like in a in a in a product or that and I'm coming product
I suppose uh um. Oh, I'm hesitant to say because I have a
lot of ideas. Uh Um, I'm not okay, Uh we we might,
we might. You know, I've always joked that we should be we
should be charging for these ideas, like eventually hopefully I'm too. So I'm
uh you know, I'll probably be working on my own company or something today
A degree. Yeah, yeah, um, so I don't know, you
know what, you know what I'll do. Well, let me let me
switch the question a little bit. UM. Something that we talked about on
a previous show, Uh, was the the new Beckett CEO UM and the
old Beckett CEO. Really they weren't. The old Beckett CEO wasn't necessarily a
collector. UM. So I think we asked a question that that was very
interesting that I'm interested to get your guys's perspective. Uh, do you think
that somebody that is like a CEO or like some sort of C level executive
do you think that they have to collect sports cards for it to be a
successful Hi Erica, I'll start with you on that question. No, I
don't think they have to collect sports cards, but I think that they have
to have a true interest in learning and getting to understand the shoes of a
true collector or just the aspects of it. They have to really just have
an interested in and put the work into it. UM, because as long
as you just need you just need an understanding. If you get an understanding
of it, then you can kind of mix it the right amount of gumboat
mix that you need to make it work for everybody involved. Um, yeah,
so I don't think they need to be a collector perspective, but and
also too honestly, like the way Fanatics is probably going to go, from
my point of view, it's less collector based anyway. It's less of what
the hobby is now. It's not what the hobby represents now, it's which
direction they're going in. It's it's a totally they're on a totally different highway.
We're on ninety five south right now they're going ninety five north right.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So Brodie, Okay, I'll ask you kind
of similar question, like do you think CEOs of these companies need to be
sports card collectors or collectors of anything, because that was that was kind of
the thing that I think we came to consensus on on the other episode,
was that they don't have to necessarily be into sports cards, but they have
to sort of understand the nature of collecting. So, like, from your
perspective, is that's something that you think is super important or do you think
it's something where somebody who's a you know, at that level should sort of
have a grasp on just the marketing and all that kind of stuff. In
general, they really need to be knowledgeable and what collectors do and why why
people do what they do. I think I don't know. This is a
great question for me. I kind of blanked out. I don't know.
Yeah, I don't know. I never I have my brain froze. That's
all good, Yeah, I think. I mean, I think what you
said there is kind of what we sort of were saying on the other episode
with you know, the collecting concept. People they have to understand that more
maybe than necessarily be into sports cards. I think the pool honestly of people
who are could be executive level employees and then are also into sports cards is
probably not super large. If I had to guess, Um, I'm sure
like a lot of us you know that are making content or that are kind
of working on stuff in the industry. I think advisor level stuff I think
would be really great. I mean, I think that makes a lot of
sense. Um. So, I actually think we're gonna come to sort of
the end of the show here. So Brody, I'll kick it to you
first. Do you have any thoughts too, or anything you want to share
with the audience to kind of wrap up the show here? Just follow me
on Twitter at brody kk on Instagram at Brody the Kid won. Yeah,
thanks guys for watching the show, and thank you guys absolutely. Erica,
same same question for you. Yes, oh, Um, I appreciate everyone.
I'm happy to be here. Um, if you happen to be at
home and you don't have any scheduled things to watch today, one in three
pm ABC, w NBA games or will be on, so tune in,
you know. Uh, that's what I will say, tune in and enjoy.
Absolutely. It's also good to see, you know, w NBA games
finally being put on TV. I think that's that's really exciting. I mean,
I think, uh, it's it's it's something where you know, the
bubble. I think was really kind of the first time we saw w NBA
games really kind of promoted on ESPN. I mean, I think that was
really great. Most of those games were kind of all all on ESPN,
which was really great and every day Yeah, right, exactly exactly. It
was amazing, right. Yeah. And so for me, um, we're
all we all work with Hobby News Daily. I'm gonna give them a shout
out as well. Um, Erica Brody, you know, phenomenal writers doing
uh the monthly weekly articles, stuff like that I've been working kind of on
the back end on some of the blog stuff that's been, you know,
been really great. We've been making some great updates to the website. UM,
so I want to give you, know, Danny obviously a huge shout
out, John, huge shout out. Um They're all we also kind of
it's sort of similar circles where we all are sort of on this show and
then we sort of some of us work for hobby News Daily, which is
really right. I really want to appreciate everybody for leaving comments. Thank you
to everybody who enjoyed today's show. Make sure you check us out. I
believe the next show will be next Saturday here on bench Clear Media. If
you enjoyed the show, make sure you hit the like button on YouTube.
Check us out at hobby News Daily, also on our other YouTube channel.
We'll not our other world YouTube channel, but the hobby News Daily YouTube channel.
Thank you all for watching and we will see you in the next episode.