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jswaykos
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Sorry if it's been posted already... http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ortCat=mlb
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Baseball card piece on ESPN.com
- Thread starter jswaykos
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mredsox89
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I wish ESPN would look at the electronic world of baseball cards, as that is what it has become. Every time they do a story on a shop, they make it sound like the baseball card world is hanging onto dear life, just inches away from death.
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jswaykos
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mredsox89 said:
Agreed. I wouldn't say the card industry is hurting at all - it's just changing. Just like brick and mortar book stores, and music stores, and movie stores. Blockbusters are going out of business, but that doesn't mean the movie industry is dead.
mredsox89
New member
jswaykos said:
The industry is hurting, but not nearly as much as the general public thinks it is. It is changing more than anything else. Just like many other industries, it is moving towards an all internet business. Sure, there are some hobby stores, but most of them are around partly because they opened up either a shop on ebay or have their own website. The industry fell down, closer to the norm. It was sky high for a while, and its not surprising, just the business cycle.
ChasHawk
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I don't get it. How did that piece make it sound like the hobby/industry was dying?
Tomlinson21RB
Active member
chashawk said:
Can't you read?
mredsox89
New member
chashawk said:
I was saying more in general from all baseball card pieces I have read. They all act like it is a surprise to find that the industry is still going on. Maybe its just the way I read them. Saying the industry will survive doesn't mean to me that it isn't on the downward trend, but I guess I can see if that doesn't sound right to someone else.
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jswaykos
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mredsox89 said:
I get what you're saying. These articles take a general tone of, "Whoa! Baseball cards! I remember those!"
uniquebaseballcards
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- Nov 12, 2008
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The card shop owner hints at it in the video - and said something about getting people to *collect* again.
mredsox89 said:
mredsox89
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uniquebaseballcards said:
I guess regardless, it is good for there to be an espn story on the industry
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jswaykos
New member
Yeah, the video definitely gives more of an impression that the hobby is dying. I really just meant to point it our for the five minutes of entertainment it provided!
ChasHawk
New member
I didn't get that feeling from the video either. The owner said something to the effect of peoplejswaykos said:
collecting as kids, losing interest in their teen years, and coming back in their 20's and 30's. When
the reporter asked him what the card companies could do to improve, he said something about doing
more for collectible sets, and casual collectors.
Nowhere did I hear him say anything about the hobby/industry/his business dying.
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jswaykos
New member
OK. Agree to disagree, I suppose... the way some people hear/understand things is always different than others. He made mention of how he used to be able to put out a box of cards and make money, but now not so much. To me, that means less demand, which means less interest. I don't think anyone will argue that overall there are FAR LESS collectors today than there were 20, 30, or 40 years ago. We just happen to immerse ourselves in messages boards and blogs that are fiercely devoted to baseball cards, while the general population still has boxes of '92 Topps that they think are "good".
theplasticman
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- Nov 21, 2008
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I used to visit that shop when I lived in Seattle 2001-2004. Nice spot.
predatorkj
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- Aug 7, 2008
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I really do think a large portion of society doesn't really think many people collect cards anymore. I have told quite a few people and they always have the same response, " People still do that?", followed up by "So you waste your money on baseball cards?". That is what our hobby is thought of and to tell the truth...good. I am happy. The less people that collect...the better. If more people collected, IMO, it would start raising prices on the secondary market. As long as we have enough people to buy enough stuff to where cards can and wills till be made...so be it. There is a reason cards tanked back in the early to mid 90's and I believe it did for all the right reasons. If everyone becomes attracted to something...it goes into overdrive and breaks down.
The early 90's was a great time to collect but now when I go into a shop...I kind of relish the fact that its slowed down a bit. I don't like being a part of a trend. Kind of like when I used to skateboard back in the late 90's all the way until I got out of high school. It was fun and kind of unique because I knew absolutely nobody else at school who did it. But now I can literally open my front door and I'll see no less than three kids skating down the street as if its the most common thing on earth. I see kids wearing shirts that have band names on them and it leaves me scratching my head wondering. I liked a lot of bands when I was in high school but everybody liked rap. Now...ten years later, kids listen to this stuff even though it wasn't popular when it came out? Then you start to wonder if they even do listen to them or if its just the only shirt they thought looked cool at Hot Topic at the mall.Another fun thing to do is try asking a 16 year old wearing a Led Zeppelin shirt if they like Led Zeppelin(even though Zeppelin is popular with the older crowd) and they look at you and ask "what?". Then you feel like a fool for assuming they actually listen to them.
In any case...I like that we have our own little world. I think too much hoopla could only hurt the industry. If we gain too much attention...then the companies start doing crap they normally wouldn't do and all it does is hurt the industry. Let it be and let the people who like it stay comfortable.
The early 90's was a great time to collect but now when I go into a shop...I kind of relish the fact that its slowed down a bit. I don't like being a part of a trend. Kind of like when I used to skateboard back in the late 90's all the way until I got out of high school. It was fun and kind of unique because I knew absolutely nobody else at school who did it. But now I can literally open my front door and I'll see no less than three kids skating down the street as if its the most common thing on earth. I see kids wearing shirts that have band names on them and it leaves me scratching my head wondering. I liked a lot of bands when I was in high school but everybody liked rap. Now...ten years later, kids listen to this stuff even though it wasn't popular when it came out? Then you start to wonder if they even do listen to them or if its just the only shirt they thought looked cool at Hot Topic at the mall.Another fun thing to do is try asking a 16 year old wearing a Led Zeppelin shirt if they like Led Zeppelin(even though Zeppelin is popular with the older crowd) and they look at you and ask "what?". Then you feel like a fool for assuming they actually listen to them.
In any case...I like that we have our own little world. I think too much hoopla could only hurt the industry. If we gain too much attention...then the companies start doing crap they normally wouldn't do and all it does is hurt the industry. Let it be and let the people who like it stay comfortable.
