bcubs
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2014 called and they want their 80's back!
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The Card industry (past and present)
- Thread starter domino2012
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2014 called and they want their 80's back!
matfanofold
Active member
- Aug 10, 2008
- 7,645
- 1
The card industry has changed with the times, so have kids. Kids today are of a generation of instant gratification & bling, to that end Topps has done a good job creating products that offer this on many levels. 30 years ago a kid was happy to pull a card of his team, or favorite player, or to just engage in collecting for the fun of it. Today, no one is happy unless it's shiny, serial numbered, autographed, or likewise gloriously standing out above the common. The downside of this is that to create such products is usually puts it outside the price range of the average kid looking to spend his milk money on the hobby. It became somewhat a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. and in order for the hobby to survive it had to change the target audience from kids to adults.
Threebboyz
New member
- Jan 7, 2013
- 100
- 0
2 things:
1) I see about 20 kids and 20 adults at my lcs when i every other weekend (Big League Cards, Orlando FL) the kids come with their parents for group breaks or single packs. they spend about 20-30 bucks. Some kids come with their parents who are regulars and they spend about 30-40 bucks. group breaks are the 'packs'. we did a bowman sterling FB and topps prime break for 10 bucks a team.. about 10 kids were in for usually 2 or 3 teams. I was in for 5 teams
the kids got all the good hits. smiling from ear to ear as a group of adults ooed and awed at their hits.
also, if you factor inflation, packs haven't changed much in price at all... goods usually dont increase in price in a well supplied industry, your dollar is just worth less. cars used to be 2000 dollars new, packs cost a dime, and the average salary was 8,000/year. now you get 45k a year, cars are 18,000 and packs are 5 bucks. if we extrapolate out, in 50 years you'll average 90k a year, cars will be 40k and packs will be 20 each.
1) I see about 20 kids and 20 adults at my lcs when i every other weekend (Big League Cards, Orlando FL) the kids come with their parents for group breaks or single packs. they spend about 20-30 bucks. Some kids come with their parents who are regulars and they spend about 30-40 bucks. group breaks are the 'packs'. we did a bowman sterling FB and topps prime break for 10 bucks a team.. about 10 kids were in for usually 2 or 3 teams. I was in for 5 teams
the kids got all the good hits. smiling from ear to ear as a group of adults ooed and awed at their hits. also, if you factor inflation, packs haven't changed much in price at all... goods usually dont increase in price in a well supplied industry, your dollar is just worth less. cars used to be 2000 dollars new, packs cost a dime, and the average salary was 8,000/year. now you get 45k a year, cars are 18,000 and packs are 5 bucks. if we extrapolate out, in 50 years you'll average 90k a year, cars will be 40k and packs will be 20 each.
matfanofold
Active member
- Aug 10, 2008
- 7,645
- 1
As an interesting side note....
Back in the mid to late 1980's, even in the early 90's, we had a massive convention hall show weekly. Perhaps 150 dealers set up shop and they were always packed, all day long! I bring this up to draw a single comparison, that being back then perhaps 50% or more attending were 15 years old or less, with a stack of cards in one hand and a pocket full of dollar bills. The interaction, trading, and buying/selling was gloriously enthusiastic to both kids and dealers back then. It was a real 'experience', one I would not have missed for anything! Now, I go to a show perhaps once a year and I would be hard pressed to see anyone under 18 and dealers are stale, stagnant, and look at everyone cross eyed. The right of passage once eagerly passed along by friendly and accommodating dealers/sellers towards the new crop of wide eyed kids are long gone. Back then is was a hobby everyone loved and a business second, today it's a business first, second, and third for most.
Back in the mid to late 1980's, even in the early 90's, we had a massive convention hall show weekly. Perhaps 150 dealers set up shop and they were always packed, all day long! I bring this up to draw a single comparison, that being back then perhaps 50% or more attending were 15 years old or less, with a stack of cards in one hand and a pocket full of dollar bills. The interaction, trading, and buying/selling was gloriously enthusiastic to both kids and dealers back then. It was a real 'experience', one I would not have missed for anything! Now, I go to a show perhaps once a year and I would be hard pressed to see anyone under 18 and dealers are stale, stagnant, and look at everyone cross eyed. The right of passage once eagerly passed along by friendly and accommodating dealers/sellers towards the new crop of wide eyed kids are long gone. Back then is was a hobby everyone loved and a business second, today it's a business first, second, and third for most.
bobthewondercat77
Member
I think the main thing that happened is that we, the card collecting generation, got older and had different interests.
When we did the how-long-have-you-been-collecting thread recently, so many members started in the 80s.
The hobby has changed primarily to support (and profit from) our own interests -- as older collectors with deeper pocketbooks, smaller imaginations, and a stronger profit motive, we have so much to keep us busy with lots of releases throughout the year, the gambling aspect of breaking wax, the investment aspect of prospecting...
I don't think FCB or similar communities of adult collectors would exist if it was still 3 base sets and update sets each year and then wait til next year. There just wouldn't be enough to talk about.
When we did the how-long-have-you-been-collecting thread recently, so many members started in the 80s.
The hobby has changed primarily to support (and profit from) our own interests -- as older collectors with deeper pocketbooks, smaller imaginations, and a stronger profit motive, we have so much to keep us busy with lots of releases throughout the year, the gambling aspect of breaking wax, the investment aspect of prospecting...
I don't think FCB or similar communities of adult collectors would exist if it was still 3 base sets and update sets each year and then wait til next year. There just wouldn't be enough to talk about.
gt2590
Super Moderator
First of all, today's kids have a lot more extra income than most 25+ years old did when '89 UD came out but just prefer to spend it on something else.
All the "older" hobbys: stamps, coins, trains and cards are turning into Adults-only Hobbies. It leads to quality items that can charge more, but will eventually fade away in the next 60+ years or so.
Comics stay relevent because of the TV and movies and the fact that alot of them are available for cheap online but their "core" Customers are also mostly Adults as well...
All the "older" hobbys: stamps, coins, trains and cards are turning into Adults-only Hobbies. It leads to quality items that can charge more, but will eventually fade away in the next 60+ years or so.
Comics stay relevent because of the TV and movies and the fact that alot of them are available for cheap online but their "core" Customers are also mostly Adults as well...
- Thread starter
- #27
domino2012
Well-known member
Ok, I was away this weekend but just came back to read all your input and opinions and I thank you for this.
Very interesting read and I understand indeed that kids have evolved (like the industry) but I didn't realize how much they have evolved.
Financially speaking, I have a hard time believing that "kids" (16 and younger) have deeper pockets. Yes it's true that today it's more "bling" as I read.
Ebay has indeed done good and bad for them as well. Again, depends on how deep pockets go. But the offer is there.
I can attest to the fact that gas prices in Europe are due to EXTREMELY high taxes. (I pay 1€30 to 1€35 for 1 liter). (that comes to about 7$ per gallon I think... too lazy to do the math right now LOL).
Anyways, thank you all for your input and interesting comments.
I still think more can be done for the younger generation.
And now, back to your regular program...
Very interesting read and I understand indeed that kids have evolved (like the industry) but I didn't realize how much they have evolved.
Financially speaking, I have a hard time believing that "kids" (16 and younger) have deeper pockets. Yes it's true that today it's more "bling" as I read.
Ebay has indeed done good and bad for them as well. Again, depends on how deep pockets go. But the offer is there.
I can attest to the fact that gas prices in Europe are due to EXTREMELY high taxes. (I pay 1€30 to 1€35 for 1 liter). (that comes to about 7$ per gallon I think... too lazy to do the math right now LOL).
Anyways, thank you all for your input and interesting comments.
I still think more can be done for the younger generation.
And now, back to your regular program...
