[rjcj2017]

It's all sad. All of it. I started collecting during the 80's and 90's boom, when you could go into any drug store in the country and there would be an entire wall/isle dedicated to cards. And not just baseball cards either. All sport cards. So to see Topps lose its license, and then get bought out by (of all things) Fantatics... it's just a sad state of affairs for me.

I agree 100 percent.

I mean, several months to a year-plus ago I correctly predicted that A) the card companies would raise their retail prices to cut down the Doosh Bag Network’s profit margin and B) cards would eventually be placed under lock and key, just like electronics.

Well, the price increase happened a ways back - example, $29.99 Topps Chrome baseball blasters and $6.99 Panini Absolute football fat packs - and just the other night I experienced my first “locked card cabinet” at a Walmart in the next town over.

All we can hope for is that Fanatics takes the time and the care to A) lower the absurd hobby prices set out by Panini this year, so that retail is no longer considered an “affordable alternative” to hobby, worth standing in line for hours, because it’s not and B) considerably upgrade the customer service practices that have become beyond deplorable since this started.

Good example … my favorite sport to collect, by far, is basketball.

NBA Hoops released this week, so it “should” be available in retail the next couple weeks. In the good ol’ days, I could walk into a store and grab three or four blasters, no problem, and get most of the players I was looking for.

And I could do this multiple times if I wanted to.

Last year? I got a grand total of two blasters and three jumbo packs … and that was the ONLY NBA product I found in retail stores in over a calendar year.

No Prizm. No Contenders. No Chronicles. No Mosaic. No Donruss.

So I am with you. But at this point in time I feel like our only hope is that Fanatics remembers who this hobby is for, not just the flippers, gougers and scum bags.

[PhoenixRisen]

It's all sad. All of it. I started collecting during the 80's and 90's boom, when you could go into any drug store in the country and there would be an entire wall/isle dedicated to cards. And not just baseball cards either. All sport cards. So to see Topps lose its license, and then get bought out by (of all things) Fantatics... it's just a sad state of affairs for me.

Is it though? Because Topps was driving the baseball card market into oblivion. We were heading for another junk wax era that this time might actually kill the hobby. So if we can get new ownership who claims to understand the hobby and want to avoid the pitfalls Topps was walking right into, and keep the iconic brands at the same time? I'm all for it.

[ashlandmark]

Fanatics can't even make quality t-shirts, most of their stuff is crap. And that's their own industry. What evidence do we have that they understand the hobby?

[PhoenixRisen]

Fanatics can't even make quality t-shirts, most of their stuff is crap. And that's their own industry. What evidence do we have that they understand the hobby?

Well the person they hired to lead the trading card division has been interviewed numerous times. From the interviews I saw, he understand the hobby and intends to lead it back to focusing on the collectors and the LCS. Again, that's all talk until we see the plan in action. But they are saying all the right things.

Not to mention, the mere fact that they purchased Topps and intend to keep all the same factories/employees/brands, should show you they certainly understand what's important to collectors at least a little bit.

EDIT: Here is one interview that shows me they understand the hobby (of course this was before the Topps announcement, so there were things he couldn't say)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBSCFjRQi60

[ashlandmark]

Thank you for the link. But I tuned out after 5 minutes after they just talked about the empty shelving and sneakers.

[Phillies_Joe]

Fanatics can't even make quality t-shirts, most of their stuff is crap. And that's their own industry. What evidence do we have that they understand the hobby?

The card collector hobby segment of Fanatics is a separate company run by seasoned hobby individuals.  Their problem will be how to incorporate production and distribution from the sale of Topps - along with what sets will be produced.  I think baseball sets are probably already pretty much ready to roll - basketball and football are the head scratchers for me at this time.