National Sports Collector Convention Locations and Dates for 2018, 2019, 2020

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The 2020 National Sports Collectors Convention is returning to Atlantic City. It joins Cleveland (2018) and Chicago (2019) as confirmed upcoming cities for the biggest sports card and memorabilia show in the world.

Confirmation of the 2020 National’s location came via Twitter:

 

The 2018 National in Cleveland and 2019 show in Chicago were previously announced several years ago.

The National has been rotating between the three cities since 2013. The last time it was held elsewhere was Baltimore in 2012.

Atlantic City last hosted the National in 2016 before heading back to Chicago in 2017.

Here’s a quick list of the cities, dates and venues for upcoming National Sports Collectors Conventions:

2018 National Sports Collectors Convention

City: Cleveland, Ohio
Dates: August 1 to August 5
Venue: IX Center

2019 National Sports Collectors Convention

City: Chicago, Illinois
Dates: July 31 to August 4
Venue: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center

2020 National Sports Collectors Convention

City: Atlantic City, New Jersey
Dates: July 29 to August 2
Venue: Atlantic City Convention Center

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Ryan Cracknell

A collector for much of his life, Ryan focuses primarily on building sets, Montreal Expos and interesting cards. He's also got one of the most comprehensive collections of John Jaha cards in existence (not that there are a lot of them). Got a question, story idea or want to get in touch? You can reach him by email and through Twitter @tradercracks.

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57 comments

  1. Michael 2 August, 2017 at 08:12

    VERY happy to see it coming back to AC…Had a BLAST with my son and my brother (who passed on 2 months after the national) in 2016. Although it is not the “card show” it was “back in the day” as it has become more of a Corporate Event and memorabilia show, I do love all the box breaks and give-aways that the try and involve the kids. Watching my 9 year old run around looking under mustard containers for the UD Golden Ticket was great!

  2. Trey 2 August, 2017 at 22:37

    Lame. There are other cities in the United States capable of hosting a successful National.

    Old arguments like how difficult some cities can be to book a convention years in advance, lack of hotels available and difficulties working with on-site labor unions often change over time.

  3. Knox 3 August, 2017 at 08:33

    Awful town to hold the National! How about some of the major markets, like NYC, Boston, LA, etc. getting a chance at it? If a city has a professional team, then they should be able to host the National Show.

    From the general consensus at the Chicago ’17 show, Cleveland shouldn’t be a very large showing.

    Also, a permanent home in Las Vegas would be a great location!

  4. Robert S. 3 August, 2017 at 09:14

    Bring it to Denver or Phoenix and I’m there. Let’s start seeing something west coast at least and not the same boring 3 cities on a rotating basis.

  5. Steve 3 August, 2017 at 12:32

    There are other areas that are worthy of hosting. Why not bring it back to Anaheim for a run? Anything is better then these 3!

  6. Tom 6 August, 2017 at 10:43

    What about Nashville??
    No reason on earth they couldn’t host a National. Music City Center has more than enough room to host & hotels a plenty!!

  7. Gary Wilson 10 August, 2017 at 13:09

    Yes Nashville!! My friend has set up at the national over 20 plus years. He says Atlantic City is the worse.

  8. Tom Joseph 18 October, 2017 at 08:59

    St. Louis would be centrally located and would have a convention center capable of hosting an event this size. Memphis and Nashville are also excellent locations. Keeping it in the midwest seems to be the most fair to the coastal attendees – east and west coast shows appear to eliminate a good portion of customers.

  9. Dennis 27 November, 2017 at 02:23

    I have spoken to many dealers and collectors over the last 5 years who would love the chance to travel to a National in Phoenix! Plenty of hotel rooms, amazing Convention Center. Come on, bring the show out West!!

  10. Marcus Flamingo 18 December, 2017 at 13:23

    Looking for Boxing SCRAPBOOK , police gazette. The Ring Magazine Bound Vol. 1922 through Current.

  11. Ryan Wynn 2 January, 2018 at 23:59

    I would love to see it in Miami Florida or Fort Lauderdale there are a lot of people down there

  12. David Marti 26 January, 2018 at 06:24

    I belong to another national collectors organization for a different hobby. That group has the country broken down into 4 regions. They rotate their national convention between the 4 regions from east to west. Once a city has hosted they can’t host again for 6 years. So that takes them out of the next rotation through their area.

    Sounds a little confusing at first, but it works and attendance has remained steady at our conventions/ shows.

  13. Tom 29 January, 2018 at 20:53

    Collectors have no say in the site selection process. Dealers run the NSCC and that is unfortunate. There’s no reason why it can’t rotate among a larger number of cities across the country.

  14. Andrew J Stolz 30 January, 2018 at 13:58

    Atlantic City is the worst….went to the National in AC in 2016 and WILL NOT go back. I go to the National Every Year, but will SKIP it when it is at this awful venue….BAD MOVE Atlantic City is just plain awful for a card show…Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland all good, would like to see one MORE WEST sometime….how about Denver or KC or even Las Vegas I will go all those places….BUT never Atlantic City ever again!

  15. Kevin 20 February, 2018 at 14:44

    Went to the Cleveland show a few years ago. Great show, very fan friendly and the stars were out. No surprise it is back in the CLE. Chicago show looked good; sorry I missed it.

  16. Joe 20 February, 2018 at 23:30

    Cleveland! Sweet, couldn’t have picked a better spot. (For me). Also please provide grading details and prices asap. Can I bring my cards in nice cases or does it have to be the thin floppies?

  17. JoeyV 2 May, 2018 at 16:53

    The show should be in Long Beach it hasn’t been here since being at.Disneyland hotel years ago and we deserve to have it here their are a lot of people who have alot of collectibles out here that have been holding on to items they want to get rid of but don’t break the stuff out because they have no where to sell their collectables were they can get multiple offers at one time.

  18. Stephen O'Dea 18 May, 2018 at 14:25

    Bring it to DC. Gaylord Perry convention center is huge and has enough hotel space for anyone!

  19. steven arjo 11 June, 2018 at 11:06

    David Marti said it best break up the country into 4 regions and rotate the show every year. I shouldn’t have to spend a large portion of my show money on a weekend in Cleveland. Good lord! at least put it in a city that is a fun place to go!

  20. Jeff D 8 July, 2018 at 16:27

    To all you people that think the show should be in another city, if you can find a convention center that is…

    A) Near a large airport
    B) Has plenty of available and affordable hotel rooms nearby and not required to fill the hotel owned by the CC
    C) AFFORDABLE to rent out
    D) Non-Union
    E) Bookable two or three years in advance and won’t bump the NSCC for a more lucrative convention, then you too can host the NSCC.

    Rosemont (Chicago) and Cleveland have ALL of these things. That’s why the NSCC keeps going back there, because 80% of the Exhibitors are small time mom and pop dealers (not major companies like Topps) so their exhibitor space fee, 5 or 6 nights hotel, travel cost to and from, food, etc, make other “worthy” cities prohibitive.
    It would not be much of a show if you removed 80% of the vendors.

  21. Steven 9 July, 2018 at 15:12

    I just won’t go then. If they can’t find a way to get to LA, San Diego, Las Vegas, Denver, Phoenix, the Bay Area or Seattle, then forget it. Once every three years west of the Mississippi isn’t asking a lot.

    Most markets can’t even get direct flights to Cleveland and especially the ridiculously inaccessible Atlantic City. Awful decisions.

  22. Ed 9 July, 2018 at 18:54

    I really enjoyed the Atlantic City Venue. You can do a bunch of other stuff after the show….:)

  23. David 20 July, 2018 at 14:41

    Agreed. West of the Mississippi river once every 3 years. If we was greedy, we’d say west of the Mississippi River 2 out of 3 years; or better yet, EVERY year!

    But I think I understand why it’s all on the upper east coast. I sell cards and 80% of my sales go to that region. The other 20%; CA, AZ, and elsewhere. It’s a business thang. So dont give us that about airports and hotels. Cause every major city in the west has everything that was mentioned above.

  24. Robert 25 July, 2018 at 18:43

    ATLANTIC CITY IS A GREAT PLACE TO HAVE NATIONAL BEEN TO LAST ONE THEIR
    ITS A GREAT PLACE FOR THE HOLE FAMILY AND YOU DONT HAVE TO GAMBLE
    SEE YOU THEIR.

  25. Richard Anderson 30 July, 2018 at 23:29

    Need it out west once in a while. I went to Anaheim and it was great! Won’t go to those 3 locations (although Chicago is a fun town…other two don’t interest me). For me to get there with my 10 year old, will have to be Denver/Vegas/LA or the like. I’d even take the Bay area.

  26. Matt 2 August, 2018 at 22:52

    Come to Cleveland EVERY YEAR, to hell with the west coast. The I-X Center is HUUUUUGE and the location is perfect.

  27. Karl Anderson 5 August, 2018 at 11:50

    How about Kansas City? Considering were in the middle of the United States. Plenty of hotels and entertainment. Just sayin!

  28. Thomas 8 August, 2018 at 10:13

    Middle of the country is the best compromise. Many coastal dwellers refuse to travel across the entire country, I hear arguments against the west and east coast all the time from dealers. You’ll only please one group. At least the Midwest is the shortest travel for both coasts.

    Also, the west coast has not been booked for many years due to poor attendance and lack of venues being able to schedule in advance. Its not as if the show doesn’t want to go there, its that logistically, they can’t.

    Chicago seems to please most attendees, let’s just do it there every year!

  29. Rick 9 August, 2018 at 22:36

    don’t care where it goes, but how about a place where a hotel near the site isn’t 350 per night and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to get from airport to hotel near the convention site. I would only attend one-two days, since my money to but would run out by then.

  30. Tom 25 August, 2018 at 09:26

    They really need to just make Chicago/Cleveland the permanent locations moving forward. Best compromise for everyone. I am not a dealer or vendor, but most dealers are small time and just don’t have the resources to take on travel costs to the west coast. The reality is that the vast majority of dealers are east coast and midwest based.

  31. Tim 11 December, 2018 at 07:26

    I have been to the National in Anahiem in 2006, plus MLB All Star games 2010 (Anahiem)
    Phoenix (2011). Both cities have excellent convention centers that can host the National.
    I agree that the National should go out west, plus I live in the mid west.

  32. STUART L RUBIN 1 January, 2019 at 00:15

    Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but not their own facts. As far as the comment by Thomas that the west coast has not been booked for many years due to poor attendence, this is off-base. I recall huge attendence in Anaheim at the National show held there many years ago. Sure a convention held in the pacific time zone would lose attendees from the east, but the population of California is approaching 40 million as of the most recent government estimate. You would pick up many more collectors and dealers out here. We are tired of shows in Atlantic City and Cleveland and feel that the people who run the National are looking for excuses to host the show where it is convenient for their own interest.

  33. Sam Johnson 14 January, 2019 at 09:20

    What about houston? Went from being a bad sports city to having pretty good teams, so more fans will come. Atlantic city is so bad.

  34. Steven Rose 15 January, 2019 at 01:05

    I also concur with those that would like to have a show OUT WEST every now and then. And by that we don’t mean every 20 years or so. Great convention centers in Las Vegas, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Phoenix. Come on, let’s make it happen NSCC Board!

  35. Mar 6 February, 2019 at 19:38

    Just wondering if any was interested in a whole certified collection my grandad has ben collecting since 1945 i have no interest in any of it for babe ruth to micky mantel mj oj its nice but not cheep he won the lottery so i know its worth..Facebook Beau Bishop

  36. Roger 8 June, 2020 at 02:10

    I went to the 2016 national in A.C my first one it was fine parking was as little tricky didnt like the multi floors you had to go up but other than that it was fine I also went to the 2018 show in Cleveland awesome show was better than a.c parking was convenient one floor with high ceilings loved the atmosphere never been to Chicago wouldn’t mind seeing it in Baltimore, Nashville, Indianapolis, NYC , Philadelphia, Boston , Pittsburg ,Atlanta No west coast there a reason they dont go back there it’s been out west before attendance wasnt great I heard change it up keep it on the East Baby!!!!!!! I will be at A.c this year come on guys!!!!!

  37. Andrew Pusicz 4 July, 2020 at 08:33

    I absolutely loved having the convention in A.C. Having so many collectors and vendors it’s the best time I have had collecting. I brought my wife( who doesn’t collect) and she enjoyed her self as well. Especially doing the scavenger hunt for the Beckett promos. We can’t wait to do A.C. Again. Great job. Looking forward to 2020. Beaches, casinos, and cards what could be better.

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