Podcast Summary

Trading Cards & Collectibles Podcast

Episode: How Dugout Mugs Built a $55 Million Collectibles Brand
Host: Ryan Alford (Radcast Network)
Guest: Kris Dehnert, CEO of Dugout Mugs
Air Date: September 16, 2025

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, host Ryan Alford welcomes Kris Dehnert, the energetic CEO of Dugout Mugs, to discuss how the company took a simple idea—a baseball bat turned into a mug—and built it into a $55 million collectibles business. The conversation spans origin stories, product innovation, the importance of meaningful relationships, and what makes both collecting and entrepreneurship deeply rewarding. Kris shares rich anecdotes from the world of baseball, collectibles, and business, sprinkling in memorable stories about collaborations, lessons learned, and the powerful ways his products connect with the hobby’s passion for nostalgia.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Birth of Dugout Mugs: Inspiration and Early Days

• Origin Story
  • The initial idea came from Kris’s ex-partner, Randall: “He took a baseball bat, hollowed it out and turned it into probably one of the coolest mugs on the planet.” (03:28, Kris Dehnert)
  • Kris joined for his business expertise and network, seeking something “fun” after some professional ups and downs.
  • Launched officially in 2017, quickly gaining traction through strategic division of labor—Randall on logistics, Kris on promotion.

2. Product Line Evolution and Innovation

• Product Range
  • Beyond mugs: bat slice keychains/ornaments, bottle openers (from cut baseballs), home plate-shaped coasters, “shortstop” whiskey mugs, “windup” wine mugs, “cutter” bottle openers, “knob shot” shot glasses, metal “dinger” mugs, and even baseball-themed board games.
  • Customization is key—personalized with team/player names, custom graphics, laser engraving.
• Production Approach
  • Source billets of birch wood before they become bats, maximize wood use, and streamline scalability.
  • “We have custom equipment that punch the hole...there’s a sealing process, a curing process...” (07:16, Kris Dehnert)
  • Majority of products made in-house or in North America for quality and quick turnaround.
  • 60,000+ online reviews and high customer return rate (~20%).

3. The Collectibility Factor

• Unexpected Affinity
  • Customers often collect not just one, but full sets of different teams/products; heavy customization supports sentimental value.
  • “There’s a real affinity towards our products and the customization ability...every time they go to a new stadium, they'll take one of our mugs and they'll engrave the date that them and their dad went...” (20:17, Kris Dehnert)
  • Limited and numbered edition collaborations with players (e.g., Pete Rose, Sandlot collection, Wade Boggs) add serious collectible value.
  • Signature series: player-signed and individually numbered runs.

4. Human Connections, Storytelling, and Purpose

• Personal Impact & Giving Back
  • Kris recounts reaching out to a grieving fan seen online, designing a custom mug to honor her late father.
    • “Why’d you do that?” she asked. Kris: “Why not? It’s the right thing to do… just putting good into the world.” (10:56, Kris Dehnert)
  • Business built around “celebrate and serve the heroes of the baseball community by creating next-level stuff.”
  • Relationships also crucial in business—Kris’s philosophy: “Go first” in building connections.
• Memorable Advice
  • “It’s not somebody else’s job to remember you. It’s your job to be unforgettable.” (25:38, Kris Dehnert)

5. Hobby Perspectives: The State of Collecting

• Market Trends and Cautions
  • Kris expresses concern: “It’s a junk wax era 2.0, which is the overprinting...” (26:11, Kris Dehnert)
  • Parallels between vintage and modern overproduction, risk of pricing kids out of the hobby.
  • Values established, proven players over speculative prospects.
• Collectible Value & New Money
  • Discussion of cards selling for millions: “That piece of cardboard could be worth 12 mil.” (29:30, Ryan Alford)
  • Importance of scarcity, nostalgia, and perception in assigning value.

6. The Power of Relationships in Business and Collecting

• How Deals Get Made
  • Kris’s approach: focus on deep, quality relationships; partnerships stem from authentic value, not just transactions.
  • Recurring collaborations/events with legends like Mariano Rivera, Big Papi, Pete Rose, and even sponsorship at major golf tournaments.
  • Detailed stories of mingling with baseball greats and celebrities (Ozzy Smith, Mike Schmidt, Andre Dawson, Emmett Smith, John Smoltz, Barry Bonds, Dave Chappelle, 50 Cent).

7. Kris’s Personal Collectible Collection

• Signed mugs from legendary players.
• Favorite rookie and rookie cup cards: Mariano Rivera, Kyle Tucker, Chipper Jones, Craig Biggio, Wade Boggs, Pudge Rodriguez, Pete Rose—many signed.
• Plans to display his signed cards as part of his home office: “...all flat on my desk and I’m gonna get a piece of glass over top...all these autograph rookie or rookie cup cards.” (33:59, Kris Dehnert)
• Show-and-tell segment (31:38–36:19).

8. What’s Next for Dugout Mugs

• Future Directions
  • International distribution, especially in Canada.
  • Expansion into corporate gifting: casinos, beverage brands, and big-name companies are investing in custom runs.
  • Growth into retail: partnerships with Hallmark, Dick’s, Rally House, Shields, Fanatics.
  • Continued media exposure (Fox & Friends, GMA, Today Show, Forbes, etc.)
  • New product launches teased: stone coasters, mugs with integrated bottle openers.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Collectibles and Memories:
  "All we got is our stories, right? And I think that's what collecting does for a lot of people. Brings us back to that story..." (12:54, Kris Dehnert)

• On Business Principles:
  “I build a lifestyle by design. ...My metrics changed because a lot of people chase the dollar. I was chasing the happy. Like, what makes me happy and how often can I do that?” (10:56, Kris Dehnert)

• On Relationship-Driven Success:
  "It's not somebody else's job to remember you. It's your job to be unforgettable." (25:51, Kris Dehnert)

• On the Hobby’s Future:
  "It's a junk wax era 2.0, which is the overprinting... But the one thing I think they're missing the most is they're pricing it out of the ability for kids to get involved..." (26:11, Kris Dehnert)

• On Giving Back:
  “Why’d you do that?’ and I said, ‘Why not? It’s the right thing to do… just putting good into the world.” (11:05, Kris Dehnert)

• On Fun as Currency:
  "Fun's a very real currency in my life." (16:31, Kris Dehnert)

• On Collectibility:
  "That was something that I think kind of caught me off guard is the collectibility of these..." (20:17, Kris Dehnert)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:28 — Dugout Mugs origin story & partnership formation
• 04:56 — Product expansion and sales milestones
• 07:16 — How the mugs are made: production walkthrough
• 08:13 — Pete Rose limited edition mug & collaboration stories
• 10:56 — Living life by design after a major health scare
• 12:54 — Heartfelt story about gifting custom mugs as a memorial
• 15:30 — Full lineup: mugs, coasters, keychains, etc.; new product teasers
• 20:17 — Collectibility and customer stories
• 23:46 — Working with players & celebrities; how deals are structured
• 25:38 — Business advice: building unforgettable relationships
• 26:11 — State of the hobby: overprinting, prospecting, and access for kids
• 31:38–36:19 — Kris’s personal cards and story segment
• 39:30–42:34 — Memorable events and stories: networking with legends
• 42:43 — What’s next: retail, corporate, media
• 47:01 — Plugs for Dugout Mugs and Kris’s Big Golf company, philosophy on life/business
• 50:19 — Commitment to regular updates and building the hobby community

Episode Takeaways

• Kris Dehnert’s journey with Dugout Mugs is a masterclass in combining craftsmanship, business acumen, and authentic relationship-building to create a thriving collectibles brand.
• The deep emotional connection people have to memorabilia—and the stories behind the pieces—drives long-term loyalty, collectibility, and joy.
• Success in both collecting and business is often rooted in pursuing authentic happiness, giving value first, cherishing relationships, and daring to innovate.
• The hobby is changing fast: new money and technology are bringing both opportunities and new pitfalls.
• The episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, collectors, and anyone seeking inspiration from a “lifestyle by design” story.

This summary covers all main topics, memorable quotes, and key moments in the episode—with accurate timestamps and speaker attributions for easy reference.