Trading Cards & Collectibles Podcast: What’s Wrong With Sports Coverage Today

Podcast: Trading Cards & Collectibles Podcast
Host: The Radcast Network (Ryan Alford, Brian Ludden)
Guest: Brandon Steiner
Date: November 14, 2025

Overview

This episode dives deep into the changing face of sports media, fan engagement, and the collectibles market. Ryan, Brian, and special guest “OG” Brandon Steiner examine what’s missing in today’s sports coverage, the impact of authentic personalities like Pat McAfee, what makes commentary compelling, the importance of legacy in collectibles, and how to innovate during uncertainty. They pack the episode with stories from the hobby, personal anecdotes, and real advice for collectors, creators, and entrepreneurs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of Modern Sports Coverage

• Lack of Excitement in Current Seasons

  • Brandon laments the flat feeling of NBA and College sports, calling football season "a little boring" and "never-ending."

    "The football season seems like it's ever going to end and it's getting a little boring." — Brandon, [01:27]

  • He questions the competitiveness and innovation in college sports due to financial disparities between teams.

• Comparing Sports Entertainment Styles

  • Ryan draws parallels between NFL broadcasts and wrestling for their "theater," noting that strong storytelling and entertainment value are increasingly important:

    "They need to remove the L from NFL and make it National Football Entertainment. They gotta remember what they're doing here. It's a show. And that's what McAfee figured out." — Ryan, [00:12]

2. Commentators & Authenticity: Making Sports Fun Again

• Critical Role of Commentary

  • Both hosts agree that dynamic commentary is essential:

    "The commentators are critical. There's never going to be, like, Howard Cosell, Dan Meredith. That's not...That Monday night, when you think about what we had, that was entertaining." — Brandon, [05:43]

  • Current broadcasters are seen as too polished, lacking in candor and criticism.

• Call for Uncensored Sports Channels

  • Brandon notes a lack of honest, uncensored perspectives in current sports broadcasting, suggesting the need for a “completely uncensored channel.”

    "There needs to be a completely uncensored channel that we can actually listen to someone who knows what they're doing and is completely torching anybody and everybody with the complete truth." — Brandon, [06:17]

3. The Pat McAfee Effect: Why Fans Crave Realness

• McAfee’s Unique Appeal

  • The hosts credit McAfee for blending expertise, humor, and authenticity:

    "He's knowledgeable because he played. He's respectful. What a great package he's put together, man…he fought the status quo with ESPN, told them to go F themselves." — Brandon, [07:16]

  • McAfee's ability to simultaneously be edgy, insightful, and disarming is lauded:

    "Pat finds this line of being endearing. Warm, edgy, and critical sometimes. And he blends it all together really well." — Ryan, [10:23]

• Contrast with "All or Nothing" Media Personalities

  • Ryan highlights how McAfee’s appeal is rooted in being direct yet respectful—not just a “hot take” artist.

4. Storytelling in Sports Collectibles

• Player Autographs: Authenticity vs. Sloppiness

  • Brandon shares an anecdote confronting Gary Vee on poor autographs:

    "Your autographs are. You got to do a better job with your autographs. And Gary just, like, looks at him, starts smiling, goes, that's why I love this guy." — Brian, [11:54]

  • Both hosts agree that quality signatures matter for young fans and collectors; Brandon suggests a “hall of shame” for worst autographs.

• Pricing and Accessibility of Autographs

  • Critique of high autograph prices (e.g., Tom Brady), with nostalgia for when stars like Michael Jordan made signatures accessible for kids.

5. Behind the Scenes: Lessons from Yankee Stadium’s Demolition

• Innovating During Uncertainty
  • Brandon narrates the complex, risky deal to dismantle old Yankee Stadium and turn its remnants into collectibles.
  • Key takeaways: importance of seizing unique opportunities, adapting to setbacks (e.g., resizing “brick” keepsakes), and advertising boldly during tough markets:

    "Most people, when things get bad, everybody panics...That's when you could really advance. I always say, take action over anxiety." — Brandon, [00:00] / [25:11]

  • Transparency about financial outcomes: only modest profit, yet a huge reputational win and market innovation.

    "We only made a few hundred grand on that deal. But we got insurance money of a couple million dollars, and that ended up being the profit...That stadium, I would do that 100 times out of a hundred." — Brandon, [21:07]

6. Card Market Trends & Industry Collaboration

• Top Trending NFL Players and Card Value

  • Brian highlights hottest NFL players in the marketplace:
    • Drake May, up 38%
    • Matthew Stafford, up 100%
    • Caleb Williams, up 23%

      "These three guys…the offers have a ton of Drake May and a ton of Caleb Williams. So yay." — Ryan, [26:19]

• Collaboration & Community in Collectibles

  • Unlike Wall Street, the collectibles industry is more collaborative:

    "Companies can help each other…I love about this industry is we can help each other out." — Brian, [28:01]

  • Brandon praises the show's audience for real engagement, referencing unusually high demand for his book from podcast listeners.

• Giveaways and Community Engagement

  • Announcement of a major scan contest winner and upcoming card store opening in Arlington, Texas.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Brandon on Market Fearlessness:

  "Most people, when things get bad, everybody panics…That's when you could really advance…Take action over anxiety." — [00:00] / [25:11]

• Ryan on the Entertainment Factor:

  "They need to remove the L from NFL and make it National Football Entertainment…That’s what McAfee figured out." — [00:12]/[09:27]

• Brandon on McAfee’s Honesty:

  "He fought the status quo with ESPN, told them to go F themselves…when I watch his show, generally speaking, I'll find out something that I didn't know prior…important to deliver something the audience didn't know." — [07:16]

• Brian Recalls a Blunt Brandon Moment:

  "Your autographs are. You got to do a better job with your autographs … that's why I love this guy." — [11:54]

• Brandon on the Hobby’s Soul:

  "I love that there's people listening, like really respecting the hobby…all the years I've been in it, I still respect the hobby and the people in it." — [27:18]

Important Timestamps

• 00:00: Brandon’s “take action over anxiety” mantra
• 01:27: The fatigue and boredom with current sports seasons
• 03:13: NFL’s business model praised; comparison to baseball
• 05:43: Critical role of commentators in making sports entertaining
• 06:17: Call for an uncensored sports commentary channel
• 07:16: Why Pat McAfee stands out
• 09:27: "National Football Entertainment" concept
• 10:23: McAfee’s blend of candor, respect, and storytelling
• 11:54: Story about confronting Gary Vee on autographs
• 16:45 – 24:50: Deep dive into the demolition and collectible reuse of Yankee Stadium
• 25:11: Advice on risk-taking and innovating during a downturn
• 26:19: Weekly trending cards segment
• 28:01: On the culture of collaboration in the industry
• 27:13/27:18: Unexpected engagement from podcast fans
• 30:36: Card store opening and Innovation Award mention
• 32:17: Concluding thoughts on what it means to be a winner (not just winning, but being “in the conversation”)

Tone & Style

Candid, humorous, and sprinkled with real-life lessons, the discussion strikes a balance between business wisdom, criticism of today’s sports culture, and respect for hobby traditions. Brandon’s straight-shooting tales mesh well with Ryan and Brian’s enthusiasm and willingness to ask tough questions.

Final Thoughts

This episode stands out for its honest reflection on sports coverage’s shortcomings, celebration of authentic voices in the industry, and practical, often funny, advice for collectors and creators. With behind-the-scenes industry stories and unfiltered takes, it offers plenty of value for fans, hobbyists, and sports media watchers alike.