
Hosted by Sports Cards Nonsense · EN

Michael Rubin joins Sports Cards Nonsense for an extensive conversation about Fanatics Collectibles, Topps, the future of sports cards, rising card prices, breakers, hobby shops, global expansion, and the changing collector experience. Recorded at The National, this interview examines Fanatics’ claim that it may have multiplied the size of the hobby, the company’s plans to grow collecting internationally, the success of its London store, and how athletes such as Lewis Hamilton, Tom Brady and LeBron James are helping introduce sports fans to trading cards. The conversation also covers Fanatics Fest, Topps’ direct hobby-shop accounts, entry-level versus premium-product pricing, sports-card supply and demand, celebrity collectors, non-sports cards, FIFA and the global future of the hobby. Topics: Fanatics Fest versus The National Fanatics’ growth in sports cards Global expansion and the London store Lewis Hamilton and celebrity collectors How Fanatics measures success Fanatics’ celebrity-authenticity rule Is the sports-card boom sustainable? Breakers versus hobby shops Card-shop pricing and allocations Why sports-card prices rise Topps direct accounts and distribution Is Fanatics making too much product? What Fanatics still needs to fix Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesse and Gio kick off their Day 2 recap with voices that are almost gone after the MojoBreak x SCN party the night before, doing karaoke. Plus, Gio is joined by Doug Plagens of Nonsense on Ice on the SCN Media Network for a sit-down interview with Upper Deck President Jason Masherah to discuss Upper Deck's deal with Michael Jordan, the incredible run of rookies in the NHL, the Debut Patch project, and more. Follow Doug Plagens on Instagram: @DougPlagens Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gio is joined by Dalen from Junk Wax Vintage and Doug from MojoBreak as we look back at the first day of The National. Gio opens with some initial thoughts from the first day, including the incredible lines to get in. Plus, we touch on the PSA news from The National and more! Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Training Camps are starting across the NFL, and we welcome Joe Bartel from RotoWire to the show to look at the 2026 NFL Draft class as the season is on the verge of starting. Plus, an update on the eBay report from last week and looking ahead to The National. 0:00 - Update on eBay Patch Scammers, including trying to call one of the bad actors 12:00 - Gio responds to Darren Rovell's hot take 17:55 - How Fantasy Football can translate to cards with Joe Bartel 23:20 - How Fantasy Football differs from the card market34:37 - Looking ahead to the 2026 NFL rookie class for fantasy and cards 55:00 - Looking ahead to The National Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Getting right into it with a big update on the eBay patch-switching scandal. Plus, with the release of 2026 Topps Chrome Baseball, the big hits are starting to come out. Looking at a local shop near Gio and Jesse that pulled one of the product hits. 0:00 - Intro 2:00 - Gio’s update on the eBay patch-switching scandal 16:00 - Multiple big Ohtani’s have been hit from Chrome so far, including a local Tennessee shop hitting the Ohtani/Judge Dual Logoman auto 24:15 - Jesse is joining Logan Paul and Gary Vee 35:00 - PSA Grading University Boot Camp 38:00 - Interview with The National 46:25 - Mailbag Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesse gives his recap from his time at Fanatics Fest and what his highlights were from his time in New York. Plus, an incredibly awkward story about meeting our social media manager. We are joined by Joe Drelich, Brian Coppola, and Jim Ryan from The National to preview the show. Plus, a very important message for those on social media about why the two shows aren't competitors and why they actually need each other for both to thrive. Also, Tim from BCW stops by to discuss all the happenings in the hobby. Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you're attending The National for the first time or you're a seasoned collector, this episode is packed with practical tips to help you make the most of the biggest sports card show of the year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There has never been a better time to sell a card, but there has also never been a worse time to open a box of cards. Gio and Jesse look at the reality that as things go up, it will price people out of the hobby. How much more expensive have hobby boxes gotten in comparison to other things we buy regularly? 0:00 - Jesse is back and feeling better 9:30 - Goodwin Champions has an interesting numbering scheme 15:00 - The state of the market 32:00 - Looking at the Brady market and how things have exploded 43:00 - How the market has moved over the last year, and could we see a correction at some point? Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gio is rolling somewhat solo as Jesse is out, but Adam Gray stops by to discuss his PC and the cards he regrets selling the most. Plus, Brendan joins to discuss the latest news with Upper Deck and Topps. 0:00 - Intro for Adam Gray 8:50 - Adam discusses his PC collection 12:10 - The one card Adam regrets selling the most 18:25 - His best piece of advice for collecting 23:00 - Upper Deck/Jordan Announcement 30:15 - Topps Announcement on Retail 40:30 - Mailbag Follow Sports Cards Nonsense: https://www.tiktok.com/@sportscardsnonsense https://www.instagram.com/sports_cards_nonsense/ https://x.com/SCN_Pod https://www.facebook.com/groups/sportscardsnonsense https://collectibleslife.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shep joins the show with Jesse on the shelf sick. Gio and Shep dive into a conversation about the pricing of GOATs in the hobby and if they can all keep going up. Plus, are there any guys who still seem underpriced. 0:00 - Intro, and Shep is joining the show with Jesse out sick today. 7:00 - Someone brought in a collection to Shep, including some incredible pieces from the late 90s and early 00s. 15:30 - The National will be a great buying opportunity for dealers to find unique cards no one has seen before. 17:50 - Shep on why owning a shop is so fun for him 19:40 - Nothing gets Gio more excited than buying a big lot 29:30 - Will things slow down after The National? It’s been such a unique year in the hobby. 39:45 - Looking at GOATs and why they are gaining value 43:30 - Eventually the GOATs will drop down, but there is still a lot of room for growth for a lot of guys 51:00 - Looking at case hits from Topps and which will be the preferred ones like the Kaboom, Downtown, Color Blast, etc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices