Podcast
Stacking Slabs
Hosted by Brett McGrath · EN
Welcome to the Stacking Slabs, a podcast for sports cards collectors. There's been a tremendous amount of change to our Hobby over the last few years and the one constant has been the passion from the collecting community. Stacking Slabs is built by the collector and lives to tell stories for the collector.
175episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Hobby Jobs: The Hobby Cannot Grow Without Collector Trust
3w ago00:28:16Tap to summarizeThe National brings the sports card industry under one roof.For collectors, the week centers on cards. For people working in the industry, it offers access to the companies and operators shaping its future.Brett shares how to build relationships at The National, why passion alone will not earn a second conversation, and how the right questions can open doors.He also examines an issue facing every hobby business. Companies spend time and money attracting new collectors while people who already buy, submit, trade, and sell cards struggle to feel supported.Collector support must do four jobs: resolve problems, educate customers, identify patterns, and represent the collector inside the company.The episode also covers Evan Parker’s approach to building with the collecting community and a Collector Relations Lead position at Veriswap that combines category fluency with operating experience.Growth starts with attention. It lasts through trust.Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for freeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast PatreonFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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Booked to Last: A Wrestling Collector's Guide to The National 2026
3w ago01:14:32Tap to summarizeThe National can overwhelm you before you make it through the first aisle.Adam and Ryan are joined by Bryan (@thzsportscard) and Brett to help wrestling card collectors prepare for the week.They discuss why you need a plan, how dealers evaluate trades, which WWE names collectors are chasing, and why rare Panini cards require more than an old comp.The group also previews Wrestling Card Takeover and the chance to bring the wrestling card community together in one room.The cards matter.The people you meet can matter more.RSVP for Wrestling Card Takeover at The National on July 31Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs!Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for freeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast PatreonFollow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTubeFollow Adam: | X | InstagramFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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The Football Card Podcast #57: Private Sales, 1/1 Pressure, and the Football Card Market at The National
3w ago01:14:16Tap to summarizeWhat happens to football card market data when the biggest deals happen away from public marketplaces?Pack and Brett discuss whether collectors should report private sales, why the chase receives more attention than owning the card, and how social media has pushed collectors toward a 1/1-or-bust mindset.They also debate the best three-year era in football cards, compare modern quarterback prices with retired legends, and examine sales of Peyton Manning, Deion Sanders, J.J. Watt, Joe Montana, and Jaxson Dart.The National is here. The cards will change hands. How much of that market will anyone see?Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking SlabsFollow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast PatreonSign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for freeFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | TiktokFollow Pack: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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Built for the Hobby: Hobby Tech Takes the Main Stage at The National with Scott Lock (InfernoRed Technology)
3w ago00:57:02Tap to summarizeThe tools required to build a product have become available to everyone.That does not mean every product needs to exist.Scott Lock, CEO of InfernoRed Technology, joins Brett to discuss the growth of hobby tech and what separates an idea from something collectors will use.They also preview Enter the Inferno, a pitch event created by Sports Cards Live and InfernoRed Technology for The National. Hobby founders will present their ideas to Scott, Ed Snyder, Jeremy Lee, and Dr. James Beckett on the main stage.The conversation covers collector engagement, founder conviction, product demand, AI, and why the next hobby platform should offer more than another way to check comps.Enter the Inferno takes place Saturday at 3 p.m. on the main stage at The National.Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeStart your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon TodaySign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for freeFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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Don’t Let the Show Choose Your Collection
4w ago00:27:31Tap to summarizeThe National is here. Six hundred dealers. Five hundred thousand square feet. Thirty-six hours of show floor time.That level of choice can make every card feel important. Every deal feel temporary. Every purchase feel necessary.But the best show experience starts before you walk through the doors.In this episode, Brett shares how collectors can build a hunt list, research dealers, set buying rules, create a flex budget, and protect their collecting taste from the pressure of the room.The goal is not to avoid buying cards.The goal is to make sure the show does not make the decision for you.Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for freeGet your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeStart your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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Hobby Jobs: Why the Best Hobby Businesses Teach, Not Hype
4w ago00:21:53Tap to summarizeFanatics Fest is built on excitement.Big pulls. Big personalities. Big moments.That energy matters. It brings people into the hobby.But what happens after the excitement fades?In this episode, Brett shares why the next generation of sports card businesses will separate themselves by making customers smarter. From Topps, PSA, eBay, and Card Ladder to Mike Inouye's work in Formula 1 cards, this episode explores why education compounds while hype expires.If you run a hobby business, create content, or want to understand where the professional side of the industry is heading, this episode is about building trust that lasts.Also in this episode:• Lessons from Fanatics Fest after Day 1• Why informational content creates stronger customers• The difference between building dependency and building capability• How educational content becomes a competitive advantage• This week's Hobby Jobs spotlight featuring COMC's Corporate Counsel, Commercial & Legal Operations roleEvery business wants attention.The best businesses earn confidence.Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for freeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast PatreonFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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Booked to Last: The GOAT Market Is Here. Are Wrestling Card Collectors Ready?
4w ago01:07:20Tap to summarizeRecord sales continue to reshape the wrestling card market.Adam and Ryan break down the Rock and Stone Cold dual Superfractor sale, Bianca Belair's WrestleMania Patch Auto, Rhea Ripley's momentum, and why collectors are chasing wrestlers who have already cemented their legacy.The conversation goes beyond the sales.They discuss why GOAT wrestlers, GOAT sets, and GOAT cards continue gaining strength while many collectors remain focused on the next prospect.They also preview SummerSlam, share updates on Wrestling Card Takeover at The National, and explain how collectors, dealers, and investors should respond when the market reaches new highs.If you're trying to build a collection with a long-term mindset, this episode is for you.RSVP for Wrestling Card Takeover at The National on July 31Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs!Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for freeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast PatreonFollow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTubeFollow Adam: | X | InstagramFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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The Football Card Podcast #56: The International Legends of Football Cards
Jul 1701:07:36Tap to summarizeEvery collector has cards they understand immediately.Then there are the cards that take years to appreciate.Pack and Brett explore why some football cards become hobby staples while others never seem to catch on. They discuss the history behind PMGs, why Tom Brady continues to separate himself from every other retired player, and what international NFL legends deserve more attention.They also dive into vintage football cards, linebacker legends, recent Card Ladder sales, and answer listener questions that challenge how collectors think about value and hobby history.Topics include:• Building an all-time international football card starting lineup• Why PMGs still divide collectors• Is Tom Brady in a league of his own?• Vintage football cards worth knowing• The latest market sales• Listener mailbag and collecting philosophyCheck out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking SlabsFollow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff.Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeGet exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast PatreonSign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for freeFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | TiktokFollow Pack: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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Don't Study Fanatics Fest. Study What It Reveals.
Jul 1600:23:37Tap to summarizeEveryone will be talking about what happens at Fanatics Fest.Brett is more interested in what it means.In this episode of Stacking Slabs, Brett looks beyond the athlete appearances, product releases, and show floor buzz to examine Fanatics Fest as a signal for where the hobby is headed.He explores how Fanatics has built an ecosystem that connects sports, collecting, commerce, content, and loyalty, and why attention has become one of the most valuable assets in modern collecting. He also shares why he's attending the event as an observer, what he'll be watching on the show floor, and how Fanatics Fest and The National now serve different roles in the hobby.This isn't a preview of the weekend.It's a conversation about the forces shaping the future of collecting.Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for freeGet your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeStart your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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Pricing the Grail: How to Make the Biggest Decision in Your Collection
Jul 1500:22:56Tap to summarizeEvery collector dreams about landing a grail.Very few spend enough time thinking about how to price one.When a card has little or no sales history, the normal playbook breaks down. There are no clean comps. No chart to follow. No market consensus to lean on.That is where your judgment matters.In this episode, Brett shares a framework for evaluating grails when public sales data falls short. He covers how to build a substitute universe, evaluate opportunity frequency, negotiate from a position of strength, know when to walk away, and determine the maximum price you can defend without lying to yourself.A grail is not only a collecting decision.It is a financial decision.It is a psychological decision.It is a test of discipline.If you're heading to Fanatics Fest, The National, or you're chasing a card that rarely surfaces, this episode will help you think through the biggest purchase your collection might ever face.Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for freeGet your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On HypeStart your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this linkFollow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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