Sports Collectors Digest

[sports-rings]

A couple of years ago I let my subscription of SCD run out and I did not renew it. The reason was because I was furious that they allowed coaches corner to advertise in the publication for so long.

Anyway, I don't want to make this about coaches corner, but I was wondering if I was missing valuable content and hobby information by not subscribing to SCD. A friend told me the publication is so small now that I should not bother.

I do seem able to get a lot of hobby news and information from the internet.

I wanted to ask if the group here thought it was a good idea to get a subscription or do you feel the ship has sailed and the publication is no longer useful. Or do you feel it's important to support this company because it's good for the hobby.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

[perezfan]

Mixed feelings on this one...

I think "the ship has sailed" for the most part. SCD is far less relevant than ever, and their size is a fraction of what it once was. But it is good that they finally separated themselves from Coach's Corner.

I guess a show of support (by subscribing) would be positive for the hobby... but you really aren't missing much. I cancelled my subscription years ago... not just because of their CC support, but because those of us on the West Coast received SCD 4-5 days after everyone else. Everytime I inquired about an advertised item, it had already been sold.

Bottom line is that they are far less relevant (approaching obsolete), with the advent of the Internet and all of its options at your fingertips.

[prichmond]

I would agree about letting your subscription run out. I currently have one and won't be renewing it.

[keithsky]

I let my subscription run out a couple years ago because of C.C and because of the price for 38 pages. You can still get info on there website and Sports Collectors daily which is current everyday. Why get a publication that by the time you get the news it is already a week old. I remember getting the National issue 2 days after I got back from the National and I live in Indiana about 90 minutes from there place. There would be coupons from some dealers like 10% off or something and the issue came late every time so the coupons were worthless. And also like it here at Net54 the news is current with some of the posts from everyone. I'll never go back to them. Just my opinion.

[Jewish-collector]

The magazine is now totally useless. I let my subscription run out some time ago. Years ago before the internet, eBay, auctions, etc, it was a fantastic publication. There were even some collectors who payed extra money to receive the latest issue overnight, priority mail, etc,... However, as mentioned in this thread, nothing is in there that's not already on the web. I just can't figure out how the hell they can still afford to produce a publication.

[NeuhartCards]

I too have mixed feelings on this one. I have been a subscriber for 20+ years and find most of the information they report to be outdated. However, it is a weekly magazine that is fairly inexpensive and it makes for some easy bathroom reading.

[sports-rings]

thanks for all the responses. it saddens me that the publication has become a fragment of what it once was. some of it was their own doing, such as letting CC advertise for years, but a lot of it is that free content is so easily available on the internet.

I really wish there was a better voice of the hobby that could really help us collectors. Sadly, I always felt scd in the last few years sold out, and never really continued to be an independant voice of the hobby. by sell out I mean they would take the money from the advertisers and not be a true advocate for the collector.

[baseball tourist]

Like a fool I signed up for a subscription approx 5 years ago without checking out the then current state of the publication. I remembered reading it in the 1990's and thought it would been much the same.

The fool part is that I paid the Canadian distribution rate - over $125 for the subscription and recieved the content-poor, size diminished publication WEEKS later than US readers, making it utterly useless as a vehicle for purchasing items too.

Luckliy, I wad able to cancel my subscription after a few issues (and heated discussions with heir customer service people) based on the delayed reciept argument. They did not offer me a priority post option, as it happened.

[DJR]

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