Fanatics Buying Card Shows?

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by calvindog

Fanatics is a shallow, soulless, empty husk of a company. My office is ten mins from the Javits Center and I had zero interest in going. It just smelled of hucksterism and shiny modern stuff. As everything else they do does.

Well put. I could see the ghost of P.T. Barnum darting around from pillar to pillar.

Rich, I am a "legit" reviewer of the show; i was there on a press pass from SCDaily. I just did not happen to have the same opinion as some others. The 'Hobby' is multifaceted. There are many perspectives from which to view things. How much money was made overall is one metric. It is not one I focus on. From my perspective as a collector/dealer/writer of and about vintage cards and memorabilia, the show was a big, expensive nothing-burger. Had I been interested in ultra modern cards and 'experiences' like watching Tom Brady's security team shove its way through the crowd so He could buy a few cards on air from a lucky vendor, the show would have fulfilled my expectations.

[BioCRN]

Fanatics is swallowing an alarming amount of the sports community.

They're pretty much a venture capital firm that's swallowing the general concept of sports fandom in almost every broad area of reach.

I'm actually a bit shocked they haven't quickly ruined Topps since buying them considering the terrible stripping down of quality they've done in pretty much every other area they've bought themselves into.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Well put. I could see the ghost of P.T. Barnum darting around from pillar to pillar.

Rich, I am a "legit" reviewer of the show; i was there on a press pass from SCDaily. I just did not happen to have the same opinion as some others. The 'Hobby' is multifaceted. There are many perspectives from which to view things. How much money was made overall is one metric. It is not one I focus on. From my perspective as a collector/dealer/writer of and about vintage cards and memorabilia, the show was a big, expensive nothing-burger. Had I been interested in ultra modern cards and 'experiences' like watching Tom Brady's security team shove its way through the crowd so He could buy a few cards on air from a lucky vendor, the show would have fulfilled my expectations.

That's like going to the grocery store and complaining they don't sell auto parts. Fanatics has one goal, and one goal only: to sell ultra-modern sports cards. That event was designed for sports fans who don't collect cards, with the intent to try to get them to start collecting cards. So reviewing the event based on criteria it had no intention of satisfying seems like a waste. Fanatics Fest is not for me. At least I recognize that and don't expect it to be.

[Exhibitman]

"350+ booths featuring the best dealers from around the country": I must've missed the part where they said that vintage collectors were not welcome.

Your analogy is not accurate. I don't expect a Kroger to have an AutoZone but I expect a Kroger to have fresh veg.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

"350+ booths featuring the best dealers from around the country": I must've missed the part where they said that vintage collectors were not welcome.

Your analogy is not accurate. I don't expect a Kroger to have an AutoZone but I expect a Kroger to have fresh veg.

No one said vintage collectors weren't welcome. That's in your head. But also, no one ever said there would be vintage cards. Kroger advertises fresh veg. Fanatics never advetised it as a vintage show, or even a show for everyone. If you expected anything besides a modern focus from the company who literally is in the business of selling current manufactured cards, that's on you. Most of us knew what to expect. It appears you missed the memo.

[Fred]

Hey Leon,

What's your price for N54 when these guys come a knocking? To a lot of us it's priceless and a labor of love for you, even though sometimes it would be less of a headache not having to deal with some of us...

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Fred

Hey Leon,

What's your price for N54 when these guys come a knocking? To a lot of us it's priceless and a labor of love for you, even though sometimes it would be less of a headache not having to deal with some of us...

Blowout and their forums are more Fanatics speed than Net 54. Relax, they are not coming for this board