What’s going on, HobbyFam? It’s back to school time, so this article is going to be a quick one, because my teachers are in mid-season form when it comes to giving homework! I want to address a couple bigger events of the hobby this month and share my perspective on them.
The first ever Fanatics Fest is over. There were some cool things at the event, but there were some things that I didn’t necessarily like either, so we are going to break it down a little bit. One of the best things I saw was the WWE booth. It was really well done and if you were a WWE fan I bet you would’ve been really excited to attend. Michael Rubin from Fanatics was also walking around and signing people’s lanyards and talking to collectors and fans. I think that is really cool that he gets out there with the people and listens to what fans/collectors enjoy, so he can keep improving experiences. He also does an amazing job with getting famous athletes and celebrities there to make things very memorable for everyone. Whether it was Gronk spiking a slab or Tom Brady buying cards, you saw reports on Fanatics Fest all over the place that weekend! While the card show at Fanatics Fest was only a portion of the event, it is great to have the hobby showcased along with the other activities. I do have to say I did not necessarily like that Gronk smashed the PSA slab. I just feel something like that doesn’t need to be in this hobby, but if Gronk had bought the card and worked it out with the dealer, I think it’s all right, just not my preference to see that. All in all, I think Fanatics Fest is definitely a very cool sporting event, but not necessarily a card collecting event. If that was the only reason you were going, you might’ve been a little disappointed, but I am sure you would have found plenty to entertain yourself. I wasn’t there in person, so I can’t speak from that point of view, but I feel like Fanatics Fest will be a strong event for all sport fans, and hopefully the card portion stays strong and builds up even more. I do hope other shows like The National continue to do what they have been doing and focus on the hobby, and stay great at what you do great. If you went to Fanatics Fest, let me know how it was and if you had fun and what you did while you were there.
Also noteworthy this month, Topps Chrome Basketball is back! Although unlicensed, there are some huge autographs to chase in this set including Lebron James and Victor Wembanyama. Boxes are pre-selling for honestly an insane amount of money. This seems crazy to me, when comparing to unlicensed Panini (or any other company) and their products and where values settle at, the price point for this product seems very, very high. Also, we will have to see how the cards look upon release, but the initial images weren’t the best at hiding the “missing” logos. It will be interesting to watch some breaks to check it out, but I think I will be sitting on the sidelines for this one at the beginning. Let me know what you guys think of Topps Chrome basketball.
That’s it for this time! I hope everyone has a great finish to their summer and enjoys the start of football season! You can follow me on Instagram @brodythekid1 and on X @BrodyTK
Peace out!
Comments