The One: The Problem with Hobby Darlings

Contributor: John McTaggart

I’ve been doing this job for a long time, written many articles and spun many tales about sports and the trading card hobby. 

Some topics, however, require a little extra attention — this is one of them. 

Within the hobby as a whole we are in an interesting time — and I can say that with some level of certainty because I’ve seen quite a few days in this game. 

Not often do we have true generational talents come along in the exact same year.

Connor Bedard and Victor Webanyama are changing the games of hockey and basketball respectively. 

Both are barely older than my black leather dress shoes (Bedard is 18 years old and Webanyama is the veteran of the bunch at 19 years old), and both are exceeding expectations placed upon them years ago by pundits of their respective games. 

Webanyama is doing things that few players have done, and Bedard appears to be a talent that simply does’t come too often in the NHL. 

But, tell me, from a hobby perspective, are these two generational talents good for the hobby? 

Of course, they’re great for the games of basketball and hockey, and wonderful for both the NBA and NHL. 

But are they good for the hobby?

Is it good that 23-24 hobby boxes of flagship hockey, for example, are selling for as much as 300% more than they did at this time last year for 22-23 product?

Is it good that the first question out of any collectors mouth is, “do you have any Web or Bedard?”

Is it good that the other top rookies and chases in products have all taken a backseat to these two talents in current-year products?

I think it’s important we, as a whole hobby, discuss this.

We saw a taste of it with Zion Williamson.

We dabbled with it when Connor McDavid stormed onto the scene.

And we flirted with it when Andrew Luck joined the NFL.

But I can’t remember a time when two talents short-circuited the hobby at the same time. 

As a sports card business owner, it’s good for business. 

People who were on the fringes of the hobby have suddenly taken a great interest in both games and both hobbies. 

Even if you overpay for some wax compared to previous years — people are buying it! 

It’s a good thing for the business of trading cards.

However, is it good for the hobby?

My contention would be “no.” 

Period. 

The singular focus on one player has a ripple effect on the entire hobby. 

Prices get skewed. 

Demand gets out-of-whack.

Distributors, manufacturers, and even local card shops get greedy.

And, the rest of the hobby gets neglected and ignored. 

Now, for some, this may be a buying opportunity for players not named Victor or Connor. But hat mindset, aside from being brilliant, requires a ton of patience and the steadfast belief that those prices will rebound. 

Most do not have the patience or the belief, particularly in a very soft singles market like we are currently experiencing. 

So, I ask all of you — is this good for the hobby?

Are the emergence of these two transcendent talents good for the hobby as a whole?