Kids Returning to Sports Collecting Hobby?

KidSay Tracker, a monthly report created to monitor the spending habits and trends of youth respondents, says more boys are collecting in 2007 than just a year ago.

In 2006, just 9% of boys reported they collect sports cards. In 2007, the percentage has grown to over 40%. Upper Deck called the increase "staggering". All of the card companies have increased their marketing efforts toward kids and Upper Deck claims to have spent several million dollars to run targeted baseball television ads on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network during the past two Major League Baseball seasons.

Upper Deck says it spent more in the 2006 and 2007 MLB seasons than it had in the previous decade combined. The company set up a website geared toward youngsters which has proven to be a boost for its marketing efforts. Upperdeckkids.com reports it has signed up more than 170,000 youngsters.

“Programs at MLB team stores show baseball card sales have increased significantly each month of the 2007 campaign and have surpassed the sales totals for 2006,” said Daryl McKay, President of Sports Images.

Upper Deck says MLB team stores are showing triple digit trading card sales growth for the past two seasons.

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