Collin Hansinger of Detroit City Sports in Sterling Heights, MI, drove ten hours with owner Steve Graus to New York City, hoping for the best at the inaugural three-day Fanatics Fest.
They arrived at the Jacob K. Javits Center at noon on the Thursday before the show and finished setting up by 5 pm. As they left, they couldn’t help but notice the number of empty booths around them.
“We went into it pretty blindly, hoping it would work out for us,” Hansinger told SC Daily. “We were nervous. The expense of everything there, being in New York, the hotel rooms, having two of us out of the store. There were definitely risks we took. But by the end of Friday, we were thrilled we decided to do it.”
Hansinger’s sentiments echo those of most dealers who came from different parts of the country to set up at Fanatics’ first-ever card show – at least one of this proportion. Fanatics representatives said more than 70,000 people attended the three-day sports fest.
Chase Volenberg of Waldorf Stories Trading in Wisconsin Dells, WI, said he appreciated the event’s energy and how the card show and festivities attracted a crowd.
“More people are coming outside of cards,” Volenberg told SC Daily. “It exceeded expectations. We made a ton of card deals. Card shows are awesome, but this is bringing together culture, cards, and families.”
The show was also unique in how athletes interacted with dealers and collectors. Rob Gronkowski smashed and signed one of his cards out of a slab. Jake Paul appeared, walking around Hobby Hall and checking out cards. Grant Williams of the Charlotte Hornets pulled a six-figure Luka Doncic RPA out of a $10,500 2018-19 National Treasures box.
Tom Brady Buys Football Cards
One of the show’s biggest viral moments came when Tom Brady approached Kevin Randall, owner of DaCaptain37 in Boston.
“I was working a deal with someone, and all of a sudden, you see three security guards say, ‘Back off the table,’ and then you see Brady walk up with six more security people,” Randall told SC Daily. “He introduced himself as if we didn’t know who he was. I figured this would be a 2 or 3-minute interaction, but he was at our booth for 8 to 10 minutes.”
Brady told Randall and his friends that he was a big Joe Montana fan and collected cards as a kid. Randall showed him a 2005 Donruss Elite Passing the Torch Montana / Brady dual-signed card he had for sale. His friend, also working at the booth, showed him another Montana / Brady dual-signed card. Brady bought both.
He also bought autographed rookie cards of Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, and Anthony Richardson. While there, Brady explained the evolution of his autograph and the hidden number “12” he would make with the B.
“Once you see it, you can’t unsee it,” Randall said, not knowing about the hidden 12 despite collecting and dealing Brady cards for more than seven years. “The conversation was so authentic and genuine. I can’t believe he took the time of day to get a card deal done. That ‘Passing The Torch’ card was in my collection for a while, and the only reason I moved it is because I have another Montana and Brady dual-signed autograph.”
Randall received a lot of publicity because of his meet-up with Brady, which he says may have helped sales. But even if he hadn’t met Brady, he believes the show would’ve still gone well for him.
“To say it went above and beyond would be the understatement of the year,” Randall said. “Anybody I’ve talked to has said it was a really, really good show. It was profitable. This thing was still packed on Sunday. I do a lot of three-day shows. Usually, things die down by 1 pm. This was not the case.”
First Show in 32 Years
David Yaccarino, owner of DJ’s Cards & Comics in North Haven, CT for 33 years, said Fanatics Fest was his first show as a dealer in 32 years. While his booth cost $3,200, he felt the excitement surrounding the show was worth attending.
“I’ve had an account with Topps for 33 years, and I felt like I should participate,” Yaccarino said. “I put a lot of effort into it, but it’s been worth it. I’ve met a lot of great people and other dealers and customers.
“I’m in business, and I expect to make the money back,” Yaccarino said with a laugh. “But I’ve made a lot of good connections and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Why wasn’t I doing shows before?’”
Next Year?
While dealers were generally positive about the event, some mentioned parking was tough, which was not unexpected given the venue and location in midtown Manhattan. Another dealer said they wished the card portion of the show had been promoted a bit more.
Nick Brower, owner of AAN Collect in New Hartford, NY, spoke to several dealers throughout the show. His experience was mostly positive, indicating that it was one of his best shows ever. However, he talked to some dealers who did not do as well.
“Most dealers I spoke with had a great show, except those on the far wall,” Brower wrote on X. “They had an OK show due to minimal traffic. This was one of my best shows ever, but I wanted to include the whole picture, especially in the last row, that it wasn’t all roses for every dealer.”
Brower has a suggestion for future shows at the Javits Center.
“A lot of crowding occurred in the experience section,” Brower wrote. “This could be solved by moving experiences to both sides of the convention floor and putting the hobby zone in the middle. This would ensure all dealers got sufficient traffic. If they put the hobby zone in the middle of the floor, it would probably get more of that hobby crossover.”
Every dealer the author spoke to said they would attend the show next year if there is one, whether in New York City or on the East Coast.
“I’ll do it again, hopefully, next year,” Yaccarino said. “It’s been a good start for the first show, and I think they’ll do well. You’re meeting a lot of good people, and it’s good for business.”
Hansinger, whose drive from Michigan proved worth it, also said he’d do it again.
“If it were another [Fanatics] show on the East Coast, I would say we’d definitely be there,” he said. “The people who are coming are looking to buy, and that’s why they’re willing to pay the admission price. I think it worked out real nice for us.”
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