One of the hobby’s oldest and most popular shows has a new location for this weekend’s event.
The Cranston, RI Sports Card Show has moved from Coventry to West Warwick High School’s gymnasium—a modern facility that should better accommodate both dealers and collectors.
With roots dating back to the nation’s bi-centennial, the Cranston show is the oldest charity-oriented show in North America.
“If you were there in 1976 and coming back today like some dealers and fans you are now eligible for a senior admission discount and I was one of them that was there,” chuckled promoter Mike Mangasarian.
The 150-table show draws dealers from 13 states and consistently attracts 1,500 attendees over the two-day run.
It’ll take place Sat., Oct. 5 from 9-5 and Sunday from 8:30-3:00. Early bird tickets are also available for those who want to get in an hour before the crowd on Saturday.
The show now supports four local charities. A silent auction, door prizes and a charity raffle are all part of the event.
More information is available on the show’s Facebook page.
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A suspected serial trading card thief has been arrested in Nashville.
Police say Paul Herbert, 52, was working as a third-party vendor at Target this summer when he began a string of 12 thefts of unopened products by pulling some trickery at the cash register.
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Fanatics’ streaming platform has acquired a similar business in Europe.
Fanatics Live says it has purchased Voggt, which it says is the market leader in Europe for live selling of sports collectibles and trading card games (TCG). Voggt has over 500,000 members since launching in 2021. Currently, the platform will remain branded Voggt.
Fanatics Live launched last year in the U.S., with a focus on sports card breaks.
According to Fanatics, the deal will kick off an international expansion. Fanatics Live will launch in the United Kingdom in 2025.
The broader Fanatics company – which recently announced a multi-year trading-card partnership with the Premier League – partners with more than 900 sport clubs and organizations globally, including: UEFA, the French Football Association, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Chelsea, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, International Olympic Committee and Formula One.
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Meanwhile, Whatnot says 29% of the sellers on its platform sell sports cards and collectibles, just behind sneakers (30%). That’s tied for second with men’s fashion.
Overall, the company says over $2 billion worth of merchandise has already changed hands this year and that 69% of its of its sellers go live on a daily basis. The average seller spends roughly 19 hours per week streaming.
Streamers offer breaks, boxes, modern and vintage cards on the platform.
According to Whatnot’s user survey, over half (54%) identified as Gen Y (ages 28-43), while Gen X (ages 44-59) made up about 29% of respondents. Five percent of live sellers identify as Boomers (between 59 and 77 years old).
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Topps has released the 2024 Bowman Chrome Mega Boxes.
The checklist includes the top-100 base and Chrome Prospect cards from 2024 Bowman Chrome Baseball on the Mega Chrome pattern.
Boxes have five 2024 Bowman Chrome packs and two exclusive Mega Chrome packs per box.
They’re available here for $44.99.
