There have been economic downturns and other events that have impacted the sports memorabilia world over the last few decades but never before have so many hobby-related businesses been forced to shut down for multiple weeks. Even with today’s emphasis on e-commerce and social media sales, the Coronavirus has been an unprecedented challenge: one that puts the recession of a dozen years ago to shame.
“That wasn’t as bad as this,” Bob Pressley of Atlanta-based BP Sports told the Atlanta Business Chronicle. “Forget about the economy, when people can’t get out to come see you, even if they have the money, that cuts down a lot of (revenue)… Plus I think a lot of people are sitting back saying ‘I don’t know what the future holds so I’m not going to spend the money. I got it in my pocket now, but I don’t know what things will look like in a month or two.”
Some were already heavily invested online while others have shifted their business to their websites, Facebook pages or box breaking via YouTube or other channels. Still, their personal connection to customers and the immediacy of buying in person can’t easily be replaced.
The Chronicle talked with Atlanta area shop owners for the story that appeared in their business section.
Local media outlets across the U.S. looking to fill the sports void have turned to the hobby.
In North Dakota, football coach/collector Mike Zier was the subject of a recent profile. He’s a lifelong collector and if you’ve picked up a pack of SAGE football cards, you might have also seen his work on the back.
You can watch the story from KXMA-TV in Bismarck below.
Here’s an interesting post from the SABR Baseball Cards blog about sifting through a massive lifelong collection of a die-hard baseball fan who is no longer with us.
One of the “holy grail” cards for Michael Jordan collectors is the 2009-10 Rookie Flashback from Upper Deck. The auction for one of the 23 that were made closed Monday night.
The same card had sold last September for $46,119. Another sold in 2016 for just over $40k.
MeiGray has launched its second auction of NBA game-worn shoes.
Fifteen pairs of shoes worn in games last season and during the first few months of the 2019-20 campaign are on the block through April 16 including a pair of Kevin Porter’s Puma Clyde Hardwoods (Walt Frazier, anyone?) and Spencer Dinwiddie’s ode to Dominique Wilkins.
The bidding per pair opens at $300 at MeiGrayAuctions.com.
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