Hobby shop owners, distributors, trading card companies, service providers, league representatives and others involved in the sports memorabilia business will gather in Las Vegas this month for the annual Industry Summit. After spending last year in Dallas, the Summit is set for September 15-18 at the Westgate Resort Hotel and Casino and participation is up, according … [Read more...]
Closed Vegas Club’s Sports Collection Going Up for Sale
The Plaza Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is selling off items that once decorated the now closed Las Vegas Club Hotel & Casino. Owner Mel Exber had turned the casino's walls into a sports showcase, with much of the memorabilia associated with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. However, the casino at Fremont and Main Streets closed over the summer and the fate of the … [Read more...]
Field of Dreams Stores Acquired by TRISTAR
Field of Dreams, the first national chain of sports memorabilia retail stores, has been sold to a wholly-owned subsidiary of TRISTAR Productions. Included in the purchase are the flagship store at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas along with the Stars Live 365 autograph appearance business and four other retail shops located in Texas and Minnesota. Field of … [Read more...]
Jock Smith Jersey Collection Among Highlights of New SCORE! Exhibit in Vegas
A grand opening Wednesday night will bring some glitz to the world of sports memorabilia Tuesday night in Las Vegas with the opening of SCORE!, a 10,000-square foot interactive exhibit located in the Luxor Hotel and Casino. Billed as the first the first multi-sport interactive exhibit and sports fantasy experience of its kind, it features historically significant memorabilia … [Read more...]
NHLPA Launches Hobby Promotion Contest
One innovative hobby store will earn an all-expenses-paid player signing courtesy of the NHL Players Association through the NHLPA’s new Hobby Store Promotion Contest. Adam Larry, NHLPA licensing director, said the contest – as well as the NHLPA’s plans to form a Hobby Retail Committee - was inspired by retailer interaction at the recent Industry Summit in Las … [Read more...]
Blog: Card Industry Insiders Talk
Courtesy of Kevin Isaacson, promoter of the recent Industry Summit in Las Vegas are the top 15 quotes from the various speakers and conferences: “At a time when it would be easy to be negative, card stores have stepped up with optimism and a willingness to share ideas that need to be listened to, but more importantly, need to be implemented. Now the ball is … [Read more...]
Shaffer: Marketing to Kids an Industry Must
Victor Shaffer, who ran the company that began changing the sports trading card in the mid-1990s, has plenty of advice for card companies, dealers and others trying to earn the business of youngsters. Shaffer, EVP at Cartamundi USA and the one-time founder/CEO of the Press Pass trading card company, presented a 60-minute keynote address April 14 at The Industry Summit in Las … [Read more...]
Vegas Trip Pulled from Topps Pack
Topps will fly a suburban Chicago collector to Las Vegas after he pulled the winning card in the company's UFC Main Event product. Alfonso Rodriguez of Melrose Park, IL is the first to find the special triple autograph card featuring Dana White, Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. Rodriguez and a guest will receive an all expenses paid trip to Las Vegas to be the guest of … [Read more...]
Panini Promises to Back Card Shops
Panini America executives stunned more than 100 hobby retailers at The Industry Summit in Las Vegas by announcing sweeping, comprehensive changes to the company’s distribution network. “These are things we’ve wanted to do for 10 years,’’ said Mike Anderson, Panini VP. “We are no longer turning a blind eye to the problem that has been killing margins for hobby … [Read more...]
Survey: Kids Less Than 10% of Hobby Shop Business
The vast majority of brick-and-mortar sports card shops--88 percent--report that those under the age of 17 comprise less than ten percent of their current customer base. The somewhat startling statistic was revealed in an online survey conducted in conjunction with the upcoming Industry Summit trade event in Las Vegas. Other survey results gave Panini America (formerly … [Read more...]