Im going to ask a pretty simple question, and I seriously want you to consider how you answer to yourself.
Are you bored with cards?
All things considered, its very easy to answer with a quick thought
, but the actual answer you may eventually arrive at could be different. For a long time, things have been awfully repetitive when you consider how the configurations of products and release points over the last few years.
I can lay out the content for a bunch of different sets, and other than the design and the checklist, everything is pretty much repeated ad nauseum through the whole year. I have quickly come to realize that many of my favorite products are only my favorite products because they bank on a consistent format and concept. That security blanket of brand loyalty is something that can drive sales in a lot of ways. I would even go so far as saying that collectors dont like change, and when it is presented, they discard it. However, we are still plagued by a hole of repetitive mediocrity that cant be satisfied without these types of changes.
When you start to really dive deep into what makes up a product, its usually functions around some very specific tried and true methods.
- Base set
- Autograph no relic
- Autograph relic
- relics
These four elements are about all cards has to build on right now, and as you can see its not much. There are some nice variations on a theme, but even those are far from THAT different:
2012 Topps Strata Russell Wilson Shadowbox Auto Relic
2013 Panini Immaculate Sneak Peak Shaquille Oneal 1/1 Logo
2013 Topps Five Star Emmitt Smith Auto Inscription
Some creativity happens in small bursts, but nothing overwhelming. Things like production in over-sized formats, inscriptions and exceptional relic content only go so far before people start to get bored. Other examples, like the Sneaker shoe relics from Panini, are definitely interesting. Yet, at what point do we start the tired refrain of more and more relics from different elements of the four sports? At some defined future date, the normal configuration is one that will not be sustainable.
One could argue that it is already unsustainable, with many products hitting closeout before the first month of release is even over. Sure, checklist quality also has something to do with it, but eventually it comes down to one product looking like all the others.
When Panini takes over the NFL exclusive in 2016, they will likely be forced to build a slew of products to satisfy the agreement that they have made with the NFL to produce cards. Although many products already exist for all the companies that currently make NFL cards, there are two staffs, with two different visions, that produce different content. Though the same format regularly persists, the cards do look different. With only one company at the helm, this pool that already has a lack of diversification of product lines, becomes even less diversified.
I posted yesterday about Flawless, and how it is completely bonkers to me that a product that costs that much money can offer so little in terms of special content. Sure the patches are nicer and the autographs are hard signed, but it offers absolutely nothing that isnt offered in at least 5 other sets released during the year. I want to say that collectors will demand something in the realm of creativity, but I would guess that more and more people will just stop buying new stuff. Instead, they will return to buying the cards of their youth, where it was simple and just as boring. The difference in the vintage is the common sense of Nostalgia, which is a powerful force to be reckoned with. So powerful that the companies often try to capitalize.
The worst part about this situation is that the design is really the only thing that changes along with the players on the front of the card. Whenever someone takes a risk, its likely too late, and is rarely accepted by the collecting base. I would hope that eventually we do find whatever the next big thing really is, but I dont know if that even exists.
Maybe at some point, technology advances will make alternate printing methods cheap enough that new types of cards can be built. The advent of 3D printing on an open sourced inexpensive method could lead to cheaper mass production, but that is probably at least a decade away.
The go to method for creating value in a product is pretty simple, as the companies have consistently chosen contrived scarcity, or making cards rare on purpose, to drive the secondary market for their card. Because every important current player signs a ton of autographs, the signature card itself has become commonplace. Unique autograph content such as inscriptions remain valuable, but that will change with market saturation. Rather than try new things, the companies opt to make their nice stuff more rare, so that the demand will exceed supply. Sometimes even that is a lost cause.
Im not feigning any sense of enlightenment on a fix here, im just musing on the state of things. I am both scared and disgusted that there are so few people willing to try to break from the old ways, while being worried that it will lead to the destruction of the industry. It should be reinforced that the destruction of the industry in no way means the death of the hobby, but it will lead to smaller contingencies of active collectors.
I will also say that cheaper and fewer products are not the answer either. Its not in the best interest of anyone to try to reclaim the simplicity of the 80s and 90s. This isnt a situation where that will work. It may make some people happy, but those people dont usually represent the segment of the market that will lead to more money to fund a company.
In the end this may be heading the wrong direction in a permanent state. Because Panini is the only company that is stable enough to take MASSIVE risks without losing their ass, there may never be progress. Panini is like the Grilled Cheese of innovation. Sure, it tastes good and its been the same for ages, but its never going win you a five star review. Panini has basically built their calendar around the same product packaged 15 different ways, and that isnt going to lend itself well towards building something dramatically different.
Topps isnt much better, but they also dont have the luxury to take as many risks. They might in football with a guaranteed departure after 2015, but financially they need make as much as they can as fast as possible. You cant do that by making products that arent the safest possible route.
In the grand scheme of things, this is not collectors’ battle to fight, but it is our battle to lose. We will lose. Its inevitable that we are not going to get the quality that is deserved, and that will lead to further boredom. Quality isnt just on card autos and nice looking cards, quality is innovation and creativity as well.
I have called for the next big thing to come for five years plus now. Nothing is shaping up to be that thing. 1996 and the creation of the jersey card may never happen again. If that is the case, there needs to be a shift. Im not sure what that will look like, but I dont think the future of the industry is putting together a state that will foster it, either.
I hope I am wrong.
Am I bored…Nope. I think collectors that only focus on making a buck (buy a box and post it all on ebay) and only focus on new product (probably can’t tell you the topps production configuration for anything before 1995) are and should be lost. Most of the collectors I read, and interact with, have been at this hobby for less than 10 years, live for the thrill, and come from a generation of entitlement. Hence the feeling of being lost…you can’t win every time.
Collectors that are in this as a hobby collect beyond cards and are in it because they enjoy it and really never get bored. If your bored try collecting a player that had significant regional cards from the 50/60/70’s, Expand your horizon to something other then a jersey card or a stupid autograph card. You say that vintage is boring. Really. Have you ever tried to complete a gem-mint 1971 Topps baseball set. I will is, and will be, worth more than any modern card you can put forward and almost impossible to complete. How about a gem-mint 1948 bowman football set. The completion factor alone should be enough to keep someone interested in the hunt.
I have been at this for 40 years and have not had a day/week/year that I would say I have been bored. Even 1987 was exciting trying to build a perfect set. Why…Because I am collector and a hobbyist. Try it you might actually like it.
What i do find boring is the constant whining by people saying there box sucked because they didn’t get a big hit. People know the odds so why do they complain if they don’t hit it big. Do they think they should all the time. Did you get your favorite player? If so you should be happy…all else is a bonus. You are not going to win every time and if you think the risk/reward curve is to large don’t buy the product. Pretty simple I think.
As far as I am concerned all this new product, and the companies, could go away. The HOBBY will always be there its the people that will come and go.
I never get tired of opening up a pack of cards. Doesn’t matter what the content, if there’s even a possibilty of a decent card I like ripping.
Every few years I seem to switch it up. When I was writing a few guest articles for you a few years ago I was into Baseball and a little Basketball. RIght now I’m purely Hockey. Oh sure I still want Angels and UCLA Bruins hoopsters, but I’m not going to buy a pack just to see if i can get one.
Of course I’m a team/set collector. I would be happy if my entire Hockey card collection was either full sets or just LA Kings. Still, I love ripping packs, and gettting a Kings card is a bonus.
I think that as a FB primary collector you’re really not looking forward to the era of Panini only, and I feel you on that. TO me it’s just another mark AGAINST the NFL. I know it’s getting more and more popular, but to me it’s getting very hard to watch. I’m on a sabbatical from the NFL this year – no fantasy football for the first time since 1990. And not watching any games until the playoffs.
Maybe try a different approach? Are there any non-sports sets that strike your fancy?
My interest in cards is at the lowest it has ever been. My interest in football has also bottomed out. I know I won’t be collecting after Topps stops making cards and there are so many reasons for this. Football has become the sanitary Disney of sports. I used to joke about basketball players complaining about sweat on the floor and lo’ and behold, the NFL has found a way to further that joke. The causes they constantly inundate me with, the in game commercials for the ‘McDonalds Play of the Game’ have further disenfranchised me. Their all-inclusive marketing has made me hate a sport I used to love.
I just want to watch football. Seems to be a tall order.
Cards? Rookie-centric content has made me completely uninterested. I simply don’t care about the draft or the next hottest thing. It’s not about getting hyped at a 99% failure rate. I want cards of players that have already made an impact. I want to see safeties and outside linebackers getting cards. Just so burnt out on the constant inundation of the future ‘this’ or the next ‘that’. I couldn’t give two shits about Johnny Manziel and I cannot fathom why anyone would.
And personally, I hope it is the death knell for cards. I hope the bottom drops out and they are almost useless other than the pictures. Then I will finally get the cards I want because I want them. Not out of hyped scarcity. Not out of monetarily being able to flip them. Not because they are the next hottest player.
But because I want them and enjoy them and love looking through my cards while watching football.
That’s what’s missing.
Enjoyment.
Am I bored with current releases being put out by manufacturers? For the most part, yes.
But there are plenty of other things and ways to collect, so am I bored with the hobby. No.
I’ve started collecting art/sketch cards….I’ve commissioned a large number of custom cards (think 100+) from people I’ve met on the internet….and I’ve still got multiple collecting projects from past years I’m still working on.
So if you are getting bored, it can only be because you have a very limited perspective on everything the hobby has to offer…..
Great points. I’m a graphic designer – I personally thought the ’14 Topps Gypsy Queen Around The Horn cards were really cool. Simple booklet but the pop up folding part is unique. I think a “Callling Card” hit would be fun, it’s a phone number that wins you a five minute phone conversation with the player featured.
Next thing could be game specific jersey cards, a auto booklet of the triplets from the cowboys last Super Bowl, or a Walter Payton jersey from the 1985 bears season… I think that would be awesome. I know that treasures football did it a little this past year but the games were losses that weren’t special (like rg3 for the game they got crushed by Green Bay) I think pieces from record breking/super bowl/significant games would e truly awrsome
I’ve been losing interest in breaking any new stuff for the last year or so.
I’ve lost almost all interest in collecting NBA since Panini took over basketball. I haven’t bought a Panini basketball product since the double rookie class two years ago. 80% of Panini’s sets are the same, with a few exceptions here and there. Very boring.
Now with Panini gearing up to take over football next year, I doubt I will buy much football after this year.
The last time I was really excited about sports cards was 2012 because you had great rookies in baseball – Harper, Darvish, Cespedes, and others, plus there was a great NFL rookie class with Luck and Co.
I might start buying older boxes from years past or pick up singles I like off of the internet. I’m not going to drop $100-$110 for two sticker autos and two “player-worn” solid white jersey cards, that’s for damn sure.