Dr. Beckett unretires to share sports card stories, analyses, and opinions, based on his six decades of intensive experience.
Episodes
5 hours ago
5 hours ago
Dr. Beckett provides insights on the evolution of Comic Con and its association with San Diego, comparing it to new ventures in the sports memorabilia world. Discussing the record-breaking sale of Babe Ruth's jersey, the impact of memorabilia sales, and the intricacies around authenticating such items, the episode deep-dives into the growth of conventions like the National Sports Collectors Convention. At its core, the conversation pivots to the challenges and opportunities in hosting large-scale events, the role of Fanatics, and the emerging practices around card and memorabilia collecting, including the controversial use of CT scanning.
00:38 Comic Con and Fanatics Discussion
04:37 National Sports Collectors Convention Insights
09:03 Debut Patches and Bounties
10:30 CT Scanning and Wax Scandals
3 days ago
3 days ago
Dr. Beckett encapsulates his past 25 episodes, including the transition of Beckett Media's ownership, addressing questions from listeners, skipped episodes, Rich Klein’s experiences, and much more. He also touches on personal stories, such as a tribute to his family's dog and handling a friend's card collection.
00:33 Greg Lindberg and Company Ownership
03:20 Selling Out and Rich Klein's Insights
06:33 Brand Recognition and Hall of Fame
10:54 Card Show Evolution and Business Scaling
12:11 Collectivus Holdings and Experiments
5 days ago
5 days ago
Dr. Beckett addresses Mike Steveline's questions about his experiences and preferences in sports card collecting. Topics include desirable cards he has yet to own, notable pack openings, significant finds in dollar boxes, and his favorite encounters with professional athletes.
02:25 Oldest Sports Card Pack Opened
02:56 Amazing Cards Pulled from Packs
03:26 Best Dollar Box Finds
04:06 In-Person Meetings with Athletes
04:43 Keeping Collecting Exciting
06:03 History of the Hobby and Card Releases
08:35 Impact of Playing Sports on Collecting
Friday Jan 03, 2025
Friday Jan 03, 2025
Dr. Beckett shares his experience winning three sport-specific lots of hangers, blasters, and value packs from Huggins & Scott Auctions, now a part of REA. He discusses his bidding strategy, the anticipation and excitement of opening packs, and the reality of his returns. Despite his hopes of tripling his investment, Dr. Beckett explains how the secondary market's efficiency often meant he got what was expected, but infrequently more.
01:47 Strategies for Reselling and Personal Collection
02:23 The Reality of Auction Purchases
02:45 Unboxing and Sorting: Fun and Frustration
03:54 Analyzing the Market and Pricing
05:55 Lessons Learned and Future Plans
Wednesday Jan 01, 2025
Wednesday Jan 01, 2025
Dr. Beckett speaks to his former company's reorganization, refinancing, and rebranding process, culminating in a new name, Collectivus Holdings, and implications for the future, including potential strategic benefits of these changes, including a $250 million line of credit that promises growth and new acquisitions.
00:23 The Evolution of Collectivist Holdings
02:19 Leadership and Company Structure
03:37 Financial Restructuring and Future Prospects
05:25 Naming Challenges and Brand Identity
05:56 Personal Anecdotes and Consulting Insights
Monday Dec 30, 2024
Monday Dec 30, 2024
Dr. Beckett delves into the history and development of sports card protection, discussing various card protection methods, from shoeboxes to penny sleeves, plastic sheets, top loaders, and card savers. He also pays homage to potential 'godfathers' of sports card protection, including influential figures and companies that have made significant contributions to the field.
01:01 Early Days of Card Storage
02:09 Evolution of Sleeves
04:01 Cardboard Boxes and Early Innovators
05:54 Business Partners and Supply Innovations
07:42 Legal Issues with Plastic Sheets
Friday Dec 27, 2024
Friday Dec 27, 2024
Dr. Beckett and Rich Klein delve into the unique aspects of the sports card industry, profit centers, and the challenges of balancing overhead and sales-oriented divisions. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding direct and indirect costs, the intricacies of making internal departments profitable, and the broader industry trends. They also touch upon Beckett’s past business decisions, the impact of a changing market, and potential future growth strategies. Additionally, the episode covers the successes and strategies of industry players like Topps, Panini, Upper Deck, Heritage Auctions, and COMC.
00:37 Scaling Business: Challenges and Strategies
01:21 Profit Centers and Cost Allocation
03:39 Variable Costs and Economies of Scale
06:08 Public vs. Private: Funding and Expansion
07:53 Leadership and Company Culture
Wednesday Dec 25, 2024
Wednesday Dec 25, 2024
Dr. Beckett and Rich Klein discuss the burgeoning sports card show scene in Dallas, highlighting the competitive landscape with various small and large events. They explore how fanatics could potentially influence the market, the significance of smaller shows, and how Kyle's Dallas Card Show has adapted and thrived. They also touch on the logistics of running shows, the importance of adapting to changes, and the role of autograph guests in drawing crowds.
01:19 Small Shows and Their Importance
03:07 Challenges and Strategies for Show Promoters
05:25 Fanatics' Influence and Future of Shows
09:54 Collector Dealers and Pop-Up Shows
11:40 Autographs and Dealer Dynamics
Monday Dec 23, 2024
Monday Dec 23, 2024
Dr. Beckett shares personal reflections on Henderson's remarkable career and his impact on the sports card hobby. The discussion covers Henderson's achievements, including his unbreakable stolen base record and his significance in the vintage card market. Additionally, insights are offered into the practice of valuing sports cards and how Henderson's cards have been affected by his passing.
01:19 Greatest Living Ballplayer Debate
01:45 Ricky Henderson's Stolen Base Record
02:00 Vintage vs. Modern Cards Debate
04:18 Ricky Henderson's Trading and Team History
05:11 Ricky Henderson's Playing Style and Achievements
Friday Dec 20, 2024
Friday Dec 20, 2024
Dr. Beckett and Rich Klein share their different 'unique' approaches and success stories, comparing outcomes from different shows. They delve into assessing card values, the enjoyment of collecting, and the economics of buying boxes versus individual cards. Rich also touches on finding hidden gems, including autographed cards, and the nuances of authenticating them.
00:13 Rich's Approach to Dollar Boxes
00:52 Evaluating Card Purchases
03:37 Buying and Selling Strategies
07:07 Hypothetical Scenarios and Real-Life Examples
13:35 Autographs and Authentication