Dr. Beckett unretires to share sports card stories, analyses, and opinions, based on his six decades of intensive experience.
Episodes
Friday Jan 17, 2025
Friday Jan 17, 2025
Dr. Beckett and John Keating explore the varying aspects of the sports card hobby, emphasizing the difference between gambling and the genuine joy of collecting. They recount personal experiences, reflect on the evolution of the hobby, and discuss how different factors have shaped the sports card community. From sorting through dollar boxes to the influence of publications and price guides they delve deep into what truly constitutes the roots of the hobby.
01:25 Gambling vs. Collecting
02:49 The Evolution of Card Collecting
07:18 Influential Figures in the Hobby
08:58 Geographical Impact on Collecting
11:18 Ted Williams and Innovative Card Sets
Wednesday Jan 15, 2025
Wednesday Jan 15, 2025
Dr. Beckett and his guest and friend John Keating explore the marketing strategies of Fanatics, the implications of tying Fanatics Fest to major events like the Super Bowl and NBA All-Star game, and the impact of nostalgia versus new trends in card collecting. There's an in-depth discussion on the balance between vintage and modern cards, the economics of fan-driven collecting events, and the potential for evolving collecting behaviors. The conversation also touches on negotiation tactics at card shows and the passion of collectors who value history over speculation.
01:52 Fanatics Fest: Financial Insights
03:08 Hobby Market Dynamics and Personal Preferences
05:16 Vintage vs. Modern Collecting
09:09 Fanatics' Business Model and Market Penetration
13:57 Negotiation Tactics in the Hobby
Monday Jan 13, 2025
Monday Jan 13, 2025
Dr. Beckett and his friend John Keating address the ever-evolving landscape of sports card collecting, highlighting personal experiences and delineating the fine line between learning and reliving undesirable experiences, including operational challenges, customer service frustrations, and the impact of corporate changes at Beckett Media. Additionally, the conversation pivots to the broader card-collecting industry's trends, emphasizing the implications of monopolies, the shift towards high-value cards, and the financial dynamics driven by big players like Fanatics and Panini, as well as the balance between maximizing short-term profits and fostering long-term hobby health, touching on the cult of gambling in sports and the potential future of collector conventions.
01:31 Customer Service Challenges
03:36 Industry Changes and Market Dynamics
07:40 The Role of Data in the Hobby
07:51 Monopolies and Market Competition
14:24 Card Shows and Community
17:16 Gambling and the Hobby's Evolution
Friday Jan 10, 2025
Friday Jan 10, 2025
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
Wednesday Jan 08, 2025
Wednesday Jan 08, 2025
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
Monday Jan 06, 2025
Monday Jan 06, 2025
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