MGiuseffi1969
Upstanding Member,
Gum in the packs!!!
How do we get young collectors back?
- Thread starter newfiecomicguy1
- Start date
dumba55
New Member, Must Send First
I've gotten my daughter recently into collecting. Obviously, thankfully, not like her father, who is a bumbling buffoon who collects Josh Johnson, Kerry Collins and handfuls of other guys who make you want to crack your skull open. She likes the Chicago Cubs (yes, I know, this is 99.9% a hockey site, but, so far, that's her choice). She likes the Steve Goodman "Go Cubs Go" song that they play at Wrigley Field after every win. She played t-ball on the Cubs team last summer and we watch (well, she watches for a few then plays w/whatever her 'it' toy is of the moment) the games on t.v. when they're on.
I don't pressure her at all. That's one thing I'll never do, because, if she truly has zero interest in something, there's no sense in pushing her. I've seen too many parents do that up here with their kids in sports, so I won't do that in anything, as long as she does something.
She likes the refractor finish cards, as, to her, they're 'rainbow' cards. So, right there, is a huge draw. Something that can basically be pennies on the dollars, entices her. She does like the game used stuff, but it isn't paramount that she gets that or an auto, to make her smile. I'm just trying to get her away from the tablet / t.v. **** that is beyond mind-numbing.
Harkening back to 'our' day, being a nearly 36 year old man, we had the same amount of things to do back then, but under a different umbrella. Now, as you all have mentioned, it's a digital age, where DVD's, streaming, tablets, video games, etc are the norm, where parents can know where there kid is (usually in the living room or the kid's room) playing games or doing whatever. In our day, we'd eat breakfast, go out until noon (non-school time), come back and eat, go out until dusk or darkness fell and go in for the night. You don't see kids in large groups riding bikes, building forts, exploring the woods, playing games for hours, because A. the pull of electronics and B. because of how society, and it's negative connotations, have changed. More rape vans and goofy Gus' & Glenda's have caused a huge change in how much we oversee what our children do.
I don't think cards will ever be as popular as they were in the late 80's - early to mid '90's. The lack of companies, the flood of GU or event worn stuff, SRP of hobby packs / boxes and just the influx of so many other things that can cater to a child's ADD style mind, will leave us collecting cards in the nursing homes. Hopefully all the places where The National and The Expo's are held will be wheelchair accessible.
I don't pressure her at all. That's one thing I'll never do, because, if she truly has zero interest in something, there's no sense in pushing her. I've seen too many parents do that up here with their kids in sports, so I won't do that in anything, as long as she does something.
She likes the refractor finish cards, as, to her, they're 'rainbow' cards. So, right there, is a huge draw. Something that can basically be pennies on the dollars, entices her. She does like the game used stuff, but it isn't paramount that she gets that or an auto, to make her smile. I'm just trying to get her away from the tablet / t.v. **** that is beyond mind-numbing.
Harkening back to 'our' day, being a nearly 36 year old man, we had the same amount of things to do back then, but under a different umbrella. Now, as you all have mentioned, it's a digital age, where DVD's, streaming, tablets, video games, etc are the norm, where parents can know where there kid is (usually in the living room or the kid's room) playing games or doing whatever. In our day, we'd eat breakfast, go out until noon (non-school time), come back and eat, go out until dusk or darkness fell and go in for the night. You don't see kids in large groups riding bikes, building forts, exploring the woods, playing games for hours, because A. the pull of electronics and B. because of how society, and it's negative connotations, have changed. More rape vans and goofy Gus' & Glenda's have caused a huge change in how much we oversee what our children do.
I don't think cards will ever be as popular as they were in the late 80's - early to mid '90's. The lack of companies, the flood of GU or event worn stuff, SRP of hobby packs / boxes and just the influx of so many other things that can cater to a child's ADD style mind, will leave us collecting cards in the nursing homes. Hopefully all the places where The National and The Expo's are held will be wheelchair accessible.
MGiuseffi1969
Upstanding Member,
Avalanche Team set distributed through the legal pot shops in Colorado?
commie
New Member, Must Send First
I am not a frequent poster, and I just got back to the hobby a couple years ago.
My story is fairly common as most, grew up in the 80's, and collected hockey cards and some baseball cards, but slowed down when i got to high school in the early 90's and totally stopped when I went to university in the mid 90's. There were more important things to chase at that point.
Luckily most of my old card collection was still in tact at my parent's basement, so couple years back, i look through them and thought, why not see if I can start collecting again, and chase all those 'great' Edmonton Oilers cards, like I did in the 80's.
I was surprised at how much the hobby has changed. Back in the day, there was OPC, and the players in the sets were current players of that past season, the back of the card was just as important as the front. I would spent hours reading the stats of the players of each past season. Contrast that to today's cards, no one wants those, everyone is chasing the GU, auto's, shields of the past stars. Half of the players in a set aren't even playing anymore.
I say kill off all the 'retired' players in a set. Hockey cards should be current players with stats that tie to the hockey season. I am sick of collecting Gretzky's, Messier's, Kurri,'s in current releases. If I want those legends cards, I'll chase their cards when they were playing. If i want an auto or game used patch of players, won't it be better to buy the entire Jersey? I hate seeing nice good jersey's being cut up to put into cardboards, and some of the prices of those patch cards gets so expensive that you might as well buy the actual memorabilia.
/rant
My story is fairly common as most, grew up in the 80's, and collected hockey cards and some baseball cards, but slowed down when i got to high school in the early 90's and totally stopped when I went to university in the mid 90's. There were more important things to chase at that point.
Luckily most of my old card collection was still in tact at my parent's basement, so couple years back, i look through them and thought, why not see if I can start collecting again, and chase all those 'great' Edmonton Oilers cards, like I did in the 80's.
I was surprised at how much the hobby has changed. Back in the day, there was OPC, and the players in the sets were current players of that past season, the back of the card was just as important as the front. I would spent hours reading the stats of the players of each past season. Contrast that to today's cards, no one wants those, everyone is chasing the GU, auto's, shields of the past stars. Half of the players in a set aren't even playing anymore.
I say kill off all the 'retired' players in a set. Hockey cards should be current players with stats that tie to the hockey season. I am sick of collecting Gretzky's, Messier's, Kurri,'s in current releases. If I want those legends cards, I'll chase their cards when they were playing. If i want an auto or game used patch of players, won't it be better to buy the entire Jersey? I hate seeing nice good jersey's being cut up to put into cardboards, and some of the prices of those patch cards gets so expensive that you might as well buy the actual memorabilia.
/rant
WatchMyBreaks
Registered Trader,
I think people might be overstating the electronic angle of getting new collectors. Its been tried before with things like e-topps, cd-rom cards, etc.
The problem is the hobby is nothing but a gamble at this point. I'd have to guess that the majority of packs opened at this point are part of pack breaks.
All of the good looking "cool" sets are hundreds of dollars vs the low end sets geared towards kids which are pretty boring.
The problem is the hobby is nothing but a gamble at this point. I'd have to guess that the majority of packs opened at this point are part of pack breaks.
All of the good looking "cool" sets are hundreds of dollars vs the low end sets geared towards kids which are pretty boring.
bamlinden
Upstanding Member,
I think social media and the internet in general have been a big reason why kids have drifted away from the hobby....and yet I feel like it might be the way back into the younger generation.
When I was a kid collecting, one of the attractions was to feel closer to the players - to know them better. Nowadays you have a high level of access to players, teams, etc. That has taken away from the distance we as fans are from players. We know all of them all too well.
We've lost a little bit of specialness.
But if companies can work with players/teams to create an experience through cards that can bring back some of that unique quality....id be surprised if there wasn't some sort of positive response to it.
As a straight cardboard product....I don't see the numbers rising.
Just my opinion.
When I was a kid collecting, one of the attractions was to feel closer to the players - to know them better. Nowadays you have a high level of access to players, teams, etc. That has taken away from the distance we as fans are from players. We know all of them all too well.
We've lost a little bit of specialness.
But if companies can work with players/teams to create an experience through cards that can bring back some of that unique quality....id be surprised if there wasn't some sort of positive response to it.
As a straight cardboard product....I don't see the numbers rising.
Just my opinion.
achittka
Verified Trader,
My grandpa collected stamps. My Mom has inherited those stamps and is keeping the collection going because it's complete back to the turn of the 20th century and the stamp collecting community has assigned value to old stamps. That stamp collecting community has shrunk over the years (as I understand it -- I can't validate that comment) but the stamps have maintained their perceived value because those who are in the hobby are knowledgeable about it.
I see the same thing happening with sports cards: those who are knowledgeable about the intangible value of cardboard will continue to assign it and pay for it, or at least a certain percentage of it to get a deal and look to make their own buck, though the number of collectors will dwindle.
I think cards are going through a similar progression as stamps, maybe a generation or two behind.
With my family's stamps, when they get passed to me, I'm torn between blowing them out to the highest bidder, or using them to mail things. I have no interest in keeping them, and I've been honest with my mom about this, though some young folk might want to keep the collection going.
To me, it's about the end game: what's the point of collecting these things?
When our grandkids inherit our collections, I see the same thing happening, either wanting to blow them out or a few wanting to keep it going, because, ultimately, what's the point of cards? If you're not into collecting, you're not into the hobby. Kids don't collect things the way we used to collect things, growing up. There's so much else to do.
Collecting cards takes money. Kids don't have money - they're bank rolled by parents. Until they're not, and have to start deciding between food and cards, students loans and cards, rent and cards. My generation (I'm 30) doesn't have money the way previous generations did when they were 30 -- many of us are scraping by, some still relying on our parents. What's the end game of collecting? And what's the point? What's the experience? Hundreds of dollars to open a cardboard box full of cardboard that you look at or can maybe flip for more cardboard? Either you have an infatuation with cardboard (like I do) or you're gambling, and I have little interest in getting the next generation hooked on gambling. Neither really gets you anywhere, neither is an experience beyond the cracking, and neither is affordable for a generation with limited income. If someone is going to gamble, particularly on a modest income, it makes more sense to put 5$ towards making 10 000 000$ and likely lose 5$ rather than 600$ towards making 200$ and likely lose 300$.
I think cardboard companies see the reality, know it, understand the market, and that's why their products are geared, release after release, to those with the higher amounts of disposable income. They're not geared at kids, and when the products are not geared at kids, I think we're spinning our wheels trying to get a market at which a product is not geared into it.
How do you get young collectors back? Tagging onto many of the comments already posted, unless you can make the hobby an experience, unless you can make it affordable, unless you make it accessible to a generation that puts more value in what they do than what they have...... You don't. You enjoy it for what it means to you. This is your hobby. Enjoy it. It's a shrinking hobby but that's fine. I do it because I like it. Just like playing golf or canasta or collecting stamps or typewriters: do it if you like it, and if it fizzles out when you fizzle out, so be it -- just as long as you enjoy it while you're involved in it.
Andrew
I see the same thing happening with sports cards: those who are knowledgeable about the intangible value of cardboard will continue to assign it and pay for it, or at least a certain percentage of it to get a deal and look to make their own buck, though the number of collectors will dwindle.
I think cards are going through a similar progression as stamps, maybe a generation or two behind.
With my family's stamps, when they get passed to me, I'm torn between blowing them out to the highest bidder, or using them to mail things. I have no interest in keeping them, and I've been honest with my mom about this, though some young folk might want to keep the collection going.
To me, it's about the end game: what's the point of collecting these things?
When our grandkids inherit our collections, I see the same thing happening, either wanting to blow them out or a few wanting to keep it going, because, ultimately, what's the point of cards? If you're not into collecting, you're not into the hobby. Kids don't collect things the way we used to collect things, growing up. There's so much else to do.
Collecting cards takes money. Kids don't have money - they're bank rolled by parents. Until they're not, and have to start deciding between food and cards, students loans and cards, rent and cards. My generation (I'm 30) doesn't have money the way previous generations did when they were 30 -- many of us are scraping by, some still relying on our parents. What's the end game of collecting? And what's the point? What's the experience? Hundreds of dollars to open a cardboard box full of cardboard that you look at or can maybe flip for more cardboard? Either you have an infatuation with cardboard (like I do) or you're gambling, and I have little interest in getting the next generation hooked on gambling. Neither really gets you anywhere, neither is an experience beyond the cracking, and neither is affordable for a generation with limited income. If someone is going to gamble, particularly on a modest income, it makes more sense to put 5$ towards making 10 000 000$ and likely lose 5$ rather than 600$ towards making 200$ and likely lose 300$.
I think cardboard companies see the reality, know it, understand the market, and that's why their products are geared, release after release, to those with the higher amounts of disposable income. They're not geared at kids, and when the products are not geared at kids, I think we're spinning our wheels trying to get a market at which a product is not geared into it.
How do you get young collectors back? Tagging onto many of the comments already posted, unless you can make the hobby an experience, unless you can make it affordable, unless you make it accessible to a generation that puts more value in what they do than what they have...... You don't. You enjoy it for what it means to you. This is your hobby. Enjoy it. It's a shrinking hobby but that's fine. I do it because I like it. Just like playing golf or canasta or collecting stamps or typewriters: do it if you like it, and if it fizzles out when you fizzle out, so be it -- just as long as you enjoy it while you're involved in it.
Andrew
scooby1970
Purveyor of Lush,
I never understand why HDIC packs are not free to the shop owners. why should the shop owners add another expense to their budgets.... these card should be free to the shop owners
as a dealer at expo , I seen first hand quincy give each kid he seen a free Crosby or ovechkin rc........
I think the card companies should give dealers at any card show or even card shops free cards or even rookie cards to young kids , the look on the kids faces are priceless.............. give them free cheap rookies and raffle tickets and give them a chance at a young gun of their favorite player
this gives me an idea....... at the fall expo, I will give a kid a free connor McDavid young guns through a raffle but I also want to give each kid a free opc McDavid rc so if anyone wants to give up some free opc McDavid rookies send me a pm........ my goal is to get 100 and hopefully another 1or 2 McDavid young guns so there could be more than one winner
any remaining opc McDavid rc, if any , will be given to childrens hospital or the Ronald McDonald house
I chose McDavid because of the hype from the past two expos and because hes one the better rookies that kids seem to want
newfiecomicguy1
Transactions, Hockey & Comic Book Moderator, April
The thing is that there is a lot of greed out there. As mentioned earlier grown men push kids back for a chance at free stuff at the expo. If the companies gave decent cards to dealers to give away to kids most of those cards will end up on the sales table. Sure there are great guys out there who will give them away but for every one of them there is 2 or 3 that will try and figure out how to make a buck from it. The business side of collecting is one of the biggest issues. High prices over saturation of gu and autos. The hobby is in a message headed down a bad one way street. Things need to change or sometime in the not so distant future there won't be a card collecting hobby.
bamlinden
Upstanding Member,
^^^^This^^^^
Sadly, for all the positive people out there with excellent intentions, there will always be one or two bad apples that will look to capitalize on a generous situation.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to do our part (or our best) when it comes to bringing a positive influence or atmosphere to the situation. It's just that we have to have our guard up every so slightly more.
Selflessness, genuine enthusiasm and overall good nature is the cornerstone to a lot of things in life.....including this hobby.
Sadly, for all the positive people out there with excellent intentions, there will always be one or two bad apples that will look to capitalize on a generous situation.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to do our part (or our best) when it comes to bringing a positive influence or atmosphere to the situation. It's just that we have to have our guard up every so slightly more.
Selflessness, genuine enthusiasm and overall good nature is the cornerstone to a lot of things in life.....including this hobby.
steveottfan
Verified Trader,
I'm 24 and I know of very few people my age who collect cards. Most people, however, are generally interested in hearing about it and looking at it when I bring it up. One point I'll add is that I feel as though my generation is significantly less interest in collecting in general. Travelling and experience are taking the place of accumulation of material goods. And as previously mentioned this is exacerbated by the lack of disposable income. I'm a graduate student and not only do I feel guilty about buying cards with a debt looming over my head, but even with a good career I can't even picture the time were I'll have enough money in the bank to bust wax.
I don't think the hobby will ever die. It will evolve with the time. I'm a child of the internet age and for one reason or another somewhere along the way I got hooked. After junior high 0 of my friends collected hockey cards. It was thanks to forums like this (old Beckett anyone?) that I was able to connect with people all over the world. Forums kept me informed, involved and interested in the hobby. Hobby shop? Growing up the nearest one was a two hour drive. It it wasn't for new media I would almost have certainly stopped collected cards with the rest of my friends in junior high.
One my very earliest memories of card collecting was busting boxes of old Score and Pro Set that could be found at a local flee market for $5/each. My mother was more than happy to spend so little on so much entertainment. If your parents don't know much about the hobby, it can be almost inconceivable to spend more than $5 on a pack of cards. Cheap wax is important. I always wished Upper Deck would make one huge annual set with a massive checklist, a stack of cards per pack and a few hits that could be purchased for a couple bucks a pack. What kid wants 15 cards of Phil Kessel and 20 of Eric Staal etc. I'm not a fan of the cheap MVP stuff and recent releases from UD because I feel limited checklists also limit new collectors. Same 100 guys over an over again. When I was a kid and a Leafs fan I still loved adding Aki Berg, Wade Belak, Trevor Kidd and the rest of the scrubs as well as the stars. I also liked reading stories on the back. I HATE base cards with no write ups.
I don't think the hobby will ever die. It will evolve with the time. I'm a child of the internet age and for one reason or another somewhere along the way I got hooked. After junior high 0 of my friends collected hockey cards. It was thanks to forums like this (old Beckett anyone?) that I was able to connect with people all over the world. Forums kept me informed, involved and interested in the hobby. Hobby shop? Growing up the nearest one was a two hour drive. It it wasn't for new media I would almost have certainly stopped collected cards with the rest of my friends in junior high.
One my very earliest memories of card collecting was busting boxes of old Score and Pro Set that could be found at a local flee market for $5/each. My mother was more than happy to spend so little on so much entertainment. If your parents don't know much about the hobby, it can be almost inconceivable to spend more than $5 on a pack of cards. Cheap wax is important. I always wished Upper Deck would make one huge annual set with a massive checklist, a stack of cards per pack and a few hits that could be purchased for a couple bucks a pack. What kid wants 15 cards of Phil Kessel and 20 of Eric Staal etc. I'm not a fan of the cheap MVP stuff and recent releases from UD because I feel limited checklists also limit new collectors. Same 100 guys over an over again. When I was a kid and a Leafs fan I still loved adding Aki Berg, Wade Belak, Trevor Kidd and the rest of the scrubs as well as the stars. I also liked reading stories on the back. I HATE base cards with no write ups.
creasecollector
Verified Trader ,
I'm in a very similar situation, haha! 23 and I don't know anyone my age (near me) who collects hockey cards. If it wasn't for online forums, I would never have anyway of connecting with other collectors such as yourselves 
cburt
Remembered Member,
Some good ideas. Pokémon are also extremely popular with the young kids. It's got the card game thing that Magic cards have, and the cartoons also help to promote the cards. The two go hand-in-hand. And like Magic, there are cards that are worth a ton.
You can't escape digital and I also think stuff like epack and the like are the future. Though I love having the physical/tangible cards themselves, I find myself looking at my collection in flickr or photobucket way, way more than opening my card boxes to look at the physical cards anyway - it's just easier that way. The hobby needs to embrace the easier, faster and instantaneous more, while trying to still make collecting, even in this way accessible and affordable to kids. Many kids will follow their dads, at least to a point or certain age. My son is five and loves cards because I love them. He has no concept of value or rarity. What matters to him is the eye appeal of a card - how many colours are on it, how shiny it is, if it contains jerseys inside, etc. He got so excited when I gave him a triple jersey card the other day. He even wanted to take the jersey pieces out of the card, lol. Of course I told him shouldn't do that, and I always try to emphasize the importance of him taking care of his cards. For five, he does exceptionally well. He loves when I buy him cards for him online too. Like Barry mentioned with his kids, maybe my son's passion will taper off over time, but you never know. Even if the bulk of collectors remain in that 25 to 55 crowd, it doesn't mean we give up on trying to be innovative and creative in still trying to promote the hobby to kids. Giving away freebies at card shops and Halloween are great ways to do this.
The hobby is already a niche. Even if it dies or becomes like stamps, coins or bottles, it will still be relevant to some. I think that's all that matters.
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