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