Stacking Slabs

AI is everywhere right now.

Collectors are curious.
Dealers are experimenting.
Business owners are trying to figure out what matters and what is noise.

In this episode of Built for the Hobby, Brett sits down with InfernoRed Technology CEO Scott Lock to answer real AI questions submitted by people inside the hobby. 

Topics include:

• Can AI help price rare cards with little sales history?
• Can dealers use AI to source better inventory and improve margins?
• What does AI look like for collectors focused on enjoyment instead of profit?
• Will AI eventually anticipate opportunities before we even recognize them ourselves?

This conversation explores where AI fits into sports cards right now and where the biggest opportunities still exist for collectors, dealers, hobby shops, and businesses trying to build better experiences.

If you’ve been wondering where AI is heading in the hobby, this episode is for you.

Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.

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What happens when a new generation of collectors, entrepreneurs, and operators begins shaping the future of the hobby?

On this episode of Passion to Profession, Brett sits down with Michael Osacky to explore the changing dynamics inside sports cards.

From social influence and FOMO to trust, reputation, buyer premiums, startups, and manufactured scarcity, this conversation looks at the forces shaping the hobby in 2026 and beyond.

Michael shares stories from decades in the industry and explains why understanding cards and understanding the card market are two different things.

They also discuss:

•  Why reputation still matters most 
•  How speed and access are changing collector behavior 
•  The dangers of following hype accounts 
•  What newer collectors need to understand about risk 
•  Why patience is becoming rare in the hobby 
•  The future of grading, marketplaces, and trust 

This episode is for collectors trying to think long term in a hobby moving faster than ever.

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A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.

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Topps Royalty arrived and the wrestling card community has not stopped talking about it.

Adam and Ryan break down the entire product from every angle.

The autograph checklist.
The WrestleMania patches.
The chase cards.
The ripping experience.
The market reaction.

They discuss why Royalty feels different than anything wrestling collectors have seen before and why the product is creating strong reactions across the hobby.

The conversation also moves beyond the cards.

This episode is about friendship, collecting with people you care about, and why moments attached to cards matter.

From massive pulls to community stories to the future of premium wrestling products, this is one of the deepest wrestling card conversations yet.

RSVP for Wrestling Card Takeover at The National on July 31

Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs!

Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for free

Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon

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Pack and Brett open with a question that hits deeper than it should.

What makes a player feel bigger than the game?

The new Kaiju inserts spark a conversation about identity in collecting. Not every player fits the label. Not every card earns the meaning.

From there, the conversation moves through the hobby in real time.

New releases. Superfractors. College uniform cards. And the tension between what looks good and what feels right.

They also dig into the collector mindset.

•  When does a card cross from cool to meaningful 
•  Why some cards feel like the center of your collection 
•  And how personal history shapes what you chase 

Plus:

•  The reality of posting cards you no longer own 
•  “Hall of Very Good” players and who gets remembered 
•  The kind of card you’d show someone to explain why you care about this hobby 

This one is part hobby talk, part self-check.

Because at some point, you have to decide what matters to you.

Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking Slabs

Follow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff.

Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype

Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon

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Rediscovery is part of collecting whether you plan for it or not.

There are more lanes in this hobby than any one person can fully explore. Players. Eras. Sets. Parallels. Nostalgia. Upside. Community. Content. All of it pulls at you at the same time.

That tension creates movement. But movement is not the same as alignment.

In this episode, I break down what happens when you step away from a collecting lane and then find your way back. Why leaving does not mean the passion was never real. Why returning can feel different. And why second runs in collecting often bring more clarity than the first.

I share my own experience with wrestling cards. The lane that brought me back into the hobby. The break I took. And what it feels like to return with a new perspective, new standards, and a stronger connection to what matters.

This is not about nostalgia for the sake of it.

This is about understanding what still belongs in your collection and why.

If you have ever stepped away from something you loved in the hobby, this one will hit.

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What does it mean to have your own taste as a collector?

In this flagship episode, Brett explores the tension between following the crowd and building your own point of view in the hobby. 

Most collectors say they want independence. Few are willing to do the work that comes with it.

Because independent taste is not about being different. It is about being accountable.

Brett breaks down why consensus feels safe and why so many collectors lean on it. He explains how social proof shapes buying decisions and why it often replaces real thinking. Then he offers a clear framework to help you pressure test your own ideas so you can build conviction that holds up over time.

This episode covers:

• The difference between collecting from conviction and inherited hierarchy
• Why validation is not the same as agreement
• How to stress test a card before you buy it
• The role of taste in building a collection that lasts
• The hard truth about wanting independence but needing approval

If you want your collection to reflect you and not the algorithm, this episode will challenge how you think and how you buy.

You are the CEO of your PC.

Act like it.

Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.

Check out the Northeast Sports Card Expo in Marlborough, Mass June 26-28, 2026

Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free

Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype

Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today

[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link

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The hobby is moving faster than ever.

In this episode of The Staging Area, Brett and Tory break down what speed means right now for collectors and operators.

They dig into the pressure of rising volume and what it takes to keep up. Tory shares how dcsports87 is handling over 100,000 cards a week and the real decisions behind cutting services, hiring aggressively, and tightening operations to reduce wait times. 

You’ll hear how speed impacts your strategy as a collector. When to sell. When to grade. When to move on.

They also explore:

•  Why new release timing matters more than ever 
•  How breakers, consignment, and marketplaces are collapsing timelines 
•  The rise of moment-based cards and why they hit harder than ever 
•  What operational excellence looks like behind the scenes 

If you’re trying to keep up, this episode will help you think more clearly about how to move.

Because in this environment, slow decisions cost you.

A special thank you to dcsports87 for supporting this series. Check out dcsports87 for your eBay consignment needs and visit the dcsports87 eBay store to find great cards ending every night.

Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype

Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon

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What does it take to go from collector to company builder?

In this episode of Passion to Profession, I sit down with Zach Stanley, CEO and Founder of WeTheHobby.

Zach didn’t stumble into this.
He built it from inside the hobby.

We talk about:

•  The shift from collecting cards to building a business 
•  Why trust is the foundation of everything in the hobby 
•  The realities of operating in a market driven by hype, speed, and attention 
•  What it looks like to create something that collectors rely on 

You’ll hear how Zach thinks about long-term positioning in a space that often rewards short-term moves.

You’ll also hear the pressure that comes with it.

This is a conversation about building something real in the hobby.
Not chasing moments. Building systems.

If you’ve ever thought about turning your passion into your profession, this one will hit.

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A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.

Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon

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Season 4 closes with a conversation that looks back before it looks forward.

After 50 episodes and a season built on collector voices, Brett joins Katelyn to reflect on what this run revealed about the WNBA card market, the people shaping it, and where it goes next.

This episode moves across eras, from early history to the Rittenhouse years to today’s surge in attention. It surfaces what collectors missed, what they’re chasing now, and what still feels underappreciated.

You’ll hear how perspectives changed through the season.
Why certain cards and moments hit harder than expected.
And what it means to collect with intention when the market is still forming.

There is also an honest conversation about the gap between what collectors want and what manufacturers deliver.

If you followed the season, this is the reset.
If you’re new, this is the entry point.

The goal stays the same.
Collect what matters.
Understand why it matters.

Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of The WNBA Card Podcast

Follow the WNBA Card Podcast on Instagram 

Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype

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You’re feeling it right now.

More products. More releases. More noise.

This week Adam and Ryan sit down and talk through what’s actually happening in wrestling cards… and what it means for you.

Topps Chrome is still fresh.
Royalty is about to hit.
Cosmic is on deck.
Sapphire is looming.

It’s not slowing down.

So the real question becomes simple:

Can the wrestling card market handle all of this?

They break down the reality collectors are facing right now:

• Why the current release schedule is testing budgets and attention
• What happens when hype moves faster than collectors can react
• How scarcity, demand, and timing are colliding in real time
• Why some products are getting ignored… and why that matters
• The role of community when things start moving too fast

There’s also a deeper layer in this conversation.

You’ll hear stories about collectors helping each other chase cards.
Text messages flying during breaks.
People looking out for one another in a competitive market.

That’s the part that doesn’t show up in sales charts.

If you’re trying to figure out how to navigate this moment…

This episode will help you slow down, think clearly, and make better decisions.

Because the market is moving fast.

But you don’t have to.

Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs!

Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for free

Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon

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