In this solo episode, I slow things down and explore an idea I’ve been thinking about for a long time: the hobby either chooses you, or you choose it.

How you enter the sports card hobby shapes how you experience it, how you relate to other collectors, and why certain tensions keep resurfacing year after year. Some of us come to cards organically, through curiosity, nostalgia, and connection. Others arrive intentionally, through opportunity, markets, and money. Neither path is right or wrong, but they lead to very different perspectives.

In this episode, I talk about why those differences matter, where gatekeeping comes from, how the modern hobby ecosystem evolved, and why refusing to let people change over time creates unnecessary friction. I also share my own entry point into the hobby, how my mindset has evolved, and why coexistence matters more than consensus.

This isn’t about telling anyone how to collect. It’s about understanding why we collect the way we do, and how the hobby can be big enough to hold more than one story.

If you agree, disagree, or land somewhere in between, I’d love to hear from you.

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Sports Cards Live returns to its regular live format soon.

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