Digital LeBron vs. analog Mantle: Sports collectibles remain hot despite NFT boom
In the sports collectibles world, cardboard is still king — for now.
In the sports collectibles world, cardboard is still king — for now.
Despite the boom and subsequent semi-bust of digital sports collectibles in the past couple of years, the world of tangible sports collectibles — cards, jerseys, memorabilia and all things in between — has remained hot. The record for most ever paid for sports memorabilia has been broken three times this year, though prices for some popular cards have dipped from their peaks in 2020 and 2021.
That market has been boosted by a thriving online content industry surrounding sports cards and memorabilia. Dozens of YouTube channels, podcasts and TikTok accounts track the market, with some offering a way for people to purchase cards, jerseys and even autographed football helmets.
That’s fueled some optimism that NFTs, or non-fungible tokens (blockchain-based tokens tied to digital art) aren’t set to replace the thrill of opening a pack of cards anytime soon.
“I would say the future is 100% tangible,” said Mike Heffner, CEO of Lelands, a sports auction house that approaches $50 million in revenue a year. “With an NFT, I don’t understand it; I just don’t see how that can bring the same thrill to someone.”
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