With the rise of the popularity of Sports Cards and the rise of sports card prices over the last couple years, we have seen a significant increase in the number of people who are seeking out sports card content.

Some of that content is informational in nature, and some is more focused on the financial or “investment” side of things.  A natural progression of the increased demand is resulting in some content creators trying to figure out how to create a revenue stream from their work.

That can be done a few different ways.  Ads, Sponsorships, and Affiliate programs are all popular approaches for podcasters and bloggers, and I am benefiting from all those programs myself.  Another approach is utilized by others and garners a much greater level of scrutiny: charging readers/listeners for access.

I’m Paying for What Exactly?

 These subscription models typically fall in a couple different categories.  One focus is purely on access to hobby content.  Beckett’s access to online articles, or even the print magazine for that matter are a prime example.  Sports Card Radio has also experimented with charging a nominal fee for a handful of their podcast episodes.  For this model to work, the content has to be top notch and it has to be unique and be material that is not freely available anywhere else.  People are not willing to pay for something that can be obtained for free unless the creator adds value to the material via their individual, respected perspectives.

Debates can be had over whether these particular products are worth the prices being charged, but very few people question the intentions or ethics of those using this model.

Another content focus where subscription prices are being charged is financial related.  This typically involves either access to analytical tools or research, or more controversially “investment picks”.

Often times critics lump anyone who is selling hobby information which has a financial focus as a scam artist.  I think that is a bit of a reach and I think there is a clear distinction between the types of products these individuals are selling.

Let’s take a look at the type of financial content that I think is above board.

Card Analytical Tools and Data

Access to tools and databases that aggregate and enhance the ability to analyze sports card data and prices.

Like it or not, there is a lot of money to be made buying and selling sports cards.  And while much of the historical sales data could be found for free, the tools and resources created in these programs make the research quicker and more robust.  Saving time for collectors and providing them tools which many wouldn’t know how to create themselves is a valuable service, and there is nothing wrong with the creators of those products to want to be compensated for their effort.  Another reason I feel these types of products are above board is the intention of the creator.  The ones I’m most familiar with have an underlying goal of helping their subscribers profit both through the data as well as educating them on how to analyze and interpret it.  

Examples of the types of content that I thing have the potential to add value for collectors are the Beckett Online Price Guide, Geoff Wilson’s Sports Card Investor Market Movers Tool, The Card Ladder, and Ty Wilson’s Breaker Culture Patreon membership.  They all provide tools and/or analytics that educate collectors and enhance the ability of people to do their own research and make their own decisions about the cards they buy and sell.

You may come to a different conclusion about the usefulness of the analysis or tools, or whether or not they lead to correct conclusions about the true underlying drivers of card prices, but that difference of opinion does not make these products or people scammers or shysters. 

Scam Central

This brings me to the type of content and content creator which I feel is dangerous and  potentially outright scammy.  That is the person who is just outright charging a subscription for a list of card picks.  Collectors should be very cautious of these types of programs and in my opinion should never pay for this type of content.

Many times these creators have very little background in the hobby and their products are simply lists of cards/players to buy with very little thought process shared on the reasons behind the recommendations.  If some thoughts are shared, they often demonstrate a very shallow, and sometimes inaccurate, understanding of hobby dynamics.  This model is not new, it has been around for years in the stock picking, sports betting, and fantasy sports industries.

The people who fall for these scams are looking for an easy way out.  They don’t want to do the research, or maybe I should say they don’t want to learn how to do the research and get educated.  They want someone to just give it to them.  Stay away, far away from these products.

Wrapping It Up

There is an ever growing level of demand for sports card content, and the amount of content available to consume is growing right along with it.  Some of that content is good, and some is outright bad.  Some of it is free, and some of it is behind a paywall.  And while there is a ton of great, free, content available, that doesn’t necessarily mean just because something is behind a paywall that it should be ignored.  In the same vein, just because something is behind a paywall, doesn’t mean that it is a scam or that its creator is unethical for trying to generate income from the content they are creating.  

I suggest doing your research about the folks creating the content you are looking to consume.  Ask yourself: are they sharing their thought process?  Are they creating an analytical tool which can help save me time in my research process or teach me a new way to approach my analysis?  Do they have the heart of a teacher?  Do they have a track record or reputation in the hobby?  What do I actually get for my money?

While there are some creators who are looking to profit by taking advantage of new entrants into the sports card hobby by “selling picks”, I would say the vast majority of content creators have good intentions and are looking to help make the hobby stronger.