Is Breaking Ruining The Sports Card Hobby?!

[@Cryptoinvestor-pv4fy]

Yes, children can't afford them and enjoy the fun any longer. It's becoming a rich man's hobby.

[@SpitballinCards]

sadly, you're spot on

[@craigbrown7880]

I got back in 2018. Bought boxes. Then the prices went up. Went to breaks. Then they went up and no guarantees. So now I buy singles. Good stuff 🤙🏻

[@Blabbin_Bout_Slabbin]

Seems like a pretty standard way of moving through the hobby these days.

[@SpitballinCards]

This is the way.

[@4HoopsAndHomers]

You guys are GREAT for the hobby! On card autos rule!! Accept no imitation!!!!!!’

[@SpitballinCards]

Thanks for watching and YES!! On card only FOREVER!!!

[@Lanatus]

Breakers provide as much value as mass robocalls asking you to buy warranties.

[@SpitballinCards]

Chris here - thankfully my 88 year old father hasnt bought into as many breaks as he has extended warranties.

[@PERKCARDS]

It’s too late. It’s already ruined it. Because of breaking…price of product has went sky high. because of breaking… print runs are out of control. Because of breaking…More parallels which waters down the product. And the most serious part is if someone has any kind of trouble with gambling, this could be really detrimental to them.

[@grindstone11]

Breaking has been around for way longer than you think

[@SpitballinCards]

Chris here - like I said, the gambling aspect of it is my biggest concern. I'm not ready to blame breaking for the higher prices. At least, not entirely.

[@Apsportzcardz]

Its not breaking, its the “type of people” breaking. This industry whether u like it or not aligns with gambling very well. Breaking has amplified that vs regular people opening boxes themselves but plenty of collectors use breaking to collect their cards. When u have degenerate gamblers just bidding on stuff because theres flashy signs and lights and promises of money to be made, we get what we have now. Its sad but theres no way to change it when its an open market

[@gameinformationpokertheory]

@@Apsportzcardz-There are positives to an open Market that one only realizes when they’re gone (Dodd-Frank legislation to Financial Markets). Everyone gets to choose what Products they Buy, the Breakers they use, how much they spend, the Players they Collect, Hobby/Retail/Singles and so many other things are open to every individual in Sportscards. Sports Betting has limits. Yes, Sportscards definitely has elements of Gambling - but it has positive aspects that allows us each to enjoy the Hobby in our own way.

[@Jackson_Farnsworth]

Yep. New product is ridiculously expensive. I'm gonna stop buying new next year and go vintage only. Maybe I'll buy a Topps factory base set.

[@SpitballinCards]

Prices have definitely gotten crazy. It's a shame

[@shorebreakcards]

Also, as a 38 year old, i enjoy Cosmic (and Green Grass Bowman Refractors), just had to defend that one real quick 😊

[@SpitballinCards]

Fair enough - there are enough parallels for everyone!! Chris here - I know cosmic has fans, and some of the cards do look pretty cool. It's just not for me. Now if Topps makes a dinosaur-baseball set, my wallet is likely in trouble.

[@shorebreakcards]

@SpitballinCards a Dino set would be awesome! The Allen & Ginter Dino relics are pretty cool though, but I'm aiming for an Anthony Bourdain relic or auto in the near future!

[@drpearlmantv6357]

Jeff making great points at 4:30 and on . I really think there are toooooooo many products, to many breakers, to many watered down products/ parallels. Cost of product is out of control and fanatics will state “that’s what the market dictates “ people are paying it because they(or their children) are addicted . It is gambling and very very few of us collect for being close to the game / players we love. Could easily rant , but won’t here

[@Blabbin_Bout_Slabbin]

Jeff here: appreciate it! Pretty frustrating and shows no sign of changing.

[@drpearlmantv6357]

@@Blabbin_Bout_Slabbin hey , At least there are SSP golden mirrors and stadium club image variants..::: For now and we have up until 2022 to chase 😏

[@rileyesmay]

As far as too many products, I just want myself who grew up 15 ish years ago to voice what we collected starting out. Back in 2010 ish when I bought my first box of cards, or rather my parents did at a Kmart, there were multiple options as far as what to buy. Even a year or two later when I'd go to target around then, I'll be honest I had no clue what chrome cards were, as I rarely saw them on shelves, and my parents would always let me get a flagship box of topps. I don't think we have any problem with new people being overwhelmed, I know as a kid it didn't really matter that there were multiple options, we still had fun and got cards. I will say though, the confusing part for ALL collectors are the sets that are literally another set, but different design. No I'm not talking cosmic, opening day, etc that are similar, I'm talking logofractor, sapphire, etc that are all literally the same card and checklist. I don't dislike their designs, but they should 100% be a parallel in normal Topps Chrome. If we did away with those sets I think we'd be better off, but to half the products would really hurt the hobby, because Print runs would double, and there are sets people really like such as archives or allen and ginter for example that would be potentially cut

[@SpitballinCards]

Chris here - I get your point and you;re right. We dont need all those versions of the same set!! I totally agree!! Thanks for watching!

[@xKalamity]

I have never entered a break (Canadian and no one would ship them to me), but I would only enter one to help support a (small) content creator I like while also getting cards out of the deal. People who give money to breakers who aren’t nice and don’t give a shit about cards at all confuse me

[@SpitballinCards]

we are equally as confused!!

[@king_ltc_]

There should be a limit on how much product an individual can buy unless they can prove that they have a brick and mortar stores and won’t do breaks. Other than that, there is just an over-saturation of parallels and inserts, that you’re basically losing money unless you hit superfractors, SSPs, or parallel autos.

[@russellbradleigh3393]

The trouble with that is if the brick & mortar is the only source than that is just as likely to jack up the prices (if B&M is LCS).

[@SpitballinCards]

ROI is basically impossible when ripping boxes now

[@king_ltc_]

@@russellbradleigh3393 I would rather pay outrageous prices at a LCS than for a breaker.

[@TheCardDeal]

Just a heads up, LCSs are having allocation cut. Wave 1 and 2 of purchase options at different prices. You can buy 10 cases at pre release on a lot of products directly from Topps. Crazy times

[@XGenMovies]

As much as i complain about breaking, it allows access to products that are out of my price range. IE say i wanted some pristine cards, or chrome sapphire, i can spend 20-30$ on a team and get some base with a chance at a really cool card. vs spending 400+ a box. that said, its also breaking that has made those boxes 400$+

[@SpitballinCards]

That's true. At least you can get some cards of your team - no guarantee when you rip a box yourself.

[@Cardenjoyer]

Q1, whole heartedly agree with Phil. It feels like asking people who are really into collecting, if product should be reduced, is like asking spicy food enthusiasts if Wendys should make their spicy chicken sandwich more spicy. Of course it can be more spicy, but they have to appeal to more than just super spicy lovers because they're catering to more than just a single demographic. I remember when people were complaining about the lack of product being produced in 2020/2021, and now there's too much. Compliants about lots of parallels: Rip a couple boxes of 1991 Upper Deck basketball with no parallels and see how much you actually enjoy it. Plenty of product is fine. If you don't like it, just ignore it.

[@SpitballinCards]

Chris here - Phil did make some good points there. I tend to ignore a lot of sets that come out, as we all do I think.

[@leonardtabone8670]

There are few good breakers. Stryker and run good life are my favorites because they are collectors themselves and dont push BS products just to make money. Not all breakers are created equally. Without them, it would be tough for the average guy to get a chance at the high-end product. I do think there are many who are greedy and just suck at life...aka back yard breaks...f-ing 🤡 show

[@SpitballinCards]

Chris here - agreed all around!!

[@Krysdavar]

I always have hot takes about 'breakers'. They have absolutely made a lot of products out of reach for most collectors to buy themselves. I don't even buy Chrome anymore, and that is/was my favorite product. Not for LMAO 200+ for a really thin hobby box. Jumbo hobby boxes of Chrome used to be less than 200...Like, not even 5 years ago.

[@SpitballinCards]

Chris here - I just can't get over the $200 price tag for a hobby box and one guaranteed auto who will almst certainly be worthless. It's impossible to buy one.

[@russellbradleigh3393]

I get that Fanatics loves/needs large breakers due to the amount they’ve invested scooping up the major licenses.

[@gameinformationpokertheory]

The economics of Products (Topps and Panini: 60+ and 10+) comes down to a finite amount of money chasing an expanding production run to balance the equation. Singles are cheap because value declines as time passes…approximately one year after a Product is Released the Singles are down significantly as to when the Product is brand new. This Value destruction should be catastrophic to Sportscards Hobby, but Collectors seem to accept this phenomenon. This is the definition of Junk Wax, but the Breakers open so much Product that the Supply is so limited that it doesn’t reflect the Expected Value from opening older Wax Products. Crazy distortion of Markets…2024 will be a Case Study in the future for MLB Cards. If Dela Cruz, the Jackson 3, Langford, Skenes or someone else becomes a Superstar in eight to ten years, then there shouldn’t be a lot of Price Appreciation because the overall Supply of 2024 is way too high. 🤓⚾️

[@MikelTulp]

I’d like to see upper deck get into baseball, this could all be solved by mlb saying you can only print 5 sets a year

[@Blabbin_Bout_Slabbin]

Jeff here: I miss the competition between baseball card manufactures.

[@russellbradleigh3393]

35 years ago UD forced Topps to make prettier and higher quality cards. I remember the quality of 1990 Topps which will be next year’s throwback was so poor of card stock that you barely touched the cards and the corners would badly fray

[@SpitballinCards]

@@russellbradleigh3393 YES!!!

[@shorebreakcards]

Awesome pod fellas! Great questions, i especially liked the convo on breaks, great points all around. That being said, I really enjoy watching breaks, namely so I can see some cool cards and find find singles to buy. Like, I was watching Dynasty Breaks 10+ years ago and buying off ebay when I saw a cool insert or parallel. Today, I'm working 60-80 hours/week and don't have time to scour cardboard connection or Beckett checklists. If I don't know something exists, it's almost impossible to search eBay and come across it, but breaks are entertaining and provide a service, even though I've never bought into one! I do wish prices for wax wasn't so high, but that also increases the prices of singles, which I don't mind so much. Knowing I collected and ripped wax in an era that will never come again is kinda cool though, it's like a badge of honor... kinda like living in an age without smartphones and widespread internet, it gives perspective 🥂

[@SpitballinCards]

Chris here - i think you're right about the entertainment value. Honestly, I've watched breaks before as well. FUn way to be introduced to a new product. It's totally a badge of honor. I remmeber 55 cent wax packs. No parallels. No autos.

[@davidbertrand7069]

There’s another collapse coming, every year that goes by the bubble is getting bigger and bigger. Thankfully I’m my case my PC is built around childhood memories that I don’t care about the resale value on.

[@SpitballinCards]

Sounds like true collecting!!

[@teddo997]

I like the stadium club hybrid paper chrome. The bowman was is always the best way lol

[@GFTCNJ]

Breaking makes 90% of eBay singles cheaper by flooding the zone. It’s really only wax prices that get inflated.

[@SpitballinCards]

Exactly! And when that's inflated, people have no entry to the product other than through a break. Chris here - I like the singles hitting market faster.

[@kennywojciechowski]

They have ruined it. And it will continue to be out of hand. The kids and the average joe like me have been pushed to the side.

[@SpitballinCards]

If it means I just don't rip any boxes anymore, I'm ok with that. And so is my wallet.

[@mangobango6970]

They better not get rid of Topps Gilded!!! Lowest numbered base set in ALL of the Topps Chrome lineups.

[@mangobango6970]

Gilded best of all the chrome products.....period!

[@SpitballinCards]

I will say the gilded cards to look good. I don't own any yet, but theres a freeman auto i need a copy of eventually.

[@kevinfarrell9629]

Breaking got me back into the hobby. Mostly due to the fact there aren’t ant local card stores in my area there a few but not like they used to be. Also I have been finding it hard to find cards in other places like Walgreens. There are rare occasions that I find the stuff I want in Target and Walmart but most of the time not.

[@SpitballinCards]

chris here - I almost never find retail product in the wild, but the place i've found it the most often is Barnes and Noble. Oh, and LIDS.

[@Cape_Cod_Collector]

Great topics. I am not a fan of breaking for a few reasons. First, the gambling aspect, adults are one thing, but kids can develop a serious problem that can quickly get out of hand and lead to other issues. I’d also agree that the breakers are supporting these super high box prices…more people would be able to buy the product if they weren’t so cost prohibitive. Used to be that you could break even on many products…and you would sell or TRADE the cards you didn’t want for those you did. It helped develop friendships and networks. Also, this entire hobby has shifted from collecting cards to flipping for cash. Not enough end consumers for these cards, and without us, the hobby will wither on the vine and die out.

[@SpitballinCards]

It;s almost impossible to break even on any boxes now.

[@Ryan-yh3zw]

Fanatics having a monopoly is a huge problem for the hobby. There is no competition to lower prices so we are simply stuck with whatever the hand feeds us.

[@SpitballinCards]

good point!

[@redmatmedia]

Breaking is horrible...about 2% are winners and the rest are all losers....you want to introduce people to the hobby, send them to local card stores or ebay

[@TheCardDeal]

In my opinion, Ebay is the worst place for buyers and sellers. The fees and taxes are rough. Random team breaks are a great way to do more than just aquire cards. This year I had 28 seats at an Indians game and many more in town from all over the country for the National when it was here in Cleveland. I am now part of a larger cardmunity, card community. Today we did a fundraiser where we all donated product to raise funds for a member who passed. It's an annual thing and all funds go to his daughter. Never met the person, but we have done many of these and it has brought a lot of new faces to the hobby, and many new friendships have formed. Today you can now see a lot of video talks all over KZbin about 2025 National and meet ups, hangout with fellow collectors etc. To me the hot button topics will drive the clicks and various opinions. No one gives 2 shits about the stuff I mentioned above. Absolutely no one, you can make a video about it every day for 2 years and you would die waiting to scratch 100 views on KZbin. I vented in my other comment as I was tired of hearing how all this is bad or dying and with or without me and you, the hobby moves along. You get what you put into it, stay within budget, find other ways to collect, trade etc. You can be very active in the hobby with a small budget.

[@SpitballinCards]

If you have a an LCS to go to!

[@csc538]

And the MVP, most valuable perspective, for this episode goes to Chris's wife.

[@SpitballinCards]

hahaha - i begged her not to pull on these hobby threads!!

[@MikelTulp]

I’ve participated in exactly 5 breaks 4 of them I recieved no cards twice and base crap twice. Once and once only I got two autos for the guardians, it was a $20 team got a kwan 1989 auto and a gimenez gold auto #\50. My four losses cost me 290 and one good one cost me $20

[@SpitballinCards]

Ouch. Yeah, it's a spin on the roulette wheel!

[@jkfactor]

This video is like 4 years too late

[@SpitballinCards]

It took forever to upload!

[@jasonbaldwin6303]

Phil forgot that breakers feeding on the shot of dopamine of the degenerate gamblers

[@SpitballinCards]

Chris here - absolutely the concern

[@MikelTulp]

No breaking gets singles out into market but only done if blind breaking if a client list ever gets out or sales of the scanners there will be a huge disruption.

[@SpitballinCards]

The CT scanner situation is a serious problem.

[@fuusoab77]

Yes

[@jimc.goodfellas]

Yes.

[@Kantankerous75]

It's gambling folks. Buying cards is like buying scratchers these days. There may be people how are in it for the cards but there are a lot of people in the hobby who want to strike gold and hit that life changing card.

[@SpitballinCards]

exactly - and ToppsNow is taking it to the next level.

[@godisgreat8462]

Yeah boy

[@mangobango6970]

Patience is a virtue, but one that does not exist in today's hobby unfortunately.

[@SpitballinCards]

Most of society has lost its patience!

[@thekeithy4999]

Breakers got so many people into or back into the hobby, especially during the pandemic when people were on their phones and stuck at home way more than usual. For this, we should be grateful, extremely grateful. However, it’s almost become the only way to buy into these products, especially anything high end (high end used to be $100 a box, not $500-$1000). It’s a catch 22. Breakers created a lot of the success and popularity we see in the hobby, but nobody wants them around now that the hobby (on paper) is thriving as a result of what the breakers helped create. I’d assume the average collectors thoughts are “I want as many people in the hobby as possible (as long as they aren’t scummy), but I want to rip as much good product as I can for really cheap.” I don’t think both are doable. Sorry for rambling. Great episode guys!

[@SpitballinCards]

great points

[@MikelTulp]

Get rid of cosmic, Allen Gunter, pristine, sapphire, sterling keep flagship, chrome, stadium club and heritage

[@SpitballinCards]

Chris here - youve got to keep Allen & Ginter. There's a surprisingly large chunk of collectors who've made that set their top priority. It's beloved. It's honestly on the same level of Stadium CLub when it comes to collectibility. the others you mentioned can go!

[@MikelTulp]

What baseball cards are considered staples that hobby purists see as essential?

[@SpitballinCards]

Topps Topps Chrome Bowman Chrome Stadium Club Heritage Those are probably your core 5. Allen & GInter has its niche as well.

[@lilcoop7712]

i love ya'll and ya'll do a killer show. but everytime ya'll hate on chrome cosmic it gives "get off my lawn" vibes

[@Philmington]

I was just trying to use it to make a point because the other guys don’t like it. I’m actually a pretty big fan of the product.

[@Blabbin_Bout_Slabbin]

Just that one product? Because there are new products that we like, but most that feel like a cash grab. Do you think there are too many products, and just like cosmic? Or do you think they should keep pumping out all of these products?

[@SpitballinCards]

haha - that's funny. People have sent me the grimacing Clint Eastwood gif after I complain about somehting Topps does.

[@fliplife67]

I think breaking save theses card companies from losing money on products that dont sell well in all sports not just Baseball.

[@Philmington]

Good point

[@Philmington]

Uncontested/irrational hype

[@Apsportzcardz]

Something that ive noticed that proves the amount of degenerate gamblers on these breaking apps is PLAYER BREAKS OR PYPS. The player breaks will sit and sit for days until the breaker has to lower prices or practically give away players to get it to rip. Its because nobody knows who the players are when they dont collect. They rip to sell the big hits. The random style stuff FLYS. When the breaker tells you what teams and what players will sell, the gambler goes after those teams on the wheel till he hits them. They dont know anyone besides jackson holiday, elly, and Jdom. Its sad

[@SpitballinCards]

That's extremely sad

[@MikelTulp]

It’s online breaking that’s ruining the hobby. I mean the days of getting eight people together to split them inexpensive box. Let’s say for the NFL or MLB and splitting them up by division I mean, that was fun but doing it with a bunch of strangers and having the mailed to youis just lame

[@rockonblackops777]

Yes CT machines changed this hobby you really think these big breakers will spend hundreds of thousands on a whim.

[@SpitballinCards]

Yeah the scanners are a problem

[@MikelTulp]

Have you ever watched a break and Talley up each team won, on a 400 box they are making 800-1000 each time.

[@ericsakamoto5657]

Breaking has fucked this hobby. The cost has exponentially exploded and they are the reason for it. The price for a team In a break now costs more than what the box used to cost. And if it’s the chase team the spot costs as much as the current prices of the boxes. Opening packs is fun and used to be an affordable gamble for the less than % chance to hit a big card. Now the price is so out of control hitting the big card only gets you even and that’s 1% chance at that. And if add breaking into the mix, you divide that 1% by 32 or more teams and it’s just stupid. Lastly it’s unregulated. Which is the worst kind of gambling anyone should take part of. Manufactures and breakers can and have screwed people big time and there’s really nothing anyone can do about it at all.

[@josephedwards6919]

Your gambling when you buy a box. I spend way less on card breaking going for the team of my choice

[@SpitballinCards]

That makes sense!!

[@stueystuey1962]

I usually lean into phil. His hot take on the number of topps products is so wrong headed. Reminds me of the Woody Allen joke: the food is awful...and such small portions.

[@Blabbin_Bout_Slabbin]

😂

[@Krysdavar]

Agree. Definitely wasn't a fan of his product quantity 'take'. Even getting rid of 25% of annual releases would be great. They don't have to increase production. At all. What Topps needs to do is focus on quality instead of quantity. I don't even bother with most of their products because they overlap and are so redundant at times.

[@SpitballinCards]

@@Krysdavar THe redundancy absolutely kills me

[@305CardCollector]

Breaking sucks! A lot of the value in wax (at least for me) is being able to rip the packs myself

[@SpitballinCards]

RIpping is FUN!! It's just hard to swallow a $200 loss every time.

[@TheCardHunter]

13:00 long time watcher and I have 8 years buying breaks. You are wrong 14:44 I’d be happy to talking to you. You are biased and admit you don’t open wax. Breaking is critical. You can’t remove it and it’s the future. Breaking needs advocates. 17:56 all modern hobby is gambling. Kids shouldn’t be allowed to buy modern. Again… I’d love to discuss more.

[@btuff]

They will be part of the documentary in 2030 looking back on how the card hobby died.

[@SpitballinCards]

Oh man, i hope not