Stacking Slabs

Season 5's team collector series continues with a deep dive into the Phoenix Mercury.
Katelyn sits down with Gavin (@card_collecther), a Mercury season ticket holder and dedicated team collector, to explore what makes the franchise one of the defining organizations in WNBA history.
They discuss the Mercury's identity, the influence of Diana Taurasi, Alyssa Thomas' place on the hobby's Disrespect Index, the power of the X-Factor fan base, and how team collecting creates a deeper connection to the game.
The conversation also explores collecting philosophy, personal grails, community, rivalries, franchise history, and why collecting a team often becomes about much more than the cards.
If you've ever built a collection around a team, a city, or a feeling, this episode is for you.

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Athletes have never been more visible in the hobby.
From Tom Brady and CardVault to Fanatics Fest, athlete-led content, and players publicly sharing their collections, sports cards have become part of the conversation in a way we haven't seen before.
Ryan Greene sits at the center of it.
As Director of Athlete + Artist Partnerships at PSA, Ryan works directly with athletes who collect, grade cards, participate in signings, and build collections of their own.
In this conversation, we discuss:
 Why PSA created a role dedicated to athletes and artists 
 How professional athletes are entering the hobby 
 The types of cards athletes collect 
 Why authenticity matters more than sponsorships 
 The impact Fanatics is having on athlete participation 
 Stories from working with Mike Trout and other athletes behind the scenes 
 Where athlete involvement in the hobby is headed next 
If you've noticed athletes becoming a bigger part of collecting culture, this episode offers a look behind the curtain at what's driving it.

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What does it look like to build a career in the sports card industry?
In the debut episode of Hobby Jobs, Brett McGrath shares the vision behind the platform and why the hobby needs a dedicated place for operators, builders, and aspiring professionals.
This episode explores the shift from hobby to industry and why the biggest opportunities often start as repeated friction, not business plans. Brett breaks down the signals coming from companies like PSA, eBay, GameStop, and Card Collector 2 and explains what they reveal about where the hobby is headed.
Topics include:
• Why Hobby Jobs was created
• The growing demand for skilled professionals in the hobby
• How to identify opportunity before everyone else sees it
• Why proximity is a competitive advantage
• Lessons from Jeremy Lee and Sports Cards Live
• What hiring trends reveal about the future of the industry
• Why content, trust, and systems matter more than ever
If you're building in the hobby, looking to break into the industry, or trying to understand where the next wave of opportunity is forming, this episode is for you.

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What happens when you stop reacting to the wrestling card market and start thinking about where it's headed?
This week, Adam and Ryan tackle a series of big-picture questions facing wrestling card collectors.
Will there be more six-figure wrestling card sales by 2028?
Has Topps Royalty already become the most important wrestling card release of the Fanatics era?
Will WrestleMania moving to Saudi Arabia impact the hobby?
Who will define wrestling cards in 2027?
The conversation moves from Oba Femi and Stephanie Vaquer to WrestleMania Patch Autos, celebrity collectors, Topps Chrome, Cosmic Chrome, and the future of the category.
The goal isn't predicting the future.
It's thinking about the hobby differently.
Plus:
 Clash in Italy preview 
 Logan Paul's injury and The Vision curse 
 Danhausen's rise in mainstream sports culture 
 Cosmic Chrome WWE checklist reactions 
 Major Hulk Hogan and Stephanie Vaquer sales 
 Wrestling Card Takeover updates 
A conversation built around the questions collectors will be debating for years.
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John and Brett open the episode talking Indy 500 stories, McDonald’s nostalgia, and why modern experiences feel overbuilt before diving into one of the biggest football card sales in years.
The guys break down the $1.3M Josh Allen NFL Shield Auto and what the sale says about Fanatics shaping collector attention in real time. They discuss why this card matters beyond Josh Allen, how manufactured prestige is changing the hobby, and which quarterbacks they believe are next in line for a million-dollar football card.
Later in the episode, they react to The Athletic’s recent story on gambling culture in sports cards and discuss accountability, breaking culture, dopamine chasing, and how collectors can build healthier habits inside the hobby.
They also tackle a big question from the audience:
Are collectors losing the ability to have independent taste?
Other topics include:
2025 Finest Football reactions
The Des Bryant 2012 Prizm Black Finite sale
Tom Brady Topps Chrome Superfractor pricing
Why projects matter more than trends
Cards they would keep forever
Why collecting should leave you fulfilled instead of empty
Plus:
Nebula pickups, linebacker summer talk, and another vintage football card lesson from Episode 49.

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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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