Weekly Market Report - June 7, 2006

A Fresh Look at Sports Collectibles News

MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann, better known to sports fans for his years on Sports Center, has been buying up the Alex Gordon cards that accidentally reached the marketplace. Olbermann paid $7,500 in an online auction for a BGS 9.5 version of the card. Olbermann has spent over $60,000 in the past month on Gordon cards! The article goes on to state that "since he’s entered the bidding for Topps Heritage cards, he’s helped drive the final price from auctions closing at around $100 all the way up to $275 in the past couple weeks. He’s purchased eight of the last 11 sold on eBay and a total of 10."

Dude, I know you've got a lot of cash, but isn't there something a little more interesting to collect? It's not as if Gordon is going to be a super star or something. You always hear about how guys love collecting their hometown team or vintage cards, well apparently Olbermann loves to collect EVERY single Alex Gordon card. To each his own I suppose. [read article]

To honor Barry Bonds' 715th Home Run, passing Babe Ruth for second on the all-time list, McFarlane is set to release a two-pack of Ruth and Bonds.

I think this is a good move on their part. The way that baseball has just ignored this is wrong. Steroids or no steroids, bad attitude or not, Bonds is one of the greatest players in the history of the game and one of the great competitors in any sport in any era. He should get SOME credit for what he's accomplished. Of course, MLB turned their heads on the whole steroid scandal and their turning their heads now. It seems that's what their best at doing. Total hypocrisy. For a great article on the topic, check out this weeks Rac's Rant. [read release]

Upper Deck has announced the return of it's ultra high end Exquisite Basketball set. Cards like LeBron James and Dwayne Wade from two years ago are selling for astronomical prices ($11,000 and $6,000 respectively). Three-pack cases will start at $1,215 and will likely double in price rather quickly if they are anything like the last two releases.

Listen, I know there is a market for this stuff and I'm happy for UD that they discovered it. But is this really good for the hobby? It just continues a trend of there being more money in the hobby but less collectors. This might be good for UD and Topps right now, but eventually it will backfire on them if they don't cater to younger generations. I know they're trying to do both right now, I just hope it works. [read release]