Card Shows Go Global: How European collectors are helping grow sports card hobby

LONDON — There has always been a myriad of reasons to visit Europe’s biggest cities. From sightseeing to museums to restaurants, places like London and Paris are on many travelers’ bucket lists.

Add card shows to that long list of reasons to visit Europe this year.

Card shows—a hobby staple in North America for decades—have become a big deal across the Atlantic. The trend started in 2021 and has surged over the last three years. Like in the United States and Canada, these shows are packed with people looking to buy and sell cards and memorabilia.

The marquee event for many collectors has been the London Card Show, both because of its location and size. The first London Card Show of the year, held over two days starting on Feb. 10 at Sandown Park Racecourse, officially ushered in the start of the European show calendar.

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Harry Reynolds, founder and CEO of the London Card Show, said the idea of creating a massive get-together for dealers and collectors—something not previously popular among Europeans—came to him after watching YouTube videos of people attending U.S. shows. A collector of soccer cards and stickers as a child, Reynolds decided to put on a British version in July 2021.

“As an entrepreneur, I saw a bit of a gap in the market and filled it,” he said.

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Reynolds’ first show, held in a school gym, featured 10 tables and 40 people. These days, 4,000 people show up to peruse 500 tables.

“It’s grown quite rapidly,” said Reynolds, who runs the quarterly shows with the help of his sister Katie Hughes. “We get people from all around Europe and even from America. People are really impressed.”

Reynolds said he attended last year’s National Sports Card Collectors Convention in Chicago to meet with sponsors and see what’s working at U.S. shows. Other times, he and his team have come up with new features.

“A lot of what we have here is stuff we’ve thought up ourselves,” Reynolds said, referring to an area known as the “Kids Zone” where children can rip packs and be entertained. “These are unique areas my team has come up with and grow to what it is now.”

Despite competition from an England rugby match and a full schedule of Premier League games, thousands packed into the most-recent London Card Show. It’s a sign, Reynolds said, of the yearning collectors have to connect under one roof.

“A lot of people see us as the biggest [show] in Europe,” Reynolds said. “We don’t want to be called the ‘European National.’ We’re just staying in our lane. We’re doing what we do well and it’s working.”

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BIG SHOWS GROWING ACROSS CONTINENT

London isn’t the only place calling on collectors to meet, buy, sell and trade. Card shows have also become all the rage in Paris, Munich, Frankfurt, Copenhagen and Zagreb. Some 400 miles north of London in Glasgow, the Scotland Card Show, which started in 2022, has served as a place for collectors living in the northern part of the United Kingdom to flock to each year.

Jordan Gorman, the show’s founder and CEO, said the recent pandemic spurred the need for collectors and even breakers to gather in one place.

“As a card collector, the decision to organize a card collecting event at a small local venue stemmed from a genuine passion for the hobby,” he said. “The inaugural gathering, though uncharted territory for someone not experienced in event organization, exceeded expectations with an impressive turnout of over 300 enthusiasts. This initial success prompted subsequent growth and an unwavering commitment to refining customer service.”

Like London, collectors have packed the Glasgow Card Show, held in June, looking to buy from the many vendors who gather to sell a mix of modern and vintage.

Gorman said the need for shows came as “the joy of opening packs and sharing the experience with others gained momentum.”

“As the pandemic waned, the social dimension of the hobby became a focal point and card shows emerged as hubs for enthusiasts to connect and share their passion,” he added. “This dynamic has fostered a robust and interconnected community that continues to fuel and grow the popularity of card shows across Europe.”

NOT JUST SOCCER

European collectors aren’t all about soccer. There are plenty who also enjoy Formula One, American football, basketball, wrestling, UFC, and even baseball. Philip Nunes, an English collector of NFL cards, said what Brits call “American football” is a niche sport in Great Britain, but continues to grow in popularity each year.

“I collected Pokémon as a child and later grew to love American football,” he said. “In late 2020, I rediscovered my Pokémon collection and that’s when I decided to merge my new love of football with cards.”

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Nunes, who has been watching NFL games since 2018, became a Justin Herbert fan after the San Diego Chargers quarterback had a great rookie season. For Nunes, shows like the one in London are a chance to socialize. He capped off the weekend by staying up late to watch the Super Bowl.

“We usually connect in Facebook groups and buy and sell on eBay, but a show is the best place to meet people who like what you like in person,” said Nunes, who set up a table at the London Card Show. “It’s nice to have everyone in one place.”

Nunes’ story is similar to that of many European collectors. Gorman said the growth in trading cards and attending shows is due to several factors, many of them mirroring what happened in the United States.

“The extended periods of lockdown afforded individuals the opportunity to delve into new or rediscover past hobbies,” he said. “Notable influencers, including Gary Vee, Logan Paul and Steve Aoki, played a pivotal role in rekindling interest in card collecting, prompting enthusiasts to unearth their Pokémon and sports cards.”

Gorman said collectors love soccer, but also increasingly embrace other sports.

“European collectors exhibit a diversified interest in various sports within the trading card realm,” he said. “In Scotland, trading card games such as Pokémon have found substantial popularity, alongside a notable demand for basketball, baseball and NFL cards. The recent announcement of Topps partnering with the UFC is anticipated to catalyze increased interest in combat sports such as WWE, UFC and boxing.”

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Companies like Topps, Panini, Whatnot, PSA, Goldin, Heritage Auctions, eBay and COMC have responded by setting up at large European shows as a way to engage with collectors across all sports and meet the growing interest.

“We have people who are coming from all over the U.K., France, the Netherlands, Ireland and even America,” Reynolds said of the trend he’s noticed in London.

Gorman also said the “broadening spectrum of sports cards reflects the nuanced and evolving preferences of European collectors, contributing to the expansion of the card collecting community.”

For Reynolds, it’s also about broadening the show—from those who made cards a business to people who collect—and making it into an event for the entire family.

“We want to make it a day out for everyone,” he said. “That’s what we’re pushing.” 

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