Cards
The National expected to attract another record crowd, big sales and plenty of buzz for hot hobby
The long-standing saying about the annual National Sports Collectors Convention is that, if it’s a sports collectible, it will be at The National—or it doesn’t exist.
Pick your poison: cards, photos, pennants, posters and countless game-worn and game-used uniforms. And that’s just a start. You also will find gloves, bats, balls, helmets, hockey sticks, equipment and, truly, so much more.
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The National, as it is known, is the Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup Finals and World Cup of sports memorabilia, all rolled into one huge show.
And Chicago is the best host for The National, without question. This is the 16th time The National has been held in the Chicagoland area. The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center will once again welcome collectors from all over the world, marking the 12th time since 2002 that the show has been held in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont.
“Chicago is a great market for this show, especially with all Chicago has to offer in the summer,” said Bobby Mintz, vice president of TRISTAR Productions. “The venue is well known as a venue for previous successful Nationals, with so many hotels and restaurants in walking distance, and easily accessible by air or ground. With the Chicago White Sox off to a strong start and in town early in the week, and then the Chicago Cubs at home over that weekend against the New York Yankees, that will add to the excitement for The National.
“The National is coming off [three] incredibly successful shows and, based on the hobby’s continued growth and expanding daily publicity, it is shaping up to be another strong event.”
East Coast dealer Paul Furfuro of PTF Sports is ready for his 44th National.
“Chicago is always a strong [hobby city]. I have to think this year will be just as good or better than last year. Cards are still blazing hot,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to the buzz in the room that exists when there is excitement about a show.”
Tony Gordon, a Chicago-area card dealer, added: “I live in suburban Chicago, so I absolutely love having The National in my backyard. All of my best shows as a dealer have been in Chicago. Sales are always tremendous. The show is always well attended and always a great, great time.”
Gordon has been attending The National in Chicago since 1983, when the event was held at a nearby hotel. The National dates back to 1980, when the inaugural event was held at the Los Angeles Marriott Airport Hotel, attracting attendees from numerous states.
The second National was in Plymouth, Mich., then in St. Louis. To date, The National has been held in 13 different cities in 10 states, showcasing its ever-growing reach and the multi-billion dollar industry.
More than half of the vendors have participated in 16 or more Nationals.
The 46th National will span more than 600,000 square feet of continuous floor space, featuring more than 1,000 hobby dealers and vendors—150 more than last year—from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and beyond.
“I expect great things at this year’s National,” Gordon said. “I collect autographs of old-time players and am always looking to add to my collection. It is hard for me to shop during the show because my booths are so busy, but I do try to scan the nearby tables for old-time autographs. I purchase a large number of vintage cards every year from folks walking up to my booths, located near the autograph pavilion. I find that purchasing cards is more fun than selling cards. I always go home with a nice stash of goodies.”
For Brian Schwartz, the president of Schwartz Sports, this year’s National is another home game of sorts for the hobbyist who has attended the National for 20-plus years.
“With the explosion of Pokémon and Poke-centric shows and the crossover into sports card shows of that product, I would expect attendance to be strong again—and I expect the amount of Pokémon product available to be higher,” Schwartz said.
Texas-based collector Ryan Hutchinson predicted the 2026 show will be the biggest National to date, even surpassing the record crowds that filled the shows in Chicago in 2023 and 2025 and Cleveland in 2024.
How big were the crowds over the past three years? Each drew more than 100,000 fans to the five-day sports spectacular. Longtime dealers expect from 125,000-150,000 this year.
“The growth of the show and the industry in general over the last five or 10 years is incredible,” Hutchinson said. “The autograph pavilion has 150-plus autograph-signers. Ten or 15 years ago, having 80 guests was unprecedented.”
Hutchinson will be at his 15th National and plans to spend hours in the autograph pavilion.
“I have every intention of continuing that streak in the coming years,” he said.
Massachusetts-based collector Josh Katz is attending his 14th National.
“I can’t even imagine how many people will come this year. The sheer size of the convention center is unreal,” he said.
For many, the TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion is the place to be throughout the convention. Houston-based TRISTAR Productions has once again delivered an eye-popping array of athletes from baseball, basketball, football, hockey, boxing, UFC, and pro wrestling.
Get those Sharpies out, there are tens of thousands of autographs to be signed at The National.
“This year’s National will be as well attended as the last few have been,” said collector Mike Breeden. “The show always draws a big crowd in Chicago and this year will be no exception. Cards are still driving the bus in this business, and collectors will turn out in droves to buy and sell.”
