Right About Now with Ryan Alford
Trading Cards: The Fan Engagement Goldmine with Jeremy Aisenberg
Tue, 27 May 2025
Right About Now with Ryan AlfordJoin media personality and marketing expert Ryan Alford as he dives into dynamic conversations with top entrepreneurs, marketers, and influencers. "Right About Now" brings you actionable insights on business, marketing, and personal branding, helping you stay ahead in today's fast-paced digital world. Whether it's exploring how character and charisma can make millions or unveiling the strategies behind viral success, Ryan delivers a fresh perspective with every episode. Perfect for anyone looking to elevate their business game and unlock their full potential.Resources:Right About Now NewsletterFree Podcast Monetization CourseJoin The NetworkFollow Us On InstagramSubscribe To Our Youtube ChannelVibe Science MediaSUMMARYIn this episode of Right About Now with Ryan Alford, Jeremy Aisenberg — founder of Talent Brand Labs and a seasoned veteran of the trading card industry — unpacks the evolution and cultural impact of trading cards. Ryan and Jeremy explore the hobby’s remarkable resurgence, the way collecting fuels sports fandom, and how digital media is reshaping the collector’s experience. Jeremy offers insightful personal stories, including his own journey into the world of collecting and his groundbreaking work with Sports Illustrated to launch a collectibles vertical. The episode captures the dynamic intersection of physical and digital collectibles and paints an exciting picture of the industry’s future.TAKEAWAYSThe growth and projected value of the trading card industry.The evolution of the trading card hobby and its transformation into a business.Personal experiences and journeys of collectors in the trading card space.The role of collecting in fostering sports fandom and community engagement.The impact of digital media and technology on the trading card industry.The significance of grading in enhancing trust within the collecting community.The emergence and potential of digital collectibles and NFTs.Innovative approaches to collecting, including online breaks and repacks.The competitive landscape of the trading card industry and its implications for innovation.The future of collecting and the importance of engaging younger fans.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chapter 1: What is the trading card industry like today?
We feature Brian Ludden from Lud-X, the fastest and most accurate trading card scanning app. Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia and creator of VFriends. South Carolina card king, Matty Rich, one of South Carolina's largest retail store owners. And SI Collectibles contributor and sports executive, Jeremy Eisenberg. Plus, some other surprise guests. This isn't just about collecting.
It's about investing, scaling, and ruling the hobby. Right about now, we're making the hobby make sense. Massive dollars. Don't miss this incredible series. What's up, guys? Welcome to Write About Now. We're always talking about how to learn more about business and get right. And, you know, we could talk about last week. We could talk about two years ago. But we want to make it topical for today.
And, you know... I can admit when I'm doing guilty pleasures, but I'm doing guilty pleasures that you need to know about because this is part of our trading card series. We had Brian Ludden from Luddex on. We've got one of the biggest collectors in the Southeast that's coming on. We've got some other big names, and that's why I went to Jeremy. Jeremy Eisenberg.
He is not only an OG trading card guy, talent brand labs founder, and I think just a sports junkie. Is that what it is, Jeremy? Yeah.
That's fair. Sports has been a big part of my life as long as I can remember.
Yeah, man. Octagon, any of our agency crowd will know some name drops that will get in here. We compared some more stories of agency life a little bit before we got started, both kind of coming up through that. Jeremy, I did go through your background, and Brian shared a little bit, but I was like, And I got blessed to work on Verizon, some big names. We did some sports sponsorship stuff.
But to say that my background's in sports, brand, marketing, all that, would not be painting the – I'd say more wireless and tech. But I read yours, and I go, who wouldn't grow up and go, I want to be that? That's what I thought when I was reading through your kind of bylines and everything you've done.
I've been lucky, man. That's all I can say. I didn't necessarily it wasn't the plan. I was getting a Ph.D. in genetics and took a leave of absence and ended up working for one of the most influential people in golf. And that was a quick Ph.D. in business. And where where that entrepreneurial first step has taken me in the last 20 years is someday I'll write a book. It's been I pinch myself.
It's been an amazing journey.
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Chapter 2: How has collecting evolved with digital media?
How did the trading card thing come? I mean, where did that enter? Obviously, and you'll talk about, you know, as a kid and stuff, you know, like we a lot of us have the kid stories. But where did that intersection happen in the career?
Yeah. So I collected like everybody. I stopped collecting. I was born in the late 70s, collected in the mid, late 80s, sort of put them all away in the early 90s and got into Nirvana and Pearl Jam and went to college and got married and had kids and started a
And then I, you know, I woke up and I was 30 something and I, maybe my, my folks, you know, maybe take more of the cards, uh, home, you know, but like probably right about the time I got to Octagon 2006, 2007, I sort of saw cards lying around the office and, you know, we started representing big stars and I'm thinking, Oh, I, I wouldn't mind getting a basketball signed by David Robinson.
And then they started kind of, you know, I'm in the sports marketing business at this point. And I've been, you know, on private jets with hall of fame athletes and, you know, managed not to ask for autographs. So it's sort of, it's this, you know, you might as well get the benefit while you're there.
Right.
I have a great story and it just shows you what an amazing human this guy is. And everybody's probably got a good, uh, one of these with, with Charles Barkley, but I was so talk about like a Forrest Gump kind of life, but yeah. I was very fortunate to get to become very good friends with Charles when Hank Haney filmed the Haney Project.
I was on site for most of the production days over six months and ended up being Charles's dinner date for quiet nights after a long day of filming. And you know, Charles used to say when somebody would be coming up to the table, he'd be like, yeah, I, finally I said, you're so, you're so kind to these guys. You never say no, you're always, you know, chipper. How, how do you do it?
And he goes, man, it's going to take me the same 15 seconds either way. And this guy's going to go around for the rest of his life and say, I was either a jerk or I was a great guy. And it, for me, it's the same amount of time to blow them off or to be nice. And you know, that, that, It just gives you a lot of respect for how hard it is for them to find, you know, peace and quiet.
And, you know, the bigger the star, the harder that is. And, you know, I got to see that up close and personal. But at the same time, collecting is such a fun, fun aspect of being a fan. And so I got that itch got scratched again. You know, I might have mentioned this when we were chatting. I mean, Michael Rubin deserves all the credit in the world for his identifying collectors as the best fans.
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Chapter 3: What role do trading cards play in sports fandom?
Almost every Republican and Democrat in Boston can agree on the fact that they want the Red Sox to kick the crap out of the Yankees.
yeah yeah exactly they come together and you know where you can you can start to bring people together you can find the opportunity right so sports is sports has been that and uh you know it's like i said i i've been so fortunate um to to be able to be on on the journey i've i've taken and you know this this platform we built with sports illustrated um you know
I chased the SI leadership for years. Uh, you know, they are an iconic, uh, brand, not just in sports, but also in collecting. Um, and the thing that I observed through my years at Octagon, where I mentioned, I did some consulting work for tops. We identified that laps collect collectors were this huge universe of people coming with kids and ready to, to rediscover the hobby.
Chapter 4: How is Sports Illustrated involved in collectibles?
Um, you know, I was, uh, I was able to help broker the deal between Gary Vaynerchuk and Topps to create a to create a insert set within 2019 Top Series 2 around the best entrepreneurs in baseball. And Gary was very adamant. He wanted Tops, we proposed to Tops developing a collaboration with Gary around what they were doing, branded sets, direct-to-consumer custom branded sets.
And they launched the first one with Bryce Harper. It was a big success. And they were looking at subjects to do the next one with. And we said, well, maybe you should, you should take a look at Gary Vaynerchuk. He's obsessed with cards and, uh, you know, now it could be a perfect opportunity.
And, and, uh, they, they took it and, uh, put a really fun set together that unlocked, you know, Gary's universe to the latest and greatest of modern sports cards. And, uh, you know, lots happened since then in the hobby as well. But, uh, you know, the, one of the things that was missing all through that journey was,
long-winded here was a major sports media platform that was paying attention to the hobby. And that's what we were able to convince SI to move forward with.
Talk to me about, you know, what SI is doing. You know, like I think, when you think about the collectibles, it's so ironic. Old Sports Illustrated magazine, like one of the most collected things, like, you know, for sports fans especially. Like I've got, I'm not even, I just in the last six months have gotten back into collecting cards. But I wouldn't consider myself like a lifelong collector.
But I am when I go, I've got like 10 or 20. Sports Illustrated has a whole bunch over the years. Some are autographs. I went to Clemson, so I got some Dabo Sweeney and Deshaun Watson. That meant more a few years ago, but we won't go down that road. Anyway, it is what it is. It just fits. Talk to me about what Sports Illustrated and you've been doing. What is that division exactly? Yeah.
Well, so so, you know, when Sports Illustrated said, yeah, we're we're into the idea of building a hobby vertical. The first thing we did was was built out a team and we hired a so I have two partners in this collaboration with S.I., Guy named Chris Perrone, who had previously been the general manager of SI at Arena Group and was my partner in helping us to launch the idea initially.
And then come full circle, MinuteMedia was interested in the opportunity to do the same thing, and we were able to launch it. SI.com slash collectibles. And, you know, why that's significant is that the SI.com domain is one of the oldest and, and most, um, trafficked in on the internet and most has the highest, one of the highest domain authorities in,
99?
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Chapter 5: What are the challenges facing the trading card industry?
Chapter 6: What are the future prospects for the trading card hobby?
Chapter 7: How do collectors influence the market?
99?
Like, I don't know. And yeah, I'm sure it starts with a nine, you know?
And so we just get traffic when we have interesting content. So our, our challenge was just making traffic. making content about the hobby that, that people would be interested in reading. And we've, we've built a staff of now over 15 really dedicated, talented writers, all hardcore hobbyists that have expertise in different verticals.
And, um, you know, we're publishing on average 10 pieces a day. Uh, we're up to now, um, over half a million unique readers a month. And, um, you know, to, to, You know, 750,000 to a million unique views a month, article views a month, which are good numbers. And we're only into our fourth or fifth month, but it gives us it's the largest by a factor of 10 among hobby content channels.
Just again, because.
because of the the nature of the domain authority and so that's given us the opportunity to invest even further in in original content um we're developing you know series featuring collectors and really celebrating people's collections and we're gonna you know give how about a dad and his four sons like that sounds like a story or a video especially if your collection is featured in linux
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Chapter 8: What exciting innovations are happening in trading cards?
Uh, yes, exactly.
That, uh, yes, it is. That's exactly what we're doing there. And, um, yeah, you know, we're, we're doing fun things with the, you know, the journey of collectibles from sort of discovery. So think about sports collectible version of antique roadshow. Uh, so we're, we've got some fun ideas, um, in the hopper for video and, um, you know, a lot of things up our sleeve that we're, we're excited about.
Yeah. It super smart, Jeremy. Um,
it's like okay this just fits there's sometimes you hear something you're like okay i don't know about that this is just like uh it wasn't already happening it was really surprising man yeah yeah the very first sports illustrated had a whole you know pull out of 1954 tops design in the issue the the famous um issue of eddie matthews um 1954 so collecting is sort of in the DNA of the brand.
And, you know, we all have heard or collect the Sports Illustrated for Kids cards that, you know, are the first appearance of so many icons that, you know, don't necessarily get a card in the traditional releases. You know, the hobby's done a great job of making cards for all of these alternative sports athletes coming in from different countries.
And, you know, fortunately, they paid a lot of attention to women's sports. So a lot of the great legends of women's sports have cards. Some of their only rookie cards or early appearances were in SI for Kids, which is is unfortunate. But at least they had cards thanks to Sports Illustrated, which is part of SI's legacy.
Yeah, I remember those. I don't have any of those.
There's still some good ones. As I understand it, Victor Webinyama's card from a year and a half ago or so is still pretty pricey.
For our audience that's either in maybe collectors or hearing more about this industry, it's hard. And Brian and I talked about this, but just how big this industry is and just how popular. And at the same time, It'll make your head spin. Try and get your head around every parallel. Everything else, good grief. I don't even know where to start with the actual cards themselves, but it's fun.
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