Amidst all the celebrities and the star athletes, Fanatics is looking to put on a show. Or better yet, a celebration of sport, if you will. However, with that celebration comes an opportunity to educate the next generation, especially those looking to collect.
Fanatics has emphasized the importance of educating newer and younger collectors to help them stay in the hobby for a lifetime. Part of the reason so many collectors end up leaving the hobby is getting taken advantage of or not knowing what they are doing, and Fanatics is looking to help start early.
Part of that education will come at the Fanatics Fest Card Combine. So what exactly is going to happen at the combine? Fanatics is going to take collectors on a journey from opening packs to discovering the value of cards and walking them through all the different collecting steps after that.
Step 1: Card Sampling
Fans will begin their collecting journey at the Fanatics Collect Hub. Download the Fanatics Collect app, the gateway to discovering, collecting, and managing your cards, then pick up a complimentary Topps sample pack.
Step 2: Ripping Station
With your pack in hand, the collector will head ot the ripping station to experience opening a pack of cards on their own. From there, they’ll learn more about what is inside a pack and the hobby,and use the Fanatics Collect scanning tool to determine the value of their cards.
Step 3: Pack Science
Next, explore the retail area, where hobby shops help bring the hobby to life. Learn about different product types, collecting formats, and entry-level options while gaining a better understanding of the ins and outs of different products.
Step 4: Break Studio
Step into the breaking studio to experience one of the many ways to collect in the modern hobby. Learn how live breaks work from industry experts, watch the action unfold in real time, and even get the chance to participate in a live break yourself.
Step 5: CGC Grading Station
Once you’ve built your collection, visit the CGC grading station to learn how professional gradingevaluates a card’s condition, authenticity, and value. Explore the grading process with experts, submit cards on-site through the submission center, and take part in special slab giveaways throughout the weekend.
Step 6: Vaulting
With graded cards in hand, discover how to protect, manage, and showcase your collection for the long term. Learn how to view your collection digitally from your phone, explore secure vaulting options, and see premium memorabilia, autographs, relics, and other prized collectibles on display as examples of what a vaulted collection can hold.
Step 7: Instant Rips
The journey culminates with Instant Rips, where collectors experience a new way to engage with the hobby through Fanatics Collect. Learn how digital repacks work, then receive a complimentary pack added directly to your collection and stored in the app, giving you an instant head start as a collector.
That’s everything in store for the Card Combine as Fanatics looks to help the future generations of collectors be as educated as possible as they enter the space and provide help from the Sports Cards Nonsense team along the way.
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BRENDAN DARR
Brendan has worked for various platforms, including The Washington Post, SB Nation, NBC Sports Washington, and more, covering everything from college basketball to fantasy football and betting. An avid collector as a kid, he got back into collecting in 2021 and is a dedicated soccer, football, and basketball collector.
