CLEVELAND — The National Sports Collectors Convention is a popular event, and for good reason: It’s apparently the world’s largest annual trade show for sports collectors, and it certainly felt that way on opening day.
As WKYC’s Senior IX Center Events Correspondent, I’ve covered many gatherings that focus on areas of interest.
Some of the shows I have attended include boat shows, car shows, home and garden shows, garden and home shows, cat shows, dog shows, comic book shows, and a unicorn themed pageant, just to name a few.
Some places were more well attended, some were a little sparse, but I have never seen a place as crowded as this sports card convention. I never imagined this world would be this big. This place is as crowded as an important Brazilian soccer match.
Many people I spoke to said collecting was popular before, but has exploded during the pandemic. Everyone reacted differently to confinement. Some got in shape, while I beat the original NES game, The Legend of Zelda, over and over again. Apparently, many people started scouring the internet for old Darryl Strawberry cards in decent condition. Everyone seems to have something special.
More than 600 vendors waited in the crowded but festive IX Center to show off their trading cards, jerseys and other memorabilia to fellow fans.
The Hopkins area is packed with stars this weekend. The list of celebrities signing autographs at the convention is staggering, but the must-sees are Randy Quaid, Johnny Manisel, Chevy Chase, and the cast of Cool Runnings. Here’s the full list, though.
Rejoice, sports fans!
Check out some videos from Mike’s tour of the tournament on Thursday night:
