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In a recent interview on the Full Send podcast, Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin discussed the collectible space and how Fanatics Sports Cards bold plans to market and innovate the sports card industry.
On our podcast Cards To The Moon in episode 115 (on Apple Podcasts and Spotify), we dissect some of his key quotes about his view on sports cards and the hobby. You can listen to the podcast below, but we break down some of the key points here in this post.
Marketing the Sports Card Industry
Rubin pointed out that the industry has never really been marketed and there has been no product innovation.
“I think the collectible space has enormous upside. For the most obvious reasons. So we got into this two years ago. We now have the collectible rights to not only Topps that we own today, which has baseball and F1 and Bundesliga and UEFA. We have all the rights coming on from the NFL, the NBA, NCAA, WWE, UFC. So we have a lot of these trading cards. And here’s the craziest thing. This business has never been marketed. There’s never been any more product innovation.”
Michael Rubin on the Full Send podcast
Rubin’s comments are seen as positive news for collectors and investors alike.
He mentions that marketing the industry properly and innovating new products can help grow the market further.
We tend to agree as the industry seems to have remained stagnant for years, with little innovation or marketing. As such, Rubin’s words and Fanatics Sports Cards involvement should be encouraging for collectors and investors with his approach to the industry refreshing.
Our hope is that he is not just looking to make a quick profit, but to invest in the long-term growth of the market. We agree too as Rubin seems to believe that the sports card industry has enormous potential.
Innovating the Industry
We also found Rubin’s willingness to invest in the market and his bullish attitude towards its potential are a sign that Fanatics could have a positive impact on the hobby.
“I am telling you right now to every collector out there, the 12 month cycle in right now, we will do more for this industry that’s been done in the last 70 years. And by the way, I’m not arrogant. I’m pretty humble. We will do more this year than what’s been done in the last 70 years. We’re going to aggressively market this industry. We’re going to aggressively innovate this industry. We got so much great stuff coming.”
Michael Rubin on the Full Send podcast
Yes, these are some bold claims about the future of the sports card industry, but exciting at the same time.
Fanatics Sports Cards plans to introduce new products and services that will appeal to a broader audience and help the industry reach its full potential (10x the current market cap perhaps?)
The Fanatics Sports Cards Business Perspective
From a business perspective, Rubin’s plans also seem to make sense. He has a vast budget and the resources needed to make significant changes in the industry.
“Like I am so bullish on it because this business has done great by accident. And by the way, if you plan a business to be lucky, you’re dead. Long term, I don’t plan on luck. I plan on, like, good strategy, hard work, getting everyone behind it..”
Michael Rubin on the Full Send podcast
We could see his point that the sports card industry’s success was accidental and that nobody anticipated it to reach the heights that it has.
With no marketing plan or any intentional effort to push the industry forward; it seems to have just happened due to the craze in the height of the pandemic.
Seeing the sports card industry as a legitimate marketplace, Rubin is well-positioned with the Fanatics Sports Card division to strategically lead the hobby based on market conditions.
But we hope that collectors in the hobby will also have some say in where the industry goes as we try to grow this space together.
Listen to our podcast Cards To The Moon with new episodes every Tuesday and every other Friday!