WACO, Texas (KXXV) — In 2023, I did a story on the rise of sports trading cards — since then, the business has only gotten bigger. So, I went back to Bankston's comics and sports cards to see how much growth they've seen.
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"I think everybody has anticipation of value, anticipation of rarity and scarcity, and so people are very excited about cards in general. I think it could be baseball, football, right now with FIFA — it seemed like just the interest in all sports has hit a whole new level," Brent Bankston said.
Brent is the owner of Bankston's, a Waco staple for over 40 years.
When it comes to sports cards, a new level is an understatement. According to The Athletic, "...Live sellers are generating 100 million dollars or more per year in revenue from social commerce."
Bankston's tells me how customers always arrive early and that they need to be hitting their stride every day.
"They'll know that tomorrow is a new release and they're expecting it and they're asking, hey, can we get this product? When can we get it? We have to by contract, we have to release it on that day. And usually they know and they're here, lines of people," Bankston said.
"We're having this whole conversation as a community because demand has exceeded supply," he said.
The thrill of the card rip is part of the hobby. Fans hope to get that rare card in their pack for a high value — Bankston's also has seen their fair share.
"We always open a pack for the store just to show the customers what they can get out of there. We opened one pack and we pulled a five-triple autograph of Caleb Williams, Bryce Young, and Cam Ward. It was three number one picks on the same card autographed," son of Brent Bankston, Baxter Bankston said.
"That was really big. You could tell on the video, I just had to sit it down. I was so nervous," Bankston's worker Kevin Moore said.
Sports trading cards have always been a part of pop culture, but today it's more popular than ever. Now the question is — will it get even bigger?
"Once we were kind of the offshoot, we were kind of the niche. Now we're mainstream and so customers love sports. You know, if it's UFC, which we're just at the White House, or if it's NBA Finals, which just happened, or Major League Baseball or the NFL or soccer, hockey, whatever it may be. Customers are in line to get these products and get excited about them, emotionally attach themselves to their hobbies," Brent said.
"There was a time, especially when I was starting here, I didn't think it was going to grow that much more, but as I've gotten to it, I've realized that it's not just about having the cards, it's about the emotion, kind of like what he says. And so, as long as people care about the sports, I don't think it'll go away," Baxter said.
Whether the sports card hobby grows or stalls, it's an industry that has left an impact on the world of collecting.
