Every few weeks, another sports collectible breaks an auction record. Michael Jordan jerseys command seven-figure results, Shohei Ohtani memorabilia accelerates past traditional market ceilings, and Lionel Messi’s World Cup kits transition into museum-grade assets. These headlines suggest that sports collectibles have evolved into a highly institutionalized alternative asset class. Yet, the core driver of this … Read more
One of my favourite stories in sports business has surprisingly little to do with the NFL itself. Years ago, Uli Hoeneß travelled to the United States because Bayern Munich was financially trying to reinvent itself. German soccer still thought primarily about football. The Americans were already thinking about entertainment, merchandising, stadiums and everything happening before … Read more
Washington Wizards memorabilia is harder than it should be. The franchise has history. Wes Unseld. Elvin Hayes. The 1978 championship. Gilbert Arenas. John Wall. Michael Jordan’s strange late-career Washington chapter. There are names there. There are moments there. But if I am honest, modern Wizards memorabilia does not feel like a hot market. The team … Read more
The 1986-87 Fleer Sticker #8 Michael Jordan is one of those Jordan pieces almost every collector recognizes immediately. It came out alongside the famous 1986 Fleer basketball release and has always lived a little in the shadow of the rookie card, even though a lot of collectors see it as part of the same rookie-era … Read more
James Worthy is one of those Lakers names that always sits in a slightly strange place for collectors. Nobody needs to be convinced that he matters. Hall of Famer, Finals MVP, Showtime Lakers, one of the great players in franchise history. But in the memorabilia market he still feels like a second-row Lakers legend, standing … Read more