eBay Launches Training Camp for Sports Trading Card Collectors

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06/20/2023 - 09:00 AM

First-of-its-kind 'Collectors Camp' convenes trading card enthusiasts to level up their collections

Inaugural events take place during NBA Draft week with Brooklyn Nets' Mikal Bridges and local eBay seller Piece of the Game

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, eBay announces 'Collectors Camp' – a series of intense training events for card enthusiasts who want to build world-class collections. Kicking off in Brooklyn, participants will receive premier training from an industry expert – providing the insights, tools and strategy to move from a casual weekend hobbyist to a more serious collector, investor or even professional seller.

eBay seller David Prince from Piece of the Game and NBA star Mikal Bridges will team up to help attendees hone their skills through a series of drills – and coach campers on how to achieve their individual collecting goals.

With 28 years of expertise and leadership in the category, eBay is one of the world's top destinations for collectibles. The marketplace recently introduced cutting-edge tools for hobby shop owners and enthusiasts, making collecting more advanced than ever before. Collectors Camp will demonstrate how these innovations – like the eBay vault, Authenticity Guarantee, Price Guide and Collection – enable smarter buying, selling and trading decisions.

"I started collecting as a kid with my first Tracy McGrady card, and over time a childhood hobby led to a serious portfolio," said Mikal Bridges, NBA star. "Now my collecting game has become almost as intense as my NBA game. I've invested a ton of time searching for and scoring the best cards, and I know I can share my talents to help other people take things to the next level."

Following the Brooklyn event, Collectors Camp will head to Seattle, just in time for MLB All-Star Week.

"As sports fans catch the collector's bug, it can take many years to acquire the skills needed to formulate a valuable collection, but we have an engaged and excited community, and the tools and services to help," said Gene Cook, VP of Collectibles at eBay. "We see surges in interest for collectibles timed to major sports moments, like the NBA Draft and MLB All-Star Game, since collectors are always on the hunt for the next Jordan or Jeter. eBay created Collectors Camp to fuel this passion, giving enthusiasts the opportunity to connect with each other and the athletes they admire."

Shop eBay Collectibles in Brooklyn
Participants will have access to rare basketball merchandise from the game's greats and up-and-coming stars, including: game-worn Michael Jordan sneakers, signed jerseys from Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen, autographed basketballs from number-one draft picks Cade Cunningham and Anthony Edwards – plus coveted trading cards like the Kobe Bryant 2009-10 Panini Studio Platinum Proof 1/1 PSA 10 Autograph.

For those not in Brooklyn, a curated merchandise collection will be made shoppable at https://www.ebay.com/collectorscamp beginning June 21.

Collectors Camp Event Details:

The first event will take place at The Post Bushwick (53 Knickerbocker Ave, Brooklyn, NY), June 21-22 from 3-7pm ET.

Participate in skill and knowledge-based drills to up-level your sports collections, inspired by classic sports camps and powered by eBay's suite of collecting tools.
Tune into eBay Live on Wednesday, June 21, at 8:30pm ET with Mikal Bridges and local eBay seller Piece of the Game to bid on legendary sports trading cards and memorabilia.
The event is first come, first served; entry may be limited. All participants will receive an eBay gift card and limited-edition eBay swag.

eBay Collectibles by the Numbers

Collectibles (which includes trading cards, toys, art, sports memorabilia, coins, and bullion) continues to be the one of the top categories at eBay.
eBay has 1.8 billion active listings from 133 million active buyers in 190 global markets.
eBay has 16M enthusiast buyers, who spend approximately $3,000 annually.
On eBay, 'NBA' was searched over 8,000 times per hour globally in 2022.
Basketball legends Michael Jordan and LeBron James were searched over 3,000 times and 1,400 times respectively per hour globally on eBay in 2022
Four of the top five trading card sales on eBay to-date have been sports-related and two of these were basketball cards:

Tom Brady 2000 Contenders Rookie Championship Auto BGS 8.5 - $2,300,000 (2022)
1948 Bowman Basketball #69 George Mikan Lakers Rookie Card PSA 9 MINT - $800,000 (2022)
2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady Rookie Auto #144 PSA 10 Gem MINT - $555,988 (2021)
1993 Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus Auto PSA 10 Gem MINT - $511,100 (2021)
1996 Topps Refractor Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #138 PSA 10 Gem MINT - $500,000 (2021)

Mikal Bridges & NBA Draft top picks on eBay

After his trade to the Brooklyn Nets, searches for collectibles with "Mikal Bridges autograph" increased by more than 900% on eBay in the US and Canada comparing March 2023 to January 2023, when he was on the Phoenix Suns roster.
In March, when Mikal Bridges set the record for the second-highest single-month total points in Brooklyn Nets franchise history, the number of Mikal Bridges collectibles sold on eBay in the US and Canada increased by more than 350%, while the number of 'Mikal Bridges rookie cards' sold increased by approximately 475%, compared to January 2023, before he was traded to the Nets.
After the San Antonio Spurs won the NBA Draft lottery and the right to the No. 1 overall pick, searches for "Victor Wembanyama" collectibles increased by more than 460% on eBay in the US and Canada, comparing January to May 2023.
Searches for "Jarace Walker" collectibles increased by more than 1470%, searches for "Anthony Black" collectibles increased by more than 615%, and searches for "Brandon Miller" collectibles increased by nearly 660% on eBay in the US and Canada comparing January to May 2023.

About eBay
eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a global commerce leader that connects people and builds communities to create economic opportunity for all. Our technology empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world, providing everyone the opportunity to grow and thrive. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is one of the world's largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2022, eBay enabled nearly $74 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.