Episode July 23, 2026 41 min 54s

Did Fanatics Fest Just Eat the National’s Lunch?

From Sports Card Investor Sports Card Investor

Did Fanatics Fest just eat the National's lunch? Welcome back to Cards on the Table, coming to you straight from the Arena Club Studio inside Cards HQ!

Today, we are unpacking the absolute madness of Fanatics Fest. With a staggering 200,000 attendees this year (up from 70,000 in year one!), an $80-$90 million production budget, and nonstop mainstream media coverage from ESPN to ABC World News Tonight, Fanatics Fest just changed the hobby forever. But with The National kicking off in just a few days, we debate whether Fanatics stole all the hype or if the expanded National show floor and sold-out VIP tickets prove there is room for both mega-events.

Plus, the highly anticipated 2026 Topps Chrome Baseball has finally dropped, and the new Back-to-Back MVP Gold Logoman dual relics are breaking the internet. Will the Shohei Ohtani dual-patch, dual-auto (featuring both English and Kanji signatures) break the $3 million record set last year? We break down why Topps is currently making the best insert designs in a decade. Finally, the 2026 World Cup has officially come to a close.

We analyze the market fallout: Why is Lamine Yamal’s market dipping despite winning the Cup? How did Erling Haaland become the biggest hobby winner of the tournament? And what happens to the soccer card market leading up to Fanatics taking over the license in the 2030s?

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