The Good, the Bad, and the Influencers
Ah yes, the Burbank card show—a family gathering for social media influencers and “bros.” If you were looking for an “hobby circlejerk,” you found it. The show was swarming with “influencers,” enough to rival the anime convention next door.
Where’s the Originality, Folks?
Once inside the showcases are an endless echo chamber of the same players. Forget about scoring ungraded diamonds in the rough, this place is an ocean of slabs. Every booth seems to be a carbon copy of the next. One “Bro” looking guy selling overpriced slabs after another.
The show was a graded-card paradise. PSA’s presence was felt, at least five customer service reps deep working on card submissions at the show. Did Beckett even show up? Their booth was mostly crickets.
Buyer’s Remorse or Choice Paralysis?
With some dealers acting like they’re still selling cards during the covid boom, many attendees, seasoned or not, left empty-handed. But if you could navigate through the chaos, some deals were there to be found in dollar boxes. The level of security was commendable (kudos to the Anaheim PD) so it was a safe environment, even if Geoff Wilson was nearby lurking.
The first floor was corporate booth central. Upstairs? A football field of value boxes, slabs, and the dealers you might actually want to talk to.
The Mind-Boggling Leadership Divide
Now, about the organizers. On one hand, you have Rob Veres who’s encouraging people to collect and has publicly called group breaking “fractionalized casinos” in interviews. On the other, you’ve got this guy EJ, who seems like he’s auditioning for a luxury real estate show for “big money foreign buyers.” Talk about an ideological chasm!
Promotion for the show outside of the normal bro-heads was lackluster. The last tweet from the Burbank show was on May 19th. Really, guys? You’d have better luck sending messages via carrier pigeons. In the age of influencers and viral marketing, this feels like a digital sin.
Wrap-Up
All in all, the Burbank Card Show was a mishmash of experiences. It had its high points, but also moments that left you scratching your head. Will it continue to thrive or dive? Only time will tell. But one thing is clear: whether you were dropping thousands or just there for the love of the game, this event had something for everyone… including a lesson or two.
Disclaimer: Make sure to check with Geoff Wilson so he can tell you how you should feel.
There wasn’t one mention of the crowd size? I give your review a mishmash of opinions, and too much judgement of people based on their appearance.