Collector Nation - How the Knicks, Messi, and PSA’s Germany Move Have changed the hobby

Episode Date: June 19, 2026

Ryan Alford and Brian Ludden react to a packed week in the hobby, starting with the Knicks championship, Jalen Brunson’s market momentum, and why big-city teams still drive outsized attention in both sports and collectibles. They talk through the card implications of New York’s title run and why moments like this can move interest faster than people expect. The conversation then widens into Messi’s World Cup impact, the global nature of soccer collectibles, and PSA’s decision to open a grading facility in Germany. Brian brings a hobby-tech and market perspective, while Ryan keeps it grounded in collector behavior, product demand, and what these moments actually mean if you are buying, holding, or flipping cards. They also hit on Bruce Buffer entering the card-shop world, Topps’ ability to capitalize on sports moments quickly, and a few release notes that matter for collectors watching the market week to week. It is a fast-moving episode that feels like a real-time pulse check on where hobby attention is heading next. Topics Covered The Knicks title and Jalen Brunson’s card-market effect Why large-market teams still matter in collectibles Messi’s World Cup run and soccer-card demand PSA’s Germany expansion and what it could mean for grading Bruce Buffer opening a sports card shop UFC hobby relevance after a major event week Product-release chatter and what collectors are watching now Ryan Alford and Brian Ludden on what actually shifted in the hobby this week Links Collector Nation https://www.collectibles.show/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/collector-nation/id1832831782 https://open.spotify.com/show/7smmwVvlXIYBqdBm3oXdLV https://www.youtube.com/@TheCollectorNation Ryan Alford https://ryanalford.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ Brian Ludden / Ludex https://www.ludex.com/team/brian-ludden/ https://www.ludex.com/ https://app.ludex.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ludexapp/ Bella Shafer https://www.instagram.com/isabellashafer/

I like this messy guy. He's worth a lot and he scores. You know? So like, I'm in on Messi. Had 250 cards sell over $10,000 or more. That's pretty baller. But soccer's just so global that it really opens up the whole market. And when you have a player, a generational player like Messi,

and he's had cards go for $1.5 million. It's crazy. PSA is opening a full-scale grading facility in Frankfurt, Germany. That's interesting. New strategy? That's not going to help us. Just get more people here. about that. Let's do that. Yeah, what are we going to focus on? We have nothing to focus on. Let's go to

Germany. Oh, 15 million backlog. The Knicks are world champions. Joseph Brumson, MVP, 45 points. Game 5, average 24.5 million viewers and peaked at 33. That's like football numbers right there, man. Welcome to the Collector Nation podcast here on the Collector Nation Network. Whether you're chasing grails or calling bluffs, you take you in the side of a hobby. Here are your hosts, Ryan Alford and Brian Lutton. What's up guys? Welcome to Collector Nation on the Collector Nation Network here. The lovely collector station studio. I mean, Nation Station invasion, I don't even know what, all the Asians. Other than Luddex, the CEO of Luddax, Brian Lutton, coming from our Chicago

headquarters. How you doing, Brian? I'm good. I'm good. We've had a bunch of tornadoes here, which always keeps things exciting. But, yeah, it's going well. Hopefully you're safe in your penthouse. Yeah, I'm as high as I can get. Yeah, exactly. You stay safe up there, right? I mean, if the bottom falls out, you're good up there.

Yeah, exactly. Man, had the tornado direct tornado ever hit? like downtown Chicago? No, I don't, I think it's like almost impossible because the, the funnel can't get enough. Yeah. They didn't have a little airspace or something. Yeah. Yeah.

You got to have those cornfields for that. That's what they're good for. Yep. You got Ryan and Bella here in South Carolina coming over at our collector station store and studio. And, you know, I guess what? We get right to it. The Knicks are world champions. I had such bad FOMO that I was not in New York for that game. Yeah.

Like seeing the video, seeing the excitement. And see how just like, you know, sports are one of those things that just brings everybody together. And you could see it in real time while the games were going on. Did any couches or cars get burned down? Oh, buses. Actually, one of the buses that was supposed to help take people to the World Cup got burned Oh, yeah. Okay. That's a sign. That's a sign of a good championship.

Yes, exactly. I mean, I was honestly surprised the city didn't burn down more. So, you know. You know, it's a shame, but it's like the news cycle moves so fast that like even us talking about this and we recorded a day or two before the show depending on the week. And it feels like old news already. Yeah. And I don't want to be that guy that I, because I get, God, why is it? Why do we diminish this?

things just because, and then it's only been like, what, four days, five days? And I'm like, you're eight, Bill and Brompson, MVP, 45 points. 45 points, it's crazy. And I saw a post-game interview and they were like, so who holds the records for most points scored by a Knicks player? And he was like, I don't know. And they're like, you. Hey, you know, game five, average 24.5 million viewers and peaked at 33.

That's like football numbers right there, man. That's why those big cities, that's why those leagues love, love the big cities. I mean, hockey could, hockey has not gotten lucky with any of the big city teams winning. L.A. gets the baseball. New York now gets basketball. So, I mean, the difference, how many viewers you think would be different if it was Oklahoma City name another team, a small market team? One third. It would be $8 to $10 million, you know, somewhere in there.

I couldn't even tell you who played in the NBA finals last year. I was thinking about it and I was like, you know, it's the same thing in college football. And what happens is everybody wants to root for the underdog. And you want the underdog, but you don't really. You want the name teams. You want L.A., you want Chicago. You want New York. You can say you don't want it and say it doesn't matter.

And yes, the fact that it's New York and people, New York and there's more population there and they watched it, but they didn't carry this alone. It's because the interest level is higher when New York and Los Angeles are in the finals or the college football equivalent would be Miami and Ohio State. It's like it drives the ratings. It drives the interest. We're interested in the brands and the cities and the teams that have cachet and long-term, like, population levels and just big city things happening and like the mecca of.

of where, you know, business has had. I mean, it just, it is. And so, in these numbers, proven. And you also had, you have a transcendent player with Wimmy. And then you've got the great storyline with New York. I mean, it was the, I mean, for people that, I used to do, I still think I am an attention creator. Like, if I was trying to, you don't have to create that much attention.

Like, it becomes easy for you. Yeah. Sometimes you have to fabricate it. They hadn't had to do any. of that. That's true. That's true. That story was written for them, you know?

Yeah, exactly. It was. And, you know, and I've said it for three weeks in a row. I did not, I was not rooting for New York. I don't know if I was rooting for St. Antonio, but I probably had a little more. Yeah, that'd be cool. San Antonio wins.

Fresh. It has been a while. I know they've won titles, but with Wimby and the young guys. Damn. News New York guys, burn my respect. They also, um, so. Brunson wore teal, Nike, Kobe, 6, Lady Liberty player edition sneakers during game five. And they're already starting to resell them.

So maybe the sneaker market will come back. Speaking of big deals, I know, you know, we're not big soccer people, but... There is a World Cup. There is World Cup. Yeah. And Messi did, you know, what Messi likes to do. And he scored a hat trick or three goals. against Algeria, and he is the oldest player to ever do that in the World Cup.

And he also tied now for the most World Cup goals, and he's at 16. It was the greatest day ever for icons.com. Oh, for sure. For sure. He was so excited. You know he was. Yeah. I mean, that's all I guess. Dan, if you're listening. Dan, Dan, was on our show. He's the only person that has licensed. It was a banner day for him. That's awesome.

Yeah, what I think is cool about specifically soccer and specifically the World Cup is that, you know, a lot of like the collectibles we tend to talk about like basketball, football, whatever. You know, they're more national, regional collectibles because, you know, football is really only in the States. And, you know, but soccer is just so global that it really opens up the whole market. And when you have a player, a generational player, like, Messi, and, you know, he's had cards go for one and a half million dollars. Like, it's crazy. And, yeah, it's like, you think about the difference in, like, football or basketball or basketball, you've got the high-end players, players that drive the, but is there a bigger gap in any sport than soccer?

Probably, like, the value of, like, a certain card with a certain player than soccer? I mean, I know you got Otani and you got some of the guys now in baseball, but they're not the multiplier versus everybody else that Messi is in soccer. No, for sure. I mean, I know you can, you know, you've had LaMalle and he had his moment and until they couldn't score against, I don't remember who. Like the number 84 seed or something. It was like zero zero tie. I'm like, I'm just going to say this. I love culturally.

like bringing countries together, the kumbaya nature of the whole thing with the World Cup. We need more peace and not more. However, the zero, you know, Spain is supposed to be like the firepower team, right? And they're like Spain and like France and like Argentina, Argentina and, you know. Portugal, Columbia. Yeah, exactly. But zero, zero tie after 90 minutes. This is why I don't watch soccer.

I'm sorry. Like, I like scoring. I like offense. You know, defense is great. Defense wins championships. But guess what? You can't win a basketball game zero to zero. And what they should do.

Or lose. Or lose. You know, what they should do is take every five minutes, take a player off the field. Like start with 10. And then after five minutes, you have nine. and then eight and seven eventually it's one on one and go for it. Or 10 on one. No ties.

Yeah. That would make it interesting. Good penalty. Like, you know, have a penalty box, you know? My thing is like I don't get, you're in the World Cup. How can you have a game that ends zero zero? I feel like there needs to be some sort of shootout to at least have a winner. I think they did.

I guess they did. I mean, I would think they had it and they didn't even score in that. I don't like just shoot me now. I mean, I'm sorry. And it's nothing to do with, I respect the athletes. I respect the World Cup.

I'm going to get hate mail for this, I'm sure. But I don't care because I'm raw and real and you, you least you know that. And no thank you. 90 minutes, no scoring. And,

you know, maybe some bicycle kicks or something. I'm out. I'm out. Yeah. Like, they, no thanks.

They go backwards more than they go forward. I'm like, I'm looking this thing. I'm like, they just went from like 20 feet away from the goal they're supposed to score. And now the goalie on their side kicks it. They brought all you back to the goalie. And I'm like, no, there should be a rule against that like hockey.

You know, it's like, no, if you go over this line, that's bad and you got to get everyone back in. But no, I love it. I love soccer. Yeah, you do. Somebody's going to try to tell us like we're unsophisticated or something. Yeah, whatever. Stupid Americans. Stupid Americans.

Stupid Americans. They don't understand. There's sophistication or whatever. Well, last thing on messy, in the last 18 months, he has had more than 250 cards sold on eBay. I like this messy guy. He's worth a lot and he scores. You know? So, like, I'm in on messy.

But had 250 cards sell over $10,000 or more. Like, that's pretty baller. Dude, when it's zero, zero on other scores and you score three points alone, that's why your shit's selling for that month. Are you kidding me? Yep. And speaking of the globalness of collectibles, I heard that PSA is opening a full-scale grading facility in Frankfurt, Germany. Well, that's interesting.

New strategy. That's not going to help us. Global. No, just get more people here. How about that? Let's do that. I mean, like, Frankfurt, Illinois. What are we going to focus on?

We have nothing to focus on. Let's go to Germany. Oh, whoa, 15 million backlog. I forgot about that. How about Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Kentucky, isn't that? That's a pretty big town, ish. Yeah, that's where they should go.

I guess, you know, status meeting in the morning. All right, what's on the agenda? And it's like, there's 17 guerrillas in the room. And they're going, well, let's talk about Germany. Like, Nat's at the table. He can't even like grab his coffee because there's like gorillas on top of him called like, you know, one million cards. Like, I don't know.

I mean, I think it feels a gap for European collectors because, I mean, if we think the process to getting cards graded at PSA now is long, I can't imagine how long it is taking for European customers. You know how the German. they make good shit. It's going to take longer because they're going to grade those things much more stringuously. I'm telling you. I mean,

I know what that BW is made. You know, I mean, German engineering, German grading. But it will take some of the pressure off the U.S. grading places because. No, people are going to be overnight and I'm to Germany.

They're like, all right, I'm not waiting on this thing. 15 million. I'm going to be number of 8,000 in line in Germany. what we what we should do is october fest we should deliver them we should be like we're going to actually deliver these cards to frankfort germany to make sure they get there and it just happens to be october fest and we'll stay i like that plan that's what we do get a beerstein out of beer garden and sing kumbaya with some sports cards that's the way to go i i'm trying to think of the analogy of like the brand and like coming like i've been doing marketing for 25 years and in a way it's not a great place to be when

you're just a necessary evil even if you've got business and i feel like we're teetering on that with PSA and that's not a good that's not a say like it when you draw up the diagrams of business like safe zones yeah you don't want to just be necessary evil and they're teetering real close to that if they're not already there. But it's like. And I know they're doing it laughing all the way to the bank. And I, they might. And I'm not naive to the fact that they don't have to always, you know, have approval to make

money. But I don't know, Brian, how you feel about that. Well, it's not a democracy for sure. And go make your money. Go make them. Go make it. It's America. Yeah.

The thing about America. Yeah, exactly. Great. I say make your money. Yeah. Well, in lighter news, Bruce Buffer is opening a card shop in California, an 8,000 square foot card shop. And he's calling it It's Time sports cards, which, you know, is fitting for his brand.

Yeah. I like it. And I like Bruce. He's a very good businessman. Yeah. Dude has hands. I had him on my business show a few years ago. and I respected his acumen at a very high level.

It was, I didn't think he was going to be an idiot or anything like that, but I was like, shit, this guy was arch. I mean, he had more companies than I did, you know,

kids. Toes. And I have four. But yeah, no, he's sharp. So I did not know he was even trading cards. So we have to,

like, hit him up and be like, Bruce, what, that's, you're coming on the show. I'm coming on the show to talk about it. there's no way he's going to get he won't get allocation right because he just no yeah exactly yes so how's he get to the front line there yeah well he won't same way tom brady did well i think acquisition typically

i mean you buy these cards towards seems like that's the only way so i'm assuming if he if he's buying one or who knows but i think if bruce buffer went to tops oh yeah it was like i mean can i have some cards they'd be like yes please take you know as soon as they were up actually walks in this store, I think we're going to get it too. But we've got to get him here. Bruce is a celebrity, you know, and he's going to, he's open an 8,000 square foot store. So I don't, I have no hard feelings that they'll go there first, but they need to come here

second. Right, Ryan? I mean, that's reasonable. You know? Number two. That's okay. Number two. I'm okay.

Hey, Tom Brady first, Bruce Buffer, second, collector station third, you know, no big deal. I'm okay. We'll wait in line. Yeah, we're okay being number three. When we show them the receipts of what we've done without it, I think they'll step up. Yeah. And speaking of UFC, we had the 250th anniversary of the United States UFC fight the other day earlier this week. That was an awesome spectacle.

I was like both proud to be. It was, I felt very, like, patriotic. I, it felt a little circus like, if I'm being honest, but I kind of like that, but I didn't, but it, it felt more patriotic than circus like, which is the fine line to hold. But it's, you know, under the big top, you know, like a little bit, but the fighting was good. I think it's really cool. I was worried about his own safety, but they obviously foiled some plans and other things, we'll probably get to that. but Melania and Donald's sitting there for four hours in the same seats. I mean, they may have gotten up,

we didn't know it, but they didn't get up much. They were sitting there watching the fights, enjoying it, letting their hair down a little bit, even if they both still looked like, you know, the president and the first lady.

And I'm like, that's kind of like, he does shit to nobody else would ever do. Like love it or hated. I don't, I'm not even like advocating for any one thing. I'm just saying there's something refreshing about. it and I thought the fights were great. I thought the patriotism was awesome. And I don't know.

I think it was great for the sport, I'm sure. I'm sure it was great for their cards too. It was. I bought, dude, that last fight, oh my God. Dude, I mean, unbelievable. Did you watch it, Brian? I did not. And but I have a thought on it is nothing's more patriotic and and speaks to 250 years of freedom than guys fighting at the White House. I mean, putting each other in the face with no gloves. Yeah,

that's what going on. 250 years ago, someone fought. I bet. There was a raw aspect of that, right? I mean, you know,

and I know it's like, you're kind of being serious, kind of not being serious, but it's like, it actually is truthful. And there was some aspect of watching it that felt, I don't know. Like, yeah, like, this is us fighting the rest of the world or our adversaries.

Even though most of everybody that was so, you know, respectful of where they were and to the president, no matter what they're denominated. I mean, like, so there was never, you know, the U.S. versus that guy. There was a lot of U.S. guys that fought each other. There was, you know, everybody was respectful of that. But at the same time, it felt like a metaphor in a way, Brian. I think you're onto something, whether intentional or not, it did feel that way. It should have been an American guy versus an English guy. That's it.

It's like 10 on your side. Battle Royal. Had a little Boston Tea Party in there too. And forced the British guy to wear like garb or whatever. Well, ironically, if both U.S. and England make it to the World Cup knockout rounds, well, we actually could potentially play England. which I think would be really funny. On the 4th of July, that would be better.

Wow, what is this? Got to keep an extra patriotic. With that said, we should keep them as an ally. Let's say, you know, like, I don't think it's better that we're allied than apart. We just had to get our freedom first, I guess. But I enjoyed the event. And trading cards made a little bit of an appearance at it, too. Yeah.

I did not know this story. won't you? Yeah, so Josh Hokit, which, you know, he's a little controversial based on what he said after the fact. But during his way in was, like, looking very rough and very drunk. And I don't even know how he was standing and probably should have gotten disqualified to be 100% honest. Being as he was like throwing up on the side before he goes and weighs in, like, well, that happens sometimes. But after he won, miraculously won his fight, he had a gold chain that had a one-of-one card on it, PSA-graded card. And he put it on Trump's neck.

Yeah. And then... No, no, no, no. I tried to find a picture of it. I couldn't find a picture of it. Trump took it off, like, pretty quickly after based on what Hokit said in final interviews. I mean, for all you kids out there, if you ever about to go to a big sporting event, you know, make sure you drink a lot of alcohol. That's for sure.

I don't know how to. Oh, if you're going to be, what about if you're going to be the fighter? I mean, that sounds like a good plan. Well, we had, we had Josh Evan on the show, like a few months ago. And he was saying how he like, he schedules his days out to a tea. Like, he doesn't do anything. Jim is a professional who's like won a lot of, you know, about and titles. And, yeah.

It's just like crazy to me that like there's that and then there's this dude that just like doesn't care and is drunk on his way in. I don't know. Uh, he just in Gagey. Yes. I like that guy. That guy, he's old. He's a little older. I think he's his 30s.

38. 38 years old. And look, he was gassed at times. but he never gave up. I thought he was going to get knocked out like a hundred times because he was gased and that guy's dangerous, a very, one of the best fighters on the planet. He was overconfident. And Gagy, that was the American spirit.

That, I was like, that's what it looks like. And he literally retired that guy on it, not retired forever, but retired in that match, quit on his seat. They tried to say, oh, his corner's throwing in the, no, he threw in the towel. He didn't want any more. of that home cooking he was getting. Like he, he got the green beans and mashed potatoes and the spaghetti. All of it in one.

I just, I don't get how people like do it for fun. I just getting punched in the face. The guy's face looked like spaghetti. I mean, it was not pretty. And I was like, ooh, this is interesting. And I just, I was exhausted watching them. They both deserve a lot of respect for getting. Any of those guys that get in there, kidding me, what they do to get in there and take that

punishment and like the raw nature of that and how much adrenaline is going and then to do it for five minutes for three, like 15, it's go go get in an adversarial situation for one minute and where you're fighting and tell me how exhausted you are. And if you have it, then you haven't, hopefully most women haven't been in that, but let me just say I've been in a few. And let me just tell you, I've been on both sides of it, mostly kicking ass, but also get my ass kicked a few times in college when I probably deserved it. But it exhausts you, man. And they, I mean, it is respect what they put their bodies through in that. It's so violent.

I mean, let's talk about this. concussion protocol. Like there's, use soccer, you can't even like head a, head of a soccer ball anymore. Like football's like getting like shit thrown at it all the time about how they don't care. Those guys are getting five concussions a fight and they don't get anything.

No. That's what they signed up for. You're getting your head put in a freaking blender and then shake. Yeah. Everyone's concussed a thousand times. Yeah. Yeah. I ordered like four gaugey cards.

I'm like, I was going into PC. I don't care if he ever, he can lose every match from here on out. I'm like, I am a Justin Gagey fan. I am. And I put my money where I'm out of this. Or like autographs. Like, I think I ordered like a 101 or something. I don't even know what it was.

I was like, yes, patriotic and just a badass. I'm curious as that what his card market looked like right off. I'm sure it went up because there was once I was buying that like it was bought before I could buy it. So I wasn't the only one with that idea. Yeah. Final thoughts for this episode. We have some pretty big releases coming out this week. We have the Tops Chrome Cosmic Football finally here almost.

Well, by the time this episode's releasing it, we'll be here. Yeah. Which is exciting. And same thing, the Tops Chrome Disney released today, which is Wednesday. And I'm super excited for this because it has Disney Channel inserts, and that's my childhood. Oh, how sweet. I know. I don't think we're getting any.

The one product that I want to open, you don't get. But ironically, I'll get it for you. Thank you. We bought a little bit. I think we still might have a couple boxes. Yeah, but see, I want the Demi Lovato autographs. Okay. Then you buy the singles.

You don't need the box. Well, okay. Ripping's not the way to get to the card you want. What? Are you? Are you sure? especially when you're me because again never once never once have I got in a card and he sends me a card every damn day he's like oh just ripped a Drake May out of 150 yeah auto yeah first pack last night uh I was gonna open one box I was open one box a mega box right first pack Drake May auto out of 150

that's amazing I've been a heater I got a lot I have not always been that way but But it's been warm at the offered residence. Do you do like a ritual? Like is there like a certain box you pick or is it just like whichever one's calling to you? I usually have a formula that changes depending on the moment, but not like the same one every time. Yeah. Don't tell people. Dev holds that.

You know, Bella's trying to get it in every box that tells you where the hits are. Yeah, Bella's trying to get that information out of you. Yeah. Don't do it. I want it. I just, I need. like one. Like I need to just hit one card and then I'll be good. Yeah. The most I've ever card I've ever ripped is a $10 card. That is pathetic numbers. And usually it's not transitive,

but I'm so hot right now, I'm even picking out the boxes for others. I like, I picked out a guy yesterday. Everybody's convinced that I can pull. They know what I'm pulling lately. So they go, all right, pick the box. Pick the box. He pulled a out of 25 show hey, $2,000 card out of the box. I pulled home. Like, hmm. Yeah. I'm like, okay. All right. Maybe that is some true. But I got to keep, you know, but I want the customers. Hey, I'll, I'll pass it on wherever.

I want them. I want every box in here. I have one of ones for our customers. Yeah, you'll sell them. You'll sell those cards to your customers, right? So it's like, it's like, well, I tell the all the stuff that I pull if it's not something I keep. And then, or I want them to pull it by the boxes and pull the one-on-one. I don't want to pull all of it.

But, you know, the less they buy, say, I need, this is there. I need, this is marketing, you know, we need you to buy more so that I don't open them. You know, I leaves more for y'all. Reverse psychology here. Reverse marketing. It's time for this week's On It segment of the week. What's up, everybody? It's Bella here with the On It segment of the week.

And I am here with, you know them, you love them. Leonard Barry, the digital marketing specialist at Onit athlete. Leonard, how you doing? I'm doing good Bella, good to see you. I'm in a more stable location, as you can see today. So we've been on the road for a while now, but it's been a good time. Yeah, so tell everyone where you are, what you're doing, how it's going. Give us the rundown.

Yeah, I'm out here in Nebraska right now. I was at the College World Series over the weekend, shot a lot of content there. Super fun. And then I've moved on getting some signatures here from some teams that have signed from us in the past. So people can be expecting that, you know, Nebraska football team that we've worked with in the past. I'm out here in Lincoln, getting some signatures for them for their upcoming football season. So I'm really excited about that. That's super exciting. And, you know, if you're listening and you didn't know, all of Onits autos are on cards. So Leonard is literally on the ground,

getting those autos, making sure they're being signed. So we have no sticker auto. here, which I think is just, you know, still one of the coolest parts about On It and something that really separates you all from different card brands, because I feel like, you know, more oftentimes than not, it's not an on-card auto. So it's still special that y'all can kind of have those interpersonal connections with the athletes, and you know, like, they're actually touching that card. And so I have to ask, while you've been on the road, what, do you have any, like, fun stories, or has there been, like, a really heartfelt moment with any of the athletes? There's been some super cool moments here at Nebraska yesterday.

There was actually a guy who said that he has been, like his lifelong dream was to sign a trading card. I don't want to say who it is yet just because we haven't totally revealed everything. Yeah. But he said it was his lifelong dream to sign a trading card because when he grew up, him and his dad used to open boxes together. And so he's had a love of cards. And as he's been playing football, his goal was always. to be on a card and he had never been contacted by anyone else. So when we contacted him, he was like, yeah, this is a way to connect, you know, to my dad.

And, you know, I know my dad will be wanting to get one of these autographs and it's an opportunity for me to do something and be in a space that I've always been involved with. And he even collects college cards of guys in college uniforms. So I just thought that was a really cool, like full circle moment for him. And again, if we didn't come bring the cards to these guys, that's something that, you know, never really would happen. You would have just signed stickers for the most part. Boring might have never signed a card.

I do want to get into, you know, what has the College World Series been like for y'all? I know that you got Oklahoma in the finals. That's super exciting. What are we, how are we feeling? What are we looking like there? Yeah, Oklahoma just won their semi-final. So we're against Georgia, so they're headed to the championship series against North Carolina. Honestly, I think one of the craziest and the toughest roads to walk.

for anybody to get to this point. Like if they go on and beat North Carolina, who's the number five national seed, I think this will be one of the most difficult journeys to win a national championship ever. They got sent to the Atlanta Regional to play the number two seed in the country, Georgia Tech. They took down Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

They go to a super regional in Lawrence, Kansas, a place that's hosting their first ever super regional. So that place is rocking. Jayhawks are the 15th national seed. They take them down in two games. I don't even need a third game there in Lawrence to go to the College World Series, and then they get drawn into a bracket with the number three national seat and the number six national seed in Texas and Georgia.

And then they also have Ole Miss out of the SEC as well. So it's just an all-SCC side of the bracket. And Oklahoma comes out by beating Georgia twice, back-to-back games in their quarter-final and then the national semifinal to get to the championship. and now they get to take on the number five seated team in the country after beating the number three seated team twice.

So this team who was like down and out at one point in May has really turned things around and I'm kind of shocked to see where they're at but really excited that we have an on-it team in the final. I do know that y'all have a little announcement you made today if you want to kind of share that for the listeners.

Yeah, so big announcement today 776 which is a venture capitalist firm run by Alexis O'Hanian, the co-founder of Reddit. They acquired us actually in a sale. So we are now underneath the 776 umbrella, which is really cool for not only 776, but also for On It because we've been trying to, you know, kind of push boundaries and invade this college space, not just the big name college sports stuff, but we've been going after, as you mentioned, you know, gymnastics, softball, men's and women's basketball,

women's hockey, like sports that don't necessarily get a whole lot of national media attention. And we have made packs and we have made cards for all those teams. And for anybody who knows, Alexis, of course, he's married to Serena Williams. He has two daughters who play sports. He is a lover of women's sports. He's got investments in the Chelsea Women's Club out in London. He's invested in Aflose, which is track and field company. He also owns part of the Love Volleyball, professional volleyball.

So there's a lot going on with him and women's sports. And he's kind of been one banging the drum for a long time now, championing women's sports. And so to have somebody like that who passionately cares about the stuff that we're already doing is really cool to see. And I'm excited to see kind of like what the next steps are with that acquisition and how we can start doing even more in those spaces that we're already doing quite a bit more than everybody else in. And as we close out here, I also know that you had a product release coming out soon.

So if you want to talk about that too. Yeah, just to give everybody a little bit of a heads up. Like I said, we're trying to really, we've been trying to push these boundaries recently. And I think the recent acquisition will help even more. But on Monday, we are going to have our first ever. fully mixed product. Coming on at Walmarts and Best Buys nationwide, it's going to feature 10 of the top college baseball teams.

Some of the teams that are in there, UCLA, Mississippi State. Oklahoma State is actually exclusive to this product. We did not make a team set for Oklahoma State, but Oklahoma State does have players and cards inside this release. It is fully mixed, and it is on Ion-oppy Chrome, which is the first kind that we have ever done a Chrome release. So for folks that are familiar, familiar with on it cards and understand the paper card stock than we have generally used for our cards.

This is on Chrome. So it'll be comparable to what you see from some of the other manufacturers when they release their Chrome products. And it is fully mixed as well. It's called Onit Gravity Baseball. It's available in Walmarts and Best Buys starting on Monday. There's some information out about it online if folks are interested in looking that up. But yeah, it'll be, I'm hoping it'll be one of our best releases ever. And it's certainly in terms of pushing the envelope with a mixed college baseball product,

the furthest that we've ever gone. So I'm really excited to see it. And I love Chrome cards. So I can't wait to start ripping some of it myself. And guys, if you're listening, shop onatathlet.com. Use code, collect your nation at checkout to receive 15% off your first order. These cards are awesome. They are supporting the athletes that, you know,

we all watch and love. So give On It some love. Wish them luck on their new venture capitalist experiences. And go shop those Best Buy and Walmart cards. Any final words, Leonard? Just appreciate everybody who listens and supports us and supports the Collector Nation, collector station down there in South Carolina. Yeah.

We will see you next week on our On It segment of the week. I know you got to bounce, Brian. So anything, any final thoughts? No, I'm looking forward to our show next week. That's for sure. In Shatown, baby. Yeah, Ryan's coming. Yeah, we'll be like, and we're only probably five or six weeks away from the national.

I mean, it's coming in a hurry. Yeah, well, thank you guys. Always appreciate it. Thanks, Brian. And we'll have up, we'll put on the screen some of the cards we mentioned earlier. We'll have the team. I'll send them some pictures. We'll throw those up as the altru.

credits maybe as we go to. Ryan's pulls in the last couple weeks. More than what I bought yesterday. I traded with the guy. It was a good trade and some cool Kobe stuff. So we appreciate everyone for the listen. Appreciate Bella. Appreciate Brian.

You know where to find us? Theelectoration.com. We'll see you next time. Make sure to tell your friends. Thanks for tuning into the show. Be sure to follow us on your go-to podcast platform and catch the full video episode over on YouTube. Visit us at collectornation.com and follow Ryan on Instagram at Ryan Alford. Now get out there and collect yours.