Collector Nation - The National 2026: What to Expect at the Hobby’s Biggest Event in Sports Cards & Collectibles

Episode Date: May 1, 2026

In this episode of Collector Nation, Ryan Alford sits down with Shane Winn from The National Sports Collectors Convention to explore the growth and impact of the hobby’s largest annual event. The discussion covers how The National has evolved into a full-scale production, bringing together collectors, dealers, and brands from across the globe. Ryan and Shane also dive into emerging trends, including the rise of Pokémon and TCG, and how younger collectors are shaping the future of the hobby. This episode offers an inside look at what makes The National a must-attend event for collectors of all levels. 🔑 Topics Covered Growth of The National and its global reach Dealer expansion and new show floor experiences Rise of TCG and crossover into sports cards Community-driven elements like trade nights Tips for first-time attendees 🤝 Connect Ryan Alford 👉 https://www.thecollectornation.com 👉 https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanalford Shane Winn 👉 https://nsccshow.com 👉 https://www.instagram.com/nsccshow Brian Ludden 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-ludden 👉 https://www.instagram.com/brianludden Ludex 👉 https://www.ludex.com 👉 https://www.instagram.com/ludexapp

I think there might be a chance to get a few more autos this year at the National. Last year was record-breaking. We're going to do that again. More dealers, more choice, more selection. I mean, it's insane. You can buy tickets for all of the athletes that have been announced. You can bring memorabilia of your own. It could be a card, could be a jersey,

but they'll sign their autograph onto that particular item for you. Tickets are on sale for that now, and those sell out pretty quickly. FOMO is real. The only one that I can't miss is the national. and Electro Nation will be there. Brian and Brian, the LuddX team, everybody will all be there. For everybody watching, if you're not coming to the national, you're missing out. Welcome to the Collector Nation podcast here on the Collector Nation Network.

Whether you're chasing grails or calling bluffs, you take you inside the hobby. Here are your host, Ryan Alford and Brian Lut. What's up, guys? Welcome to Collector Nation here on the Collector Nation Network. We're always talking all things, collectibles, trading cards, shows, entertainment. Brian and Ryan here on a Wednesday, recording for Friday. And look, there's big things that happen in the hobby. It's a big industry, a lot of things, exciting things, but very few things get people fired up like the National.

He is. Shane Wynn. He's the S-D-O-M-C. That's the senior director. of marketing communications. What's up, Jane? What's going on, Ryan? Good to see you, man. Hey, man. I'm pumped. I'm like, you know, I went to my first national last year. Brian was a gracious host in the LuddX Lounge. And let me just tell you, it was like the greatest fire hose I've ever drank. It was like, I mean, I was like, I had sheer joy,

fear, trepidation, excitement, and energy all in one. And it delivered and then some. So I want to say, damn, you guys don't have to throw a party. And it was awesome. It's getting bigger every year. I mean, well, last year was record breaking, you know, in terms of the number of people that were there. The number of corporate partners continues to increase.

The number of dealer tables. We finally expanded the list of dealers last year. We're going to do that again, like triple, this year and we can talk a little bit more about that but um i expect this year to be record breaking in the way that last year was too so we're we're pretty excited it's a big deal um i didn't understand it until i went and i'm glad i could actually now having i mean we're coming up on this year's uh it's just a literally a hop skipping way um but with perspective because if i was doing this interview and i hadn't gone i feel like it'd be like

Almost inauthentic in a way. But even more than that, I wouldn't quite grasp it. But I was an observer because this show who didn't exist yet. I was coming in. A new business was going. I own a shop. I mean, now, a year later, I own a shop. Brian and I partner on this show.

I'm knee-deep in it. But let me tell you. He got sucked in fast, man. He got sucked in a little fast. Vortex. Yeah, exactly. Brian got me. The whole hobby got me, but the national really got me.

I mean, before we just dive into absolute nuts and bolts, where does, where do you kind of, what does the national sort of hold itself within this industry and this boom that's happening? You know, it's such a, it's such a great time to be alive in the hobby, you know? Like, did you guys take a step back and, like, think about where your position is in this whole thing?

Very much. Yeah, very much so. It's a great question. In France, they use the term patron, right? And that is, you know, an individual or an entity that, you know, feels responsibility over a particular thing. And I think we would say we feel like we're patrons of the hobby. So, you know, we take that very seriously. And I think that the uniqueness about the national. One thing that's very unique about it is it is very hobby first, right? The core of the hobby, which keeps getting bigger and bigger, is always going to be front and center of the focus of the national. And so as we've witnessed this, you know, current explosion in the collectible space, even broader than sports, really, but with sports at the foundation, you know, we continue to make sure that we produce the national in a way. that makes the dealers proud.

It makes the participants that are coming in to buy and sell proud. And it gives the corporate partners an opportunity to engage with them. But the focus is the cards. And the focus is the people and the dealers and it always will be. Yeah.