Finally Fixing Fanatics!

Is it possible to fix Fanatics before they take over the sports card world in 2026? Patrick Imhoff gives it a shot! Plus, 3 cards we're picking up now!

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🏈⚾🏀IF WE WERE CEO OF FANATICS: #1 of 21 

Patrick Imhoff lays out his 21-point plan to make Fanatics an even better company!

In the June 6^th edition of the Happy Hobby Newsletter: 3 Bowman 1sts, 2 Fanatical Years & 1 Supersonic Card, David Gonos looked forward to 2026 when Fanatics will produce baseball, football, and basketball cards as the sole license holder of each league. In the comments we talked about what we would like to see happen as a couple of average collectors which led to an idea:

What would I do if I was the CEO of Fanatics?

I was asleep when that message came in, but my phone woke me up. I laughed at the idea and intended to go back to sleep, but my mind was already racing. What would I do differently? So many thoughts went through my mind, I had to open the notes app on my phone to jot them down. With that, I give you my version of what I would do if I had the keys to the Fanatics monopoly.

Editor’s Note: Rather than post Imhoff’s 3,000-plus word manifesto all at once, we decided to share these over the course of a few weeks, allowing us to digest and discuss in the comments!

Fanatics Fix No. 1: Understand Who is Buying Cards and Why

I would generate a survey for collectors to take. I would put it on the Topps and Fanatics websites, as well as put flyers for it in the shipments I send to local card shops.

Sample questions would include:

• What is the primary reason you buy cards:  Build sets, Investment, breaker, just for fun, other

• How much money do you spend per month on cards:  Under $50, $50-$100, $100-$500, greater than $500

• Do you prefer to buy retail products or hobby products?

• Which sports cards do you prefer to collect:  Baseball, football, basketball (mark all that apply)

• If you collect baseball cards, do you prefer Topps, Bowman, or both? 

• Do you prefer to buy boxes and/or packs or singles?

• Do you prefer to buy in stores or online?

• Do you sell cards online or in person?

This data would be the driving force in how we would implement changes moving forward and who the main consumer is.

Collecting data would be critical, and as such, there would be incentives for those who took the survey. All participants would receive a $10 voucher code to use at the Topps online store or at Fanatics online store. Also, 10 grand prize winners would each receive a jumbo hobby box of Topps Series 1 or 2, and 5 winners would receive hobby boxes of Topps Series 1 or 2.  Winners would be drawn at random.

Let us know in the comments if you think this survey would be useful for a card manufacturer like Fanatics? What questions would you want answered?

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⚾3 UP, 3 DOWN:  3 PLAYERS ON THE RISE ⚾

Patrick Imhoff is back with a new series for the newsletter! When watching your favorite baseball team play in the field, the best thing you can hear the announcer say is “3 batters up, and 3 batters down.” Your pitchers and fielders were at the top of their game while their hitters struggled. In this series, we are going to look at 3 players who are in full stride right now, at the top of their game. We will also look at 3 players who are at the opposite end of the spectrum. This week we will start with “3 Up.”