Fresh back from Chicago, this week Ian and Josh relive their trip to the 46th National Sports Collectors Convention, with Keith and Jason firing in questions from home.

It’s a full National debrief, from the scale of the show and the crush of the crowds to the way the big booths turned floor space into proper hobby theatre. Think live breaks, giveaways, custom cards, free slabs, app sign-ups, and enough collector temptation to test even the strongest willpower.

Was there much non-sports to be found? Ian and Josh go hunting beyond the sports tables, from Pokémon, One Piece, Marvel, and DC to sealed boxes, autos, vintage oddities, and the Star Wars-heavy Heritage Auctions display.

We also get into show logistics, favourite moments, Chicago food, Target restocks, Lollapalooza chaos, and why The National is as much about people, networking, and industry handshakes as it is about buying cardboard.

BIG love to the Upper Deck team and to all who we met at the show.

Plus, Jason signs off from regular podcast duties with a heartfelt farewell. I’m not crying, you’re crying.

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⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro to The National, Not “Nationals”

02:36 Josh’s First Look at the Scale of The National

07:40 Meeting IRL and the Industry Side of the Show

12:23 Queues, Crowds, and Product Flying Off Tables

17:03 eBay Live, Whatnot, and Big Booth Activations

20:18 Custom Cards, Freebies, and Fanatics Instant Rips

29:26 Upper Deck, Hockey Breaks, and Show Questions

34:25 Wi-Fi, Venue Logistics, and Future Host Cities

39:20 Spending, Pickups, and the Non-Sports Hunt

53:26 Favourite Moments, Chicago, Target, and Lollapalooza

1:14:03 Networking, Vintage Sports, and Million-Dollar Displays

1:29:43 Jason’s Farewell and Episode Sign-Off

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• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJx2Ddsda7tRKBzWW1OMCrA

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🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel Base Card Podcast – check out his show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Welcome to That Card Collectors Podcast! We dive deep into the non-sports, sports, and pop-culture trading card universe. Subscribe for weekly hobby updates, honest set reviews, and authentic grassroots collector culture. #EnjoyCollecting

This week, we are joined by Nick Jarman, Founder and CEO of the Certified Trading Card Association.

Nick talks us through what the CTCA is, and its goal to bring more confidence, accountability, and support to the wider trading card industry.

We dig into the CTCA Community Membership, the Global Trading Card Registry, certified breakers, trusted retailers, hobby wellbeing, and collector protection.

We also talk about Nick’s recent trip to Fanatics Fest, plans for The National, and why collaboration may matter more than competition as the trading card hobby continues to grow.

Expect serious hobby infrastructure chat, a few carefully dodged announcements, some Tom Holland-level spoiler avoidance, and just enough air drumming to keep the podcast professionally unprofessional.

Find out more about the CTCA here: https://thectca.org/

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⏳ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Air Drumming, Intros & Meet Nick Jarman
02:23 What Is the CTCA?
06:30 Community Membership and Collector Support
08:32 Fanatics Fest, The National and Hobby Growth
11:01 Nick’s Background and the CTCA Origin Story
17:52 Global Trading Card Registry and Stolen Slabs
23:09 Pushback, Relentlessness and Why Trust Matters
28:01 Healthy Hobby, Spending Habits and Collector Wellbeing
35:25 Certified Breakers, Platforms and Self-Regulation
42:35 Nick’s Personal Collection and Hometown Heroes
49:57 Show Presence, Fanatics Fest and Hobby Networking
1:01:34 How to Join the CTCA and Episode Signoff

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👇 JOIN THE COMMUNITY & WATCH VISUAL EPISODES

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod

• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJx2Ddsda7tRKBzWW1OMCrA

• All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

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🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel Base Card Podcast – check out his show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

---

ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Welcome to That Card Collectors Podcast! We dive deep into the non-sports, sports, and pop-culture trading card universe. Subscribe for weekly hobby updates, honest set reviews, and authentic grassroots collector culture. #EnjoyCollecting

Welcome to the first Home Show of our glorious eighth year!

This week, Ian, Jason, Josh, Keith and Wesley catch up on apacked mix of hobby chaos, including DC Annual from Upper Deck (and its e-Pack ‘Pack Wars’ longevity), Magic: The Gathering’s Marvel Super Heroes release, Topps Chrome Marvel 2026 teasers, and one of the weirdest card comp debates we’ve seen in a LONG while.

Expect seller-fee maths, Facebook group drama, WTAF pricinglogic, some very shiny Marvel Magic cards, PLUS a little DC appreciation sprinkled in, and just enough Topps Chrome to make Keith buy more boxes.

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⏳ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Welcome to the Home Show
02:42 WTAF? Seller Deductions and Card Comps
16:49 DC Annual Box Break Review
23:45 e-Pack, Pack Wars and Prize Cards
35:03 Magic: The Gathering Meets Marvel Super Heroes
41:02 Scene Boxes, Collector Packs and How Magic Works
45:00 Where Magic Sits in the Card Hobby
55:07 Marvel Magic Art Showcase
1:22:41 Topps Chrome Tease, The National & Episode Farewell

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👇 JOIN THE COMMUNITY & WATCH VISUAL EPISODES

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod

• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJx2Ddsda7tRKBzWW1OMCrA

• All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

---

🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel BaseCard Podcast – check out his show here:https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" KevinMacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

---

ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Welcome to That Card Collectors Podcast! We dive deep intothe non-sports, sports, and pop-culture trading card universe. Subscribe for weekly hobby updates, honest set reviews, and authentic grassroots collector culture. #EnjoyCollecting