Episode #266
The National 2026: Inside the Hobby’s Greatest Show, PLUS A Hero’s Journey Ends (Ep. 266)
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. --- ⏳ 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 --- 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 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
