Ep.143 Doug Caskey of Mojobreak

Welcome to another stock and loaded episode of this fourth tarnation podcast, the show that brings you all the important hobby news discussions debates. Opinions info and interviews with key Hobby and sports dignitaries. Also, if you're good, you know, we are going to give away something. Now. Here's the guy that one of the cards more than the gum, John Newman. All right, welcome to episode 143, happy to be back. Happy Friday, or whatever day. We are listening to the 

Show celebrated, my dad's 83rd birthday. This past Sunday and it got me to thinking, you know, that some folks will lose their dads recently or mother recently and that I know personally. And so got me to thinking, you know, how fortunate, you know, my dad still here to share. Times with them and do things with them and so many others may not be as blessed anymore. So thinking about those folks during this time. And so, but going back to my dad turned 83, still plays drums, and three bands that you heard, right? The drummer in three bands at age. 83. Don't ask me how I'm still wondering that myself, but got me listening to 3 episode 5. Kiss that he appeared on, he appeared on this show on episode 95 for some time, back talking about about growing up in Brooklyn with the Brooklyn, Dodgers and cards back then. And he appeared on two episodes with me and Jordan on dr. Beck and show sports card insights talking about, you know, growing up and it was his father Day specials and really really great. You know, I think, you know what my dad does podcast, which isn't that often, but just though it's really was to dr. Beckett made two episodes out of the one appearance. But really made his day was on cloud nine that that whole day. And you know, just got me to thinking, you know, call a relative, a friend, do something with them kind of Reach Out specially if it's been a while, you know, tough time is short. 

And it's looking back at, you don't want to regret, maybe not doing something. And so spend time with family, cards are great. I've been doing cards for almost 40 years, but I put him down and I do other things too. And I think that's important whether it's spending time with family or other Hobbies or extracurricular activities. Make sure you balance everything out support. Got a great guest today, Doug Caskey. 

Mojo breaks, 1/2 of Mojo breaks, one of the OG Breakers, but they do content creation and got Mojo break the height. This podcast was fortunate to be on that during the national and they do so many things, have a full-fledged store in Santa Clara. And so we talked about talked about balance and life balance. We that's one of the topics during the interview. You're going to hear that how important it is and how they Do it. And, you know, maintain that and a great job. They're probably one of the poster folks to how to do that and still have a family produce, great content produce, great LCS and breaks. And, you know, they do a great job. So happy to sort of pick dog's brain, a little bit, have them on and see how they do things. And talk about some hot current Happy stuff. I don't know what 

Tabs, Fanatics out of them. But great haven't dug on and they do a great job and every culture break. So, with that being said, let's get this show started. 

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20 21 and you need onerous Football, 20, 20 21, Upper Deck. Skybox metal Universe hockey as they bring back an old favor, also on the a 20, 20 21, Upper Deck HL hockey. And on the 10th. We have 2021 Leaf signature football, glasses. That's it for this week. Hey everybody of your about collectible. It's the one stop shop, where any collector can buy and trade affordable shearson, some of the most rare and valuable sports cards and memorabilia in the world. Starting from just five dollars from 1952 Mickey. Mantle, PSA Tenzin Wilt Chamberlain's iconic with the uniform, 2101 pattern homes rpas where LeBron James Global Manson, everything in between Collectibles, creating never-before-seen, access and opportunities for investing in the hobby. Just download the app and sign. 

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You want answers. It's been a few weeks since we did one of the Newman rambling so that they send a question. I got this question for this. Week comes from gum stain cards and he has no I love your show and above actually, most of your shows. What is your goal with your shows? Well, let me read you a notes. Kappa dance, but they don't want to elaborate here. I came up with a mission statement for the show, but I'm going to read the mission statement and then speak further to my mission statement, says boards. Carnation podcast is committed to bringing you free hobby, kind of debt from News videos, information and conversations from great. Hobby, people to help you navigate through the ever-changing hobby, landscape and Aid. You in the 

And enjoyment of it. And that's for sure. What we try to do. We should be having fun, and enjoyment and hobby. I know money is an aspect of hobby. I don't shy away from that someone who sells cars and makes money myself. So I'm not going to be a hypocrite about that. But we're, you know, you know, whether it's making money or trade in or just acquiring new cards. That's the fun of the hobby. Not, you know, one of the goals of the show is just showing you different. Spectacles with the people and guess we have on. Young man who seven years old to one of my oldest guess is actually my dad. I talked about him in the open at 83 and you know and everywhere in between from CEOs to kid collectors, right? We're all obviously people we're all in this fraternity together, regardless of age, demographic, or financial status. And that's the beauty to hobby from any Walk of Life. You can enjoy. Join, the hobby, your way, in any way you choose, you control that narrative. And that's, that's an awesome thing. It's an awesome hobby. So that right there probably sums it up. But I also another thing I try to do especially on my social medias, maybe sometimes even on this show is just to show you things. I do outside to have the right and that card related whether that's you know, I post. 

Own videos for fly my drone family stuff trips. I take going to sporting events and that's important to. I want to illustrate that outside. The cards is important to. You know, I see, you know, a lot of content creators producing great content, but sometimes I feel like that really consumed like that's all you see, you know, and I try to show stuff. I do. Do besides cards, just to sort of highlight that no put them down. Sometimes it's okay to have conversations about life, that's not card related. And I think we need to do that. You know, I've mentioned on this very shoulders. Every, you know, every probably four or five weeks. I take pride a whole weekend when I don't do anything car. Roy. No recording. Know, picking up cards. No messing around. 

What cards in it's a good sort of decompress and nothing wrong with it? And if you need to take a break, I but as I've said on this show and how we quick, as many times, and other shows as a guest. If you need to step away for whatever, that amount of time is two days, two weeks, two years. That's up to you. I don't want you to leave. I'm not advocating leaving full-time, but if something, if you need to take a break to come back and really enjoy the hot. Of your reinvigorate yourself, then we got something wrong with that. I do it. And I've been doing this a long time. So nothing wrong with that. So I think that answers your question or gum State card says, is what my goal is. Show is to show different ways. Enjoy the hobby, highlight different people from Young Old from different levels of the hobby from CEO to collector and everywhere in between because we all are 

There is no Pension Plan here as I always say, whether you're in it, 30, 40, 50 years or you got in yesterday, right? There is no pension plan and share knowledge, sharing site and having a great time doing the show. Get a lot of feedback from people who enjoy, which is actually fuel to my fire. So I think that answers your question and then some it's a great question to prove. Thanks for Asking so, there you go. This sports card shot is your small town local card, shop with a global reach located in New Buffalo MI, Michigan. The shop is one of the most accessible in the midwest. In addition to being an authorized Panini direct dealer, the sports card shop, carries all major, trading card Brands, including cops Upper Deck, Pokemon Yu-Gi-Oh and more with all that new wax a half million singles and showcases full of great eCards. You're sure to find something great for your collection. 

Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned collector, the sports card shop is your One-Stop shop. So call us come see us or visit us on the web and social media. Our phone number is two six nine four, six nine zero, one four. Zero website is the sports card shop at Moko.com. The sports card shop is part of the Moko, Retail Group connecting Sports The Hobby and people around the world. 

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Shows and not sure when I went again. I got a little bit behind. So I got my price gun out, starting to price things. I'm hoping to get it all done by Show De, you know, if you listen to me, I have a pet peeve. I like to when I'm buying stuff. I like everything to be priced and I've always priced my stuff. So I'm hoping I get it off. But, you know, there might be a chance. I have some stuff out without a price tag. Liquor on it kind of going against the grain of what I usually do. But got to play some catch up. So hopefully we can get it done in time and you know have two tables and went out and got a fanny pack going to rock a fanny pack at the show. Just just kind of weird. Keep your your money. So it's on you and 

I know that's sort of the come back and stop. So I never wore one evil when they were in style the first time, but I'm going to do something. I've never done before and rock a fanny pack. At the show also will be buying at this show as well. So if you got some, some cards and you looking to sell, hit me up at the fairgrounds, that's it. The New York State fairgrounds in Syracuse that 

Sunday, September 12, addicted doors, open 9:30 to 3:30 or 4:00 o'clock. So small window, one day book, the kind of a traditional show. So hopefully see some of you there. Aaron Swartz guards is your number one source for all your PSA and other grading submissions, their Elite status improves, turnaround time, heck, they even provide the card savers for chat rooms provide updates on all your submissions. They also offer wax options and single cards to cover, all the bases. Check them out on Facebook, at iron sports cards group, or on the web at iron sports cards.com or even give them a call at one eight seven, seven, iro, en que ese Rob's got you covered. Pump to have my next guest on the sports card Nation. Doug Caskey for Mojo break.com breaks content. The store in Santa Clara. I probably left something out. Just the resume. Is that long too long? Have it in mind? That's on me while my fault. I'll take, I'll take the hit there. But as I always say better late than never Doug, welcome to sports donation. Hey, I'm happy to be on. I'm excited. That was a cool Intro by the way, man. Like I was watching a Terminator 5 or 6 or so, it's all downhill after that. I got, you know, you guys are, you know, you and Dad are really some of the old G's when it comes to break in. Now. It's there just so many. It's right to pull was full, you know, just talk about how that that John ra. If you will. I called a giant. Like, how would It's changed. I like you're in it from the infancy stages. And now this thing has just grown to to be a monster of Epic Proportions. Yeah, I think you hit it right on the head that the pool is full. And I think back in when the pool wasn't full. We were belly flopping. Into it to try to figure out a way to do this as a hobby at first. And then it turned into a business and you know, there was really not a path pay for us. It was a lot of trial and error, whether the internet went out because back then we didn't have five. 

Or we only were able to upload 10 minute videos. 

Time. Because that was YouTube's policy. So you do a break two hours and it's in, you know, six different videos and it takes 24 hours to upload on your slow modem. And then you've got people emailing you. So, you know, there's a lot of things to learn and Technologies, obviously, upgraded to say, all those things, a lot of this year. But, you know, a lot of trial and error that we kind of paved the way, you know, ourselves late and fire hand Chris Justus. I'm forgetting a lot. I know Michael Hodges, a lot of these guys. It's were around in 2010-2011. Really? And of learn from failures to kind of make it an experience of what we have came to the day. We had a few tried to name all the breakers. Today. I host would be this would be a six-hour show. We did conduct out and do other topics and their Bo and everybody what I mean. Obviously it's a everything blown up in the hobby. There's more podcasts. There's more whatever it is. There's more of it is there's good and bad. Obviously. It's a double-edged sword. It's not all good. I think people try to say it's all good. 

Are looking through it with rose-colored glasses. That's okay. It's nice to be positive. But I also like to be realistic. I know this is our third year myself podcasting, and I can tell you, I'm very real and honest and run week. When I started doing this, about three years ago. There was obviously a lot Leches podcast as well. And really at the time, it was only about four or five of us years, you guys as well, the fat pad. Bags and, you know, I don't want to leave anyone else out, but there was about four or five shows, and but one thing back then, like, it was, it seemed or commute. Everyone was friendly. And if you need any advice, you can want to know something about equipment, how we do something and it wasn't like someone talking down. It was somebody genuinely. Hey, I'm here for, you know, we need each other showing. It was a, it was a more of a community. I know. Now, with, again, the pool game. 

Audi, even in that aspect of the hobby. It's not the same. And I know there are some people that are still like that. I'm not, I don't want to paint everyone with a broad brush, but I think it's got more competitive. Some people might use the term. Cutthroat. There's maybe a little bit less comaraderie percentage-wise if you will across the board, is it like that and break in you feel like that that kind of describes breaking or not necessarily? No, not really well. Well, I mean it's like the with a new generation comes in and I can't kind of put us as the new guys met. And when I talk about breaking, you know, we were kind of the new guys when the shops that have been around for 20 and 30 years. And, you know, we got those looks those eyeballs and, hey, we don't really want to work with, you know, these Breakers. What are they doing? There was a breaking in their basement, you know, our why do they get product? And it was a lot of hesitation. And so, you know, probably two or three years ago, they kind of realized that hey, breaking is not a fad and I'm a shoplifter as well shop. 

His kind of warm embrace the segment. And now, we're kind of one big happy family. I mean, some of my best friends are now shop owners the what same ones that gave me the eyeball, you know, for five Summits ago. What do you do? You know, and I think we're getting a little bit of that with content creators and it might be the generation might be the age Gap, that we're getting some younger guys that are coming in younger guys. Younger gals that are coming in and they're producing content and you know, us guys that have been around for four, five years have a little different Outlook, the maybe when I think it's kind of trying to figure out how we're all going to mesh. Together. And I think we'll all wind up working together. Well again, yeah, again, maybe I overstated that. I think most folks are very cordial and friendly and they got a segment. That's an any hobby, any industry, that maybe not as much and that's just par for the course of, if you, if you will. So what I mean, I'd be lying if I said there isn't some you know enemies out there or some people that have said some things about us, but you know in the breaking in 

For the majority of us. I mean, I talked to Rich Layton like two times a week. We're figuring out pricing. What's the best food customers? You know, what's the best value? How do you get the product? Or, you know, this probably this outlet has this so, you know, we're all bouncing judge each ideas off each other knowing that we all grow at the end. Yeah, and I've said, you know, sticking on the breaking topic ice. I always say this. I've said it numerous times. I want to get your take as someone who died. She does. It breaking. I think really say, Saved the wax industry, whether you per taking breaks, you don't like breaks. You like break. I don't think that could be understated. I think it really saved some of the companies and same sort of the wax stuff. Well, you know, there was a point where not everything was selling in the vein. We know it today. It wasn't always like that and breaking sorta changed change that and it also made, you know, stuff, maybe more affordable. 

Someone can't buy a. 1200 1500 dollars, but now they can get in at a cheaper level. Maybe pull that hit that they can't. And even, and even in Locale, some people live in parts of the country where there's no LCS, has maybe four to three hundred miles, if not further and and breaking allows them to get some product and in where they wouldn't before, potentially? And I think there's just so many positives. To when I mean, would you here would you agree with that assessment? Yeah, I would say there's a hundred percent, a lot of positives to it. I mean there is some negatives too. But I mean I think specifically during the pandemic, you know, I think it really propelled and got a lot of you. Look at a lot of these guys that jumped on like the Josh lubbers and maybe even a little bit of the carry bees. And a lot of these content creators that are doing big numbers. Now, Pac-Man, and some of these, you know, bigger, bigger, content creators. They came around in the pandemic. So, you know, they were at home. 

To find, you know, ways, other Alternative forms of entertainment. And then they simple, the body had to find a video of a break, kind of the nature of the Ballgame. If there wasn't any of us on YouTube, they wouldn't have been able to say, hey. Wow, look at these cards, you know, I could go ahead and maybe I can do this. I can create this with my webcam for pellet to the younger generation. I mean the bad side of the hobby is the bad side of breaking. When we started in 2011. There was less of it mate. Granted. There was no high end. So you can also say that group breaking led to some of these high-end 

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Products. 2006 playoffs National Treasures, but made my play off and you would get like, you know, every case would have like a Barry Sanders or type layer where it would be a lot more value because they had they didn't make as much, right? So you can kind of look at the negative side of it, is it? It did allow companies to produce more products, but those signals are worth 10 fold a hundredfold in some instances, more than they were at the time. So it all kind of works out the ecosystem. And I mean, product, everything sells out very rare. Now that Product doesn't sell out whether it's, you know, a hobby retail, even the online exclusive stuff right at all at all cells. And I'm sure the card companies that are present. I'll say today are aesthetic about that aspect that really like you said. It's catapulted them in the even making higher end lines that maybe wouldn't have come into existence without you. 

He's doing it. It's some new said I didn't even think about that. It's like yet. It brings. It does ring true. And so ya kindly that. I see that side of the shop, you know my shop, you know cells maybe thousand dollar boxes. We very rarely have anybody that's going to come in and spend five, ten thousand just doesn't happen. And I'm in, I'm in Silicon Valley. There's guys that make, you know, $500,000 a year. They still can't justify buying that $5,000 box. So, what's it for its for group breaks, right? It's being able to buy a team or being able to buy a A random spot. So if there wasn't any group breaks and you probably wouldn't see these price points of these high-end products going to step aside for a quick and but we'll be right back with more from Doug after that. Sports card nation is back with Doug Caskey. Hey, if you're breaking you are creating content, your on-screen, but you guys, you guys do more than that. You take it up a notch, you do your regular shows and I'm you talk about the difficulty to do to run a business, plus a tour. It's not like you just break and you run a full-time LCS. I mean, that's the, you know, you got the LCS, you get the breaking aspect and the content creation. 

All together, talking about the difficulties as fun as it is, you know? Every, it's not as easy as I thought you guys make it look as well. Talk about some of the difficulties, and pratfalls of, and you guys have families as well. Wait. It's yeah, it's it's definitely hard to find a bag. The podcast is always an outlet to kind of pull back the curtain and show people because it's like, you know, when we're breaking, I feel like it's more of like a Performance aspect, you know, and we're performing. And I don't want to use the word fake but you know, you're into it, right? We're doing block cast for more or more, you know real. We pull back the curtain. I think it helps me being, you know, I do one thing I moved to the other thing, it helps with my day. But yeah, I mean the business can definitely get task task taxi when you're dealing with allocations when you're dealing with shipments, you know, I've grown numb to it over the years and as far as that's concerned because you know, there's so many emails of, you know, you're doing 

Going to deal with, you know, two to three to four thousand, customers on a weekly basis guarantee percentage of them, their five percent aren't be happy. So you got to deal with those, you know, you got to do your best, obviously customer service to make them happy. Some people there are their needs are unrealistic or they have conspiracy theories about, you know, people getting cards or something like that and they're not getting cards and their luck blah blah. So there's those things but you know, you kind of grow numb to that. But I think there's always never enough time in the day to To manage the store, get the brakes, get the content. I have 13 employees now, so, you know, trying to get them all doing what they need to do and monitoring them. So yeah, I when I used to work my 9 to 5, I would count down the hours. And now I'm like, I have no time. One thing. I appreciate to you guys to dance, you guys are very you give your team a lot of credit. Give them props. That's, that's refreshing. It's yeah. 

Great to hear, you know, sometimes sure they appreciate it as well to hear that. You always do hats off to them. And you know, I know you want your own hobby hotline, you're like in a pandemic firsthand and you're like we're behind but we got guys coming in and working and you know, or some can't. And we have to pick up the slack. And I mean, it's nice to see, you know, when you hear R. Someone give credit. I'm sure. Appreciate that too. It's easy to not do that. I think sometimes it's harder to do it for some people anyway, you know, toggle maybe a little bit about that and then houses. Yeah, for how the store actually came about and yet open that up as well. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I mean, definitely, during the pandemic was tough. We had to downsize and we paid all the employees to be it, you know, a home and safe while we figured it out because at the time we were in a 1,500 square, Foot location with eight of us. So it was hard to social distance at that time. So we cut it down to, you know, three people and I think I work like 80 or 90 hours during that like three month period and then we had just had so happened that we signed a lease for a 4,000 square foot building. So, it was 3,000 square feet warehouse and office area where we have our Studios, and then the thousand square feet the shop. So we moved into that. We hired some more people and then we, you know, what full on. 

Shop. And we made it a very modern shop. So, with very almost picture like an Apple store. So instead of having like, 15 boxes of each skew, we only have one and then the rest of its in the back. So, when you order it, we go grab it out of the back for you. So it's very open. It's not letting us clean, watery. Yeah, we've got the big screen, you know, the big hundred 50 inch screen that we have the fourth four screens combine that we have sports on and then we have all the upper deck memorabilia. So all the Jordan stuff LeBron stuff because they're the only ones that have Jordan LeBron. So we have like a one wall. It's kind of like a museum. Nobody really buys the stuff but it adds to the ambience of the shop and then we don't sell singles because it's just too hard to kind of manage that and we kind of want people kind of coming in and just ripping is our Focus. So we have like four or five tables that people can rip at watch the game, you know, and stuff like that. Kind of have like more of a chill environment. We even offer like people want to have fantasy football drafts for signing up people for that. So, yeah, we went with a more 

List shop experience our app ties into our point of sale system for our shop. So you can actually be at home and at midnight and say oh a motorbike has one left of elite football and that's what I want. So you can check out, make sure you reserve that box and then, you know, head to the shop. When it opens the next day, I pick it up when you guys are on top of things. I think you need to. I'm on the other side of the country. I think you need a Mojo brake East Coast. There you go. Ticking, honestly, I'm in Syracuse Doug and we have it's a long story. We have one store. Not very good, you know, there's reasons for that, but I'll save that for Rainier day. Yeah, you know, but yeah well because people saw and I forgot to add it, I don't mean to cut you off but is that you know, our prices are lower than like most your online retailers to so and we ship around the world. So even if you want 

Syracuse to to about two to three day three day shift as we ship, you know every day. So you order it. It's going to get it's going to arrive to your doorstep in two or three days and and my team puts that together. I don't do all that, you know, like you said, so I've got a great friend who runs the shop and he and he's got all that on lockdown and he's got it all great, a great for the customers. Yeah. Well we got to talk about it. It's the story that had a rock to hobby. Now, does he say? That's it's one of those I joke with you before. We actually Started recording. It's one of those hobby stories. You'll say to someone else. Hey, what were you doing? Or where were you when you when you got two tops news Fanatics lose and for me came across by phone at the read it, two, three, four times to the really let it sink in, you know, starting as a seven-year-old with in 1979 Topps baseball pack. I mean, it's just always been synonymous with with baseball, especially the kind of, you know, we get set in our way. 

He's right. We think that's just the way it's always going to be. It has right? It's you know, it's Oreos and milk and you know popcorn at the movies, it just goes hand in hand. And then. So when this happens, I mean it shocked a lot of people, I mean Twitter, I think broke and just social media in general and, you know, just crazy and then, you know, obviously yeah, you take a deep breath and you really start to look. Cat. This a bigger cake for what? And I was stories, gotten bigger as they've gained the their foot in the door with basketball now was well and rumored footballs the next shoe to drop and, you know, I think, you know, when you're in the hobby long time, like we, I think sometimes we're human nature, right? We're scared of change and it can be scary. But they're also to be some good things that come about until we got to kind of go in with an open. Open minds up, your thoughts. I mean this This is, I mean, this is a, let's be real. This affects you, that's the important. It affects me quite frankly. I'm real interested to get your perspective, what, you know, what you thought when you initially, when you heard your news have heavy, sort of change, kind of your assessment, from initial to where you are today. Kind of your thoughts, as a someone in business, it would cards. And that's, that's what it is. You know, what? Say you when 

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Is here. Mojo. Brake.com powered by Fanatics. Now, I'm kidding. But you know there I'm sure something like that's coming. Not with us. I think they're trying to buy that 7-Eleven down the street. Here to there. No, I mean, I mean, my first initial reaction because I built relationships with a lot of the guys that still work at tops. I mean, one of the great things about these companies is that these guys, that, like these guys, that work in, these companies are like lifers. They've been at other card companies. They love the hobby just as much as we do. And so, My initial thought was like worrying about them because I know a lot of these guys for over 10 years now and I worry about their family. Hopefully, they'll be able to keep their job. Whether it be with tops or maybe they work a Fanatics or another card company. So that was my initial thought. You know, I still been trying to digest everything. I mean, I don't know how the distribution is going to happen with Fanatics. I do. We obviously don't know if they're going to buy out tops. It would be seem silly if tops couldn't make tops cards to not sell the Fanatics to get that branding on. 

But it is. It's like it's you know, it's Americana. It's like Coca-Cola. You're not going to see Coca-Cola go away. You know, it's like the things that we that our grandfathers and our and our fathers that deal. We talked about and they put in their bicycle spokes or whatever. They wish they still had their 52 Mantle's. I mean, it's like the story. It's just deep rooted in our in our in our society and that and that's the the part that you just. You don't know if it's going to happen and that's like the most Discerning part of it all along with the employees is, you know, what's going to happen to that name in? Or six years from now. But it also goes to show that, you know, the positive side. Is it our hobby is gotten to the point where I hate to use the word Nate mainstream, but that's kind of what it is. It's like we were in a local band and we were playing like, you know little clubs and then you know now like with this big Brandon, bought the company. It's like doing Stadium tours. Now it's going to it's going mainstream. I mean this company could bring this hobby mainstream more than it already is now I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Right? I don't it could be really good and clean, really. 

Toby, both to be both to those two sides of the coin. So another quick break, but we'll be right back. 

We are back with Doug Caskey from Mojo break. Yeah, it's it's, it's crazy. It's funny, hearing you. Say that Doug because, you know, I might be a little soft in my old age to one of the first things that popped in my mind. After really looking at is like less less, something about like you said, I mean, there's everything right. We're talking about is all speculation. I mean, all scenarios. Nothing's been announced. It's too early. I think even in the process for it to happen. 

You know, I think we I think from a selfish point of view, from a Sentimental point of view. We still want to see those five letters and sports cards and even more. So maybe baseball cards. We don't want that to go away. If we, if it takes Fanatics, buying the brand of cops or sublease in it, or I don't know, all the parameters, the league. But I it's be sad to think of a sports card world where we stop seeing tops logo. On cardboard and chrome. And I hope that doesn't come to fruition, but like you the one of the first things I thought about is, if they don't, they don't buy this Grandeur. They know keep this Legacy already live. There are going to be the human element of this thing, you know, we are a lot of people just think about the cards there, but there's, there's people behind, like you said, people behind those cards that make that magic happen. That, like you said, care about the hobby. 

Is there their passion and so I thought you know, nothing changes and cops goes away. Beneath me goes away. People are going to lose their job. That's that's what happens. When these things is that this happens. This doesn't just happen in the sports car. Brabus happens and other business and other and uh, niches and so, I thought that too. I'm like, I hope people don't lose their livelihood and if they do obviously, hope they land on their feet. Even if it's we have the new polo shirt with a new company, I go over there on it, you know and it's a human element. I don't root against people. I root for people at least I tried to for the most part till they give me a reason, right, you know, so you hope this all works out for everybody for the best, you know, I might be a little wishful thinking in there as well. I mean, if your Fanatics again, I'll play armchairs. 

Yo of phonetics, I mean you got that, you know. Kind of like brand that you probably have some, let's be real. You probably have some leverage on truth. Be told, maybe it can work out some sort of deal to use that. I think, I think you're sort of be a hero. I think you're more of a hero, the hobby. If you keep that tub brand alive, then if you just say nah, they can go away. We got this. I think you're, when I think you'll win more Hearts. How be hard so to speak, if you, if you did. The former rather than the latter. But again, I'm not, I'm not making that call. You're not making that call. Everything's all speculative. We can, we can probably do attend our show but all sorts of different scenarios. I mean, from from your perspective, with the store, the breaking like, you know, what, what are you thinking about? Like, how do you think this affects what you do again? All speculation, all early in the process, but I mean 

Yeah, I think the one thing I can kind of almost guarantees that more product is going to be sold, on phonetics.com, than top sold products. I cuz they just have the distribution. They already, they already have distribution chains, all over United States. So, you know, whether they make more products, counterbalance that I don't know. You know, my question is are they going to be able to like if they make definitive or if they make National Treasures? Are they going to be able to self you know, 10,000 boxes at $15,000 or whatever? You know, high-end product sells for, I don't feel like that's a easy way to distribute. You know, I feel like maybe the 100 to $200 price point to the 100 and under, they could go ahead and pump that stuff out through Fanatics.com or for that explores and do they own some lids, and I think they own lives, and they have a bunch of those stores to. I mean, if they want to make, like, whatever they're calling it, whether it be Fanatics, one, or tops, one. I mean, that's one that could probably run the presses on, and then really distribute faster. The tops can't even imagine. But, you know, it's, you know, I think the ones that are 

Are really up in the air or the distributor's those Fanatics want, you know, if they make, you know, if there, if there are cost of a certain product line is 10 million dollars and they have a company that's willing to take five million dollars of that product, you know, with one check. I mean, that sounds pretty enticing to me. You know that. Hey, this is this company's gonna give me five million dollars and I got to sell the rest online. So I still feel like they could build a relationship with Distributors, but, you know, it just depends on what kind of business model, they're going to go after. Yeah, I'll say I think you kind of touched on it up before a little more direct. If I'm a distributor in this, in this hobby. This industry be a little nervous right now, especially as each Domino topples, with my football rumored to be next to go. And no, this is this is actually phonetics. Forte is the distribution. That's what Brando for. I'm not saying they're perfect at it, but they are experienced at 

I just see them sort of trying to cut out the middleman. I don't know that it's just putting on sort of our guesstimation hats and kind of predicting what we think they're going to do. And I think that's, you know, if I had to predict what kind of model they run. I think like you said, I think that's true. It it go. And, you know, I've had and another point that I didn't remember about their distribution is the fact that they're the only ones that are allowed to sell on Amazon. So, think about that. So they if they wanted to double their production, they sent half of it to Amazon as well. Right? So this, I as it, I cannot sell tops product for any baseball product on Amazon at the moment until I believe it's like 90 days old. So they already have that place that if they're going to go ahead and sell half the product, they can give some of Amazon. So but once again, I think it's only going to be for that lower end item. I just don't see them being able to distribute the three thousand five thousand dollar boxes or even maybe like the museum collection box. That's the event. 

Seems like it would be difficult. Yeah, maybe, you know, like you meant, they do own Lids. Are we going to see? Lid stores are generally pretty small, right? Even expand them to have some cards on the Shelf. Are they going to choose this? A Fanatics doesn't open their own LCS has, right? And, you know, and just sell their own Wares and it's just there's so many unknowns in different directions. The story can can take and It's going to be it's going to be real interesting to see how this, how this develops. And again, you know, being old-school. I'm hoping we still see some tops logos and sports cards. Anyway, absolutely in 2025. And you know, I'm whether that's being the old man. I think I think the Hobby in general feels the same