A lively hobby argument about what gives a card value.
The episode starts with Masters talk and a few family updates, then moves into a guest segment with Matt Sposta, founder of Trove and CEO of check.ai.
The Sports Card CEO Podcast
Eric Mandelkern, Gary "Bubba" Wilson, Matt Ham (Host)
93 episodes listed below
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Baseball-card conviction, clubhouse-style.
The gist
The Sports Card CEO Podcast is a sports-card talk show built around baseball, prospecting, and the weekly emotions of collecting. Its conversations move from family updates and card-show chatter into pointed buy, sell, and hold arguments about players, markets, hype, and long-term value.
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About The Sports Card CEO Podcast
The Sports Card CEO Podcast is a sports-card conversation show with baseball at the center and the hobby always within reach. It is loose by design. Episodes may begin with health updates, family schedules, spring break jokes, early-morning coffee, Georgia pollen, or a shirt that somehow becomes a Masters detour. Then the panel works its way into cards. Kern, Bubba, and Ham talk like collectors who have real money, real memories, and real ego tied up in their calls. That gives the show its useful tension. It can be sentimental about Griffey, Bonds, Frank Thomas, Mickey Mantle, and Michael Jordan, then turn around and scrutinize population counts, comps, prospect timing, and whether a market is sustainable. Recent episodes lean into the start of baseball season, Opening Day prep, spring training buzz, and the chase for the next major prospect. The show is especially comfortable arguing about players before consensus arrives. Connor Griffin, Evan Carter, Cal Raleigh, Adley, Ethan Salas, Patrick Daly, and Aaron Judge come up as part of a larger conversation about performance, hype, position bias, and collector appetite. It also understands that the hobby runs on stories. A debate around Dana White, pedigree, and one-off card value becomes a bigger question about clout, narrative, and false markets. Guest episodes stretch the frame. Mat Sposta brings collectibles technology and future-market thinking. Brandon Steiner brings memorabilia, business, and the idea that cards help preserve the path behind a player, not just the finished star. The show’s best fit is not someone looking for sterile price charts. It is for collectors who want opinion, banter, practical selling talk, and the emotional logic that makes people keep chasing cardboard.
Made for: Best for sports-card collectors, baseball prospect watchers, eBay or Whatnot sellers, and hobby investors who enjoy opinionated market talk with personal stories attached.
What sets it apart: It blends collector-insider analysis with a familiar panel rhythm, so pricing debates, prospect calls, and memorabilia stories land as lived hobby arguments rather than polished market reports.
In their own words
The Sports Card CEO Podcast is your ultimate destination for everything sports cards! Whether you're a seasoned collector, an investor seeking market insights, or just starting your journey in the hobby, we've got you covered. Each episode, we’ll explore the ins and outs of the sports card world, offering expert tips, insider strategies, and captivating stories from industry pros. From grading and authentication to flipping tactics and long-term investment advice, we’ll equip you with the knowledge you need to succeed in this exciting space.
As heard by us
Based on 5 episodes we listened to · September 2026
It connects baseball evaluation with card prices, collector behavior, and the practical judgment behind buying, holding, or selling.
Kern, Bubba, and Ham treat sports cards as a market whose prices make more sense when baseball knowledge and collector psychology share the frame.
Why you'd press play
Baseball prospects meet card comps, turning your spring-training curiosity into a miniature trading desk.
Press play if you want
- your next prospect watchlist built from player performance, hobby stigma, and the prices collectors are actually paying
- a spirited argument over hype, provenance, and whether celebrity ownership can bend a card market without remaking it
baseball card prospectingOpening Day and spring training hypeBowman market compsbuy, sell, and hold decisionscatcher card valuescelebrity-owned card premiumsmemorabilia and momentscollector community feedback
Talks about
Best episodes of The Sports Card CEO Podcast
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A casual sports card conversation that settles into a solid case for why collectibles still matter.
Brandon Steiner makes a straightforward case for why collectibles still have a place. He ties cards and memorabilia to a player's path in a way that feels concrete, and his point about giving kids a real sense of who a player is lands cleanly.
A loose prospect debate that turns catcher cards into a real market argument.
The episode starts with spring training, prospects, and pricing, then settles into the Sports Card CEO future top 20. It stays focused on who the next baseball card name is and how the hobby prices that bet through market logic, position value, hype, and performance.
A return episode that turns spring training buzz into a lively baseball card discussion.
Eric Mamlokern's return gives the SportsCard CEO episode its best spark, and the conversation moves from spring training buzz into the bigger questions around who is next and why certain names are starting to pop.
Spring-training redemption talk that turns prospect hope into practical collector strategy.
The SportsCard CEO episode keeps its focus on redemption, with spring training talk and prospect buzz giving the conversation a timely edge. Ham and Bubba keep coming back to Zach Bean and Emmanuel Rodriguez, and that turns the discussion toward the familiar collector question…
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Episodes
- 1
Episode 49, S2: What's Next for Season 3 | Business, Family, and Personal Growth
Sep 30, 2026·32m - 2
Episode 48, S2: Pete Crowe-Armstrong 1/1 MLB Debut Patch Autograph Auction | Ham House Special
Sep 23, 2026·28m - 3
Episode 47, S2: Big Matt x Little Matt Special | Finding Value in Cards
Sep 16, 2026·48m - 4
Episode 46, S2: Building & Managing Multiple Businesses | Special Guest Adam Myara
Sep 9, 2026·54m - 5
Episode 45, S2: Inside Jamison Long’s Card Shop Empire | Deals, Relationships & Mr. Wonderful
Sep 2, 2026·1h - 6
Episode 44, S2: Big Matt x Little Matt | Market Trends, Manipulation & Repackers
Aug 26, 2026·37m - 7
Episode 43, S2: Learning From Your Losses | Tips to Avoid Losing Money in Sports Cards
Aug 19, 2026·1h 3m - 8
Episode 42, S2: Bubba and Ham Reflecting on the Summer Reset and Reapproaching the Card Market
Aug 12, 2026·59m - 9
Episode 41, S2: Official Post-2026 National Recap | Big Matt & Little Matt Takeover
Aug 5, 2026·50m - 10
Episode 40, S2: Inside the 2026 National Sports Collectors Convention | LIVE from Chicago
Jul 30, 2026·22m - 11
Episode 39, S2: Fanatics Fest Recap NYC 2026 | Market Trends and Celebrity Encounters
Jul 22, 2026·51m - 12
Episode 38, S2: Brandon Steiner Exclusive Interview | CEO Mentality & Entrepreneur Tips
Jul 15, 2026·46m - 13
Episode 37, S2: The Prospect Playbook | Buy Before The Hype
Jul 8, 2026·50m - 14
Episode 36, S2: Ham House Catch Up | Pivot & Embrace Change in the Hobby
Jul 1, 2026·34m - 15
Episode 35, S2: Navigating the Summer Lull in Baseball
Jun 24, 2026·41m - 16
Episode 34, S2: Big Matt x Little Matt Special | 15-Year-Old Builds A Million Dollar Card Business
Jun 18, 2026·39m - 17
Episode 33, S2: Navigating Hobby Challenges | The State of Grading and Market Trends
Jun 10, 2026·36m - 18
Episode 32, S2: A Deep Dive with Brent Weyer | Sports Cards, Client Strategies, and Hobby Mindset
Jun 3, 2026·1h 5m - 19
Episode 31, S2: Stay in Your Lane | The High Stakes of Card Collecting
May 27, 2026·44m - 20
Episode 30, S2: Fatigue in the Hobby | Cards, Grading & Prospect Value
May 20, 2026·51m - 21
Episode 29, S2: 2026 Bowman Release Breakdown | Special Guest Aram Leighton of Just Baseball
May 13, 2026·43m - 22
Episode 28, S2: Emerging Stars in the MLB | Player Performance and Market Value in Sports Cards
May 6, 2026·59m - 23
Episode 27, S2: How Scarcity & Hype Drive Card Values | Prospecting and Market Trends
Apr 29, 2026·58m - 24
Episode 26, S2: Navigate the Stagnant Sports Card Market | How To Identify Opportunities
Apr 22, 2026·59m - 25
Episode 25, S2: Special Guest Mat Sposta, CEO of CHCK.AI & Trove | The Future of Collectibles
Hidden gemThe episode opens with the hosts joking about Masters gear, Tiger Woods, and the familiar ritual of watching the tournament every spring.
Apr 15, 2026·59m·4 clips - 26
Episode 24, S2: The Boys Are Back | Kern Returns to Break Down the MLB & Card Market
The hosts reunite for a nostalgic episode to discuss Major League Baseball and the sports card market.
Apr 8, 2026·53m - 27
Episode 23, S2: MLB Season Kickoff Special | Who’s Hot & Who’s Not
This episode is a kickoff special for the first week of the MLB season, discussing hot topics like Evan Carter's performance and Mike Trout's home run, while sharing personal morning routine anecdotes.
Apr 1, 2026·49m - 28
Episode 22, S2: Spring Awakening | Opening Day 2026 & The Arrival of Baseball Season
The hosts discuss the arrival of spring and baseball season, including opening day preparations and personal updates.
Mar 25, 2026·1h 2m - 29
Episode 21, S2: Opening Day Prep | Baseball Card Strategy, Market Trends & Selling Tips
This episode of SportsCard CEO features a roundtable discussion on baseball card strategy, market trends, and selling tips for collectors and sellers.
Mar 18, 2026·49m - 30
Episode 20, S2: Special Guest Brandon Steiner | CEO of CollectibleXchange & Serial Entrepreneur
Hidden gemBubba and Ham open with their usual roundtable energy and a personal check-in before bringing on Brandon Steiner.
Mar 11, 2026·1h·4 clips - 31
Episode 19, S2: Part Two | Spring Training, The CEO's Future Top 20 Prospects
Hidden gemThe crew doubles up for a spring-training-heavy prospect chat.
Mar 6, 2026·55m·3 clips - 32
Episode 18, S2: Part One | Spring Training Preview & Hype | Kern Returns
Hidden gemKern is back, and the room gets lively right away.
Mar 4, 2026·35m·2 clips - 33
Episode 17, S2: The Season of Redemption: Inspiring Stories of Athletes & Collectors
Hidden gemHam and Bubba open with their weekly catch-up and a jolt of spring-training energy.
Feb 25, 2026·44m·3 clips - 34
Episode 16, S2: Special Guest Brent Weyer | Inside a Top Collector’s Investment Strategy
Sports Card CEO hosts Ham and Bubba bring on Brent Weyer, the "deep value investor" on Instagram who sold them a Trea Turner orange in 2023, to explain his investment approach.
Feb 18, 2026·1h 21m·2 clips - 35
Episode 15, S2: Stepping into Season | Performance vs. Prospecting in Card Collecting
Ham says his Trey Turner orange, bought for $4,200 after the World Baseball Classic, sold for $2,200 when Turner struggled for the Phillies, which he calls his biggest card loss.
Feb 11, 2026·58m·2 clips - 36
Episode 14, S2: The Business of Sports Cards | Nuggets for Success In The Next 60 Days
Feb 4, 2026·52m - 37
Episode 13, S2: Special Guest Nick Tucker | Investment Trends in Sports Cards
Jan 28, 2026·56m - 38
Episode 12, S2: Future Value vs. Current Value | The Sports Card Market ft. Little Matt
This episode discusses the sports card market, focusing on the balance between future and current value, featuring insights from industry experts.
Jan 21, 2026·1h 4m - 39
Episode 11, S2: 2025 Bowman Draft Release | Rapid Fire: Evaluating Prospects
Jan 14, 2026·1h 18m - 40
Episode 10, S2: Special Guest Aram Leighton | Unlocking Off-season Opportunities in Sports Cards
Jan 7, 2026·1h 23m - 41
Episode 9, Season 2: New Year's Special: Market Evaluation & Predicting Future Card Values
Dec 31, 2025·55m - 42
Episode 8, Season 2: Special Guest | Welcoming Joe Christoforo: A Collector's Journey
Dec 24, 2025·44m - 43
Episode 7, S2: The Rise of Debut Patches | Raw vs. Graded, Collecting & Off-Season Strategies
This episode discusses the polarization of sports card collectors, debut patches, graded vs.
Dec 17, 2025·53m - 44
Episode 6, Season 2: Marketing Your Collection | The Importance of Personal Branding
Dec 10, 2025·1h 4m - 45
Episode 5, Season 2: Baseball Market Analysis | Special Guest Zach Polen of PC Sports Cards
Dec 3, 2025·54m - 46
Episode 4, Season 2: The Grind Behind the Glory | Integrity in Card Deals & Issues with Grading
The hosts of Sports Card CEO discuss Thanksgiving traditions and family dynamics while setting up an episode focused on sports card collecting.
Nov 26, 2025·59m - 47
Episode 3, Season 2: Inside the Life of Matthew Ham — Faith, Family, Business & Cards
Nov 19, 2025·59m - 48
Episode 2, Season 2: Getting To Know Gary "Bubba" Wilson | Family, Entrepreneurship, Card Collecting
Nov 12, 2025·1h - 49
Episode 1, Season 2: Getting To Know Eric Mandelkern | Welcome Back & Giveaway Winner Announcement
Nov 5, 2025·50m - 50
Episode 44: Wrapping Up Season One | The Hobby, The Highs, and What’s Next
Oct 22, 2025·45m - 51
Episode 43: Topps Three Kings | The CEO's Response | Protecting the Hobby's Core Message & Values
Oct 15, 2025·47m - 52
Episode 42: Special Guest | The One and Only Mike Trout
Oct 8, 2025·54m - 53
Episode 41: MLB Playoff Predictions | Key Players in the Playoffs
Oct 1, 2025·56m - 54
Episode 40: 2025 Bowman Chrome Special Release Edition | Aram Leighton, Co-Founder Just Baseball
Sep 24, 2025·58m - 55
Episode 39: Special Guest Jac Caglianone | MLB's Top Player & Card Collector
Sep 17, 2025·56m - 56
Episode 38: Navigating the Shift of the Sports Card Market
Sep 10, 2025·48m - 57
Episode 37: Special Guest Konnor Griffin | MLB's #1 Prospect
Sep 3, 2025·47m - 58
Episode 36: The State of the Card Market | Insights, Trends, Transactions
Aug 27, 2025·40m - 59
Episode 35: Gains and Losses | A New Investment Challenge, The Road to 100K
Aug 20, 2025·1h 2m - 60
Episode 34: Inside the Mind of Special Guest Rhett Lowder
Aug 13, 2025·1h 6m - 61
Special Episode 33: The Sports Card CEO After Hours | 1K GIVEAWAY | Rapid Fire Q&A
Aug 8, 2025·48m - 62
Episode 32: Post National Recap & Player Predictions
Aug 6, 2025·1h - 63
Episode 31: Navigating The National | Strategies and Expectations
Jul 30, 2025·45m - 64
Episode 30: The Silent Assassin | Nic Tucker's Card Journey
Jul 23, 2025·47m - 65
Episode 29: LIVE PODCAST | Special Guest MIKE MAHAN, CEO of Fanatics Collectibles
Jul 16, 2025·44m - 66
Episode 28: Extended Bidding | Updates and Navigating the Sports Card Market
Jul 9, 2025·1h 4m - 67
Episode 27: Special Guest Aram Leighton | Prospecting Pitchers, Risks and Rewards
Jul 2, 2025·1h 5m - 68
SPECIAL Episode 26: Ham House Takes Fanatics Fest NYC | Recap & Review
This episode recaps Fanatics Fest NYC with hosts and guests sharing their experiences, including humorous observations about New York City and praise for the Javits Center venue.
Jun 26, 2025·33m - 69
Episode 25: Special Guest Travis Sykora | From Prospect to Card Collector
Jun 25, 2025·39m - 70
Epsiode 24: Leveraging Social Media For Card Collecting | Becoming Your Own Sports Card CEO
Jun 18, 2025·47m - 71
Episode 23: The Importance of Entry and Exit Strategies | Baseball Card Collecting
Jun 11, 2025·50m - 72
Episode 22: Understanding Card Market Dynamics
Jun 4, 2025·48m - 73
Episode 21: You Have To Lose To Learn | Lessons On Buying and Selling Cards
May 28, 2025·54m - 74
Episode 20: The Best of Breakers | Special Guest Jared Bleznick, Owner of Blez Sports Cards
May 21, 2025·1h 14m - 75
Episode 19: Post 2025 Bowman Release | Honest Review
May 14, 2025·54m - 76
Episode 18: 2025 Bowman Preview | Special Guest Aram Leighton, Co-Founder of Just Baseball
May 7, 2025·1h 3m - 77
Episode 17: Milestones, More Cards, and Mike Trout
Apr 30, 2025·42m - 78
Episode 16: Catching Up on Life and Cards
Apr 23, 2025·43m - 79
Episode 15: Special Guest Michael Maher | Filth Bomb Breaks
Apr 16, 2025·1h 2m - 80
Episode 14: Special Guest Aram Leighton | Rapid Fire: Prospects and Potential
Apr 9, 2025·1h 2m - 81
Episode 13: Special Guest Tom Trudeau | Scout the Statline
Apr 2, 2025·42m - 82
Episode 12: Mailbox Mailbag Special
Mar 26, 2025·1h 4m - 83
Episode 11: The Art of Negotiation in Card Deals
Mar 19, 2025·33m - 84
Episode 10: Special Guest Kevin Lenane | VP of Fanatics Collect
Mar 12, 2025·50m - 85
Episode 9: Baseball is Back | Notable Players in Spring Training
Mar 5, 2025·42m - 86
Episode 8: Baseball Special Preview | Player Evaluations
Feb 28, 2025·1h 19m - 87
Episode 7: Insights from a Card Grading Expert | High End Case Breaks
Feb 26, 2025·1h 14m - 88
Episode 6: Market Trends & Tips | PC Sports Cards
Feb 19, 2025·45m - 89
Episode 5: Evan Carter | Rookie to Rising Star
Feb 12, 2025·36m - 90
Epsiode 4: The Importance of Kids in the Hobby
Feb 5, 2025·47m - 91
Episode 3: Baseball America Top 100 | Prospects and Predictions
Jan 31, 2025·1h 9m - 92
Episode 2: Becoming Your Own Sports Card CEO
Jan 31, 2025·46m - 93
Episode 1: Welcome to The Sports Card CEO Podcast – Our Journey in the Hobby
Jan 30, 2025·29m