
Over the weekend, Seneca high school turned from a Magnet academy into a bustling sports memorabilia show in a monthly event put on by Middletown’s East End Sports Cards. Vendors from across the region came to sell their wares of sports cards, jerseys, books, and autographed everything, right down to a piece of floor signed by Celtic legend, Larry Bird.
The show, which is a monthly outing for sports memorabilia enthusiasts, marked the first time the event spanned two days – going from Saturday to Sunday. Discussion didn’t slow in the booths either as vendors spoke with customers about their own collections and, of course, sports. The Superbowl was still a buzz around the gym, as was the basketball season for both college and pro teams.
I even heard some discussion about trading cards featuring the New Kids on the Block. I don’t know if you remember those guys but if you don’t – and even if you do – I’m not sure you need any cards featuring the cutest one. But, I digress. Along with sales came information about some of the newest products being put out by Topps, Score, and the like. Talk even included the local sports memorabilia market that’s growing as of late, as college and professional sports increase their fan bases.
Many of the vendors seemed to note that it’s these kinds of shows that allow local enthusiasts to interact directly with an audience that has been on the rise. Notably, with football merchandise as the NFL is, according to their own books, reaching a height in popularity. Due to fantasy football, standout stars, and varying other factors, one need look no further than the show to see that maybe NFL commissioner Roger Goodell might be right. After all, Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Colts quarterback Peyton Manning seemed to be the face of many of the booths. For anybody interested, you can check out information about future shows at eastendsportscards.com, where they also post information about the shop, and local vendors.