Show Notes
This week, Ben is joined by the father-and-son team behind CLA Cards to talk about how a paper round, a few small card purchases, and a love for the NFL grew into their card business. They talk through the early days of collecting, learning how to buy and trade at shows, and what they look for when deciding whether a card is worth picking up. They also get into what makes unusual cards stand out, selling online versus in person, dealing with repackers, and all the work that goes on behind the scenes to keep inventory organized and ready for shows. They share how they prepared for their first time vending at the biggest card show in the US, what they’re hoping to trade for, and some of the cards they’re taking with them. Later, they discuss the growth of the UK NFL hobby, overrated players and sets, favorite cards, deals they wish they could take back, grading a Tom Brady rookie auto, and what could be next for CLA Cards as they look towards more international shows and growing their online presence. Drop a like, subscribe if you’re new, and let us know what card you’d be hunting for at The National! ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00:00 — Meet CLA Cards 00:06:00 — From Collecting to Vending 00:13:30 — Selling Online vs In Person 00:18:00 — Learning From Bad Buys 00:22:10 — Preparing for The National 00:30:10 — Repacks and Moving Inventory 00:36:25 — The Growth of the UK NFL Hobby 00:42:20 — Card Sets and Player Markets 00:52:20 — Managing Inventory 00:55:10 — Advice for New Collectors 01:02:00 — The Future of CLA Cards 01:09:55 — Grading a Tom Brady Rookie Auto
📱 Follow us on Instagram: @3rddownuk
More from 3rd Down Pulled
This week, Ben is joined by Luke from The Hobby Box, to talk about his journey from breaking cards in the UK to building The Hobby Box and helping create the International Pavilion at The National.
EP 14 (3rd Down Pulled)
This week, Ben is joined by Harry, CEO of the London Card Show, for a behind-the-scenes look at how the event became one of the biggest card shows in Europe. Harry talks about returning to the hobby during Covid, recognizing the potential of the UK card scene, and growing the show from a small gathering into a major event at Excel London. He shares the challenges that came with each stage of that growth, the pressure of organizing an event on such a large scale, and the moments that made it all worthwhile. Ben and Harry also discuss the team behind the London Card Show, working with vendors and sponsors, supporting UK content creators, and launching dedicated events for TCG and sports cards. Later, Harry shares his thoughts on Fanatics Fest, the National, bringing companies such as PSA and Goldin to the UK, and what the future could look like for the hobby. Drop a like, subscribe if you’re new, and let us know which card show you’d love to attend!
Welcome back to another episode of 3rd Down Pulled! This week, Ben is back after a busy run of card shows, he’s Joined by Craig from Diamondback starting with a full recap of Scotland and the nonstop growth of the UK card scene. They talk through the show atmosphere, what collectors were looking for, why card protection still matters, and how the market feels right now across sports cards, TCG, and Pokémon.
Welcome back to another episode of 3rd Down Pulled! This week, Ben is sitting down with Craig from Diamondback to tackle the elephant in the hobby: repacks. As a UK card shop, we know the breaking scene can sometimes feel like the Wild West. Craig gives us a refreshingly candid look behind the curtain of high-end NFL card breaking, navigating Whatnot’s strict revenue thresholds, and what it actually takes to build a fully audited repack brand that collectors can trust. We also get into the massive news of Topps making its long-awaited return to NFL trading cards—including the reality of their retail rollout—and what that means for Panini and the everyday collector. Plus, we vent about the current state of UK PSA middleman delays, the realities of running eBay Live streams, and, as always, take the mick out of Jack. What we cover in this episode: The Repack Reality: Craig’s honest take on the Whatnot scene, avoiding scammers, and building Diamondback.