WEBVTT 00:00:00.300 --> 00:00:03.379 Last week I was doom -scrolling hobby Instagram, 00:00:03.640 --> 00:00:07.000 as one does, when I came across a story from 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:11.900 Alyx Effron, the man behind Collectors MD. You 00:00:11.900 --> 00:00:14.939 might be familiar with Collectors MD. It's the 00:00:14.939 --> 00:00:17.660 organization founded by Alyx to help people in 00:00:17.660 --> 00:00:20.160 the hobby who struggle with gambling addiction 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:24.519 and addictive behavior. The story Alyx shared 00:00:24.519 --> 00:00:28.320 was flabbergasting. It was so stunning I almost 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:31.829 didn't believe it was real. It was a marketing 00:00:31.829 --> 00:00:35.969 campaign for Arena Club, the sports card and 00:00:35.969 --> 00:00:41.030 repacking company owned by Brian Lee. Last Arch, 00:00:41.149 --> 00:00:44.149 Lee told Sports Illustrated that Arena Club was 00:00:44.149 --> 00:00:49.929 built on, quote, technology, innovation, and 00:00:49.929 --> 00:00:54.770 transparency. Let's let that final word, transparency, 00:00:55.250 --> 00:01:01.340 hang in the air for a few seconds. One of Arena 00:01:01.340 --> 00:01:04.140 Club's most interesting and marketed products 00:01:04.140 --> 00:01:08.659 are called slab packs. I would describe Arena 00:01:08.659 --> 00:01:13.540 Club slab packs as above -board repacks. Arena 00:01:13.540 --> 00:01:16.920 Club is transparent about what is in the packs. 00:01:17.620 --> 00:01:21.700 Odds, inventory, everything repacks should be. 00:01:22.340 --> 00:01:25.319 And I wish all repackers would be as diligent 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:28.920 and meticulous in their disclosures as Arena 00:01:28.920 --> 00:01:34.400 Club. Repacks are, in my opinion, also a form 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:38.159 of unregulated gambling. But if you want to be 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:41.200 kind, one might call them gambling adjacent. 00:01:42.500 --> 00:01:45.840 When Alyx Effron looks at repacks, he sees organizations 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:49.420 treating sports cards the way states treat lotteries 00:01:49.420 --> 00:01:53.659 and casinos treat roulette wheels. Last month, 00:01:53.719 --> 00:01:56.319 Arena Club even entered into a formal partnership 00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:00.310 with Yahoo Fantasy Sports. Fantasy sports, for 00:02:00.310 --> 00:02:03.769 many, is another form of gambling. And yes, full 00:02:03.769 --> 00:02:06.829 disclosure, I began playing fantasy sports in 00:02:06.829 --> 00:02:11.629 the 1990s and never stopped. I'm also older than 00:02:11.629 --> 00:02:16.990 21 years old. I'm an adult. Which brings me back 00:02:16.990 --> 00:02:22.289 to the IG story shared by Alyx. Here's a clip. 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:31.639 Let's open some more Arena Club Slap Packs. First 00:02:31.639 --> 00:02:35.340 up, silver. Here we go, first bag of the day. 00:02:36.259 --> 00:02:39.460 Okay, Michael Maddox, red, white, and blue. Rookie 00:02:39.460 --> 00:02:42.199 card. That's a prison rookie. With Arena Club 00:02:42.199 --> 00:02:45.020 Slap Packs, it's possible to pull gem mints at 00:02:45.020 --> 00:02:47.340 a fraction of their retail price, just like this 00:02:47.340 --> 00:02:50.580 downtown Bijan Robinson. Let's move on to gold. 00:02:50.780 --> 00:02:53.960 Here we go, gold football. Let's go. Oh, oh, 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:58.349 state's last shot to Jefferson. BSA 10. We got 00:02:58.349 --> 00:03:01.310 a Chase card! That was the best gold pack ever! 00:03:01.650 --> 00:03:04.210 Once your cards are revealed, they'll immediately... 00:03:04.210 --> 00:03:09.330 That is 13 -year -old Big Justice, a child influencer, 00:03:09.689 --> 00:03:14.189 hawking Arena Club slap packs. He and his dad, 00:03:14.370 --> 00:03:18.330 AJ, are two of the most popular and trusted digital 00:03:18.330 --> 00:03:21.370 influencers of kids in the United States today. 00:03:22.270 --> 00:03:25.000 They've done content with the Rizzler. an even 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:27.300 younger and possibly even more popular child 00:03:27.300 --> 00:03:30.960 influencer earlier this year my kid went to disney 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:33.560 world for a dance competition and ran into aj 00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:36.379 and big justice they could not have been nicer 00:03:36.379 --> 00:03:39.319 or more engaging and good for them for making 00:03:39.319 --> 00:03:41.639 the most of their fame for however long it lasts 00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:46.240 but here's the problem what marketing specialists 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:51.020 know and what academic studies support is that 00:03:51.020 --> 00:03:56.080 kids are influenced by other kids. When a kid 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:59.379 or cartoon character is used to promote a product, 00:03:59.500 --> 00:04:01.979 most of the time is to promote it to other kids. 00:04:03.180 --> 00:04:06.439 It's a deliberate choice. I reached out to Arena 00:04:06.439 --> 00:04:09.199 Club over IG for comment, but did not hear back. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:12.240 In fairness to them, it is Thanksgiving week, 00:04:12.340 --> 00:04:14.719 so their social media and marketing teams might 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:18.319 be on vacation. Here's another clip from the 00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:28.439 Arena Club Big Justice Marketing. partnership 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:31.560 let's open some Arena Club slab packs first up 00:04:31.560 --> 00:04:37.540 silver let's see what silver's got in store here 00:04:37.540 --> 00:05:06.600 we go silver let's see what we get okay Here 00:05:06.600 --> 00:05:11.300 we are in late 2025 and a well -funded high -profile 00:05:11.300 --> 00:05:14.990 sports car company is using a child to market 00:05:14.990 --> 00:05:18.730 its gambling -adjacent product. It is not illegal. 00:05:19.189 --> 00:05:22.550 Arena Club is not breaking any laws, and neither 00:05:22.550 --> 00:05:29.189 are AJ and Big Justice. It's just icky. It's 00:05:29.189 --> 00:05:34.389 gross. It's disappointing. It says all we need 00:05:34.389 --> 00:05:38.350 to know about Arena Club and its ownership and 00:05:38.350 --> 00:05:42.949 its ultimate motivations. Today's guest on The 00:05:42.949 --> 00:05:47.589 Shallow End. is Alyx Effron. He and Collectors MD 00:05:47.589 --> 00:05:50.110 have grown considerably since we spoke almost 00:05:50.110 --> 00:05:54.269 six months ago. Collectors MD now has official 00:05:54.269 --> 00:05:57.230 mental health and counseling partners that sports 00:05:57.230 --> 00:05:59.910 card collectors can turn to when they need help. 00:06:00.750 --> 00:06:03.310 He hosts weekly online support meetings that 00:06:03.310 --> 00:06:05.970 are similar to Gamblers Anonymous and other support 00:06:05.970 --> 00:06:09.730 groups. I've sat in a couple of times and while 00:06:09.730 --> 00:06:12.170 they're confidential, I can say that the work 00:06:12.170 --> 00:06:15.560 he's doing is inspiring and beyond necessary. 00:06:16.819 --> 00:06:19.939 Addiction and compulsive behavior take many forms 00:06:19.939 --> 00:06:23.139 in the sports card hobby, whether it's the impulsive 00:06:23.139 --> 00:06:25.839 purchasing of singles, addiction to breaks and 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:28.519 online breaking casinos like Whatnot and Fanatics 00:06:28.519 --> 00:06:33.220 Live, repacks, constant overspending, and other 00:06:33.220 --> 00:06:35.680 pitfalls in the hobby that can affect one's mental 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:39.920 health. Collectors MD now hosts podcasts about 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:42.600 sports cards and safe behavior, and it has entered 00:06:42.600 --> 00:06:45.019 into partnerships with some of the hobby's most 00:06:45.019 --> 00:06:48.579 recognizable companies, including Card Ladder 00:06:48.579 --> 00:06:52.500 and Market Movers. And yes, they are direct competitors. 00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:56.319 But as Alyx says, making the hobby a safer place 00:06:56.319 --> 00:07:01.360 isn't about competition. And also, yes, Market 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:04.819 Movers slash sports card investor does have a 00:07:04.819 --> 00:07:07.480 direct. business relationship with Arena Club. 00:07:08.519 --> 00:07:11.920 But as Alyx also says, you can affect more change 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:16.180 from within than you can from the outside. Today's 00:07:16.180 --> 00:07:19.040 episode is a bit of a check -in with Alyx and 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:21.980 Collectors MD. We learn more about their mission 00:07:21.980 --> 00:07:24.000 and how they're gaining awareness in the hobby, 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:27.259 their efforts to get companies to regulate themselves, 00:07:27.740 --> 00:07:32.339 building community, and more. Toward the end, 00:07:32.379 --> 00:07:35.259 Alyx shares his thoughts on Arena Club. and 13 00:07:35.259 --> 00:07:40.040 -year -old Big Justice. Mostly, I wanted to do 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:43.060 this episode to remind all of us, to remind the 00:07:43.060 --> 00:07:45.360 entire hobby that just because we talked about 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:48.100 sports cards and addiction last summer, it doesn't 00:07:48.100 --> 00:07:51.240 mean we can't also talk about it now and tomorrow 00:07:51.240 --> 00:07:53.980 and for as long as people are collecting sports 00:07:53.980 --> 00:07:57.800 cards. Epidemics such as addictive behavior. 00:07:58.379 --> 00:08:01.240 Unhealthy behavior and companies that lure our 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:03.939 friends and family with casino -like tactics 00:08:03.939 --> 00:08:08.639 don't have short -term fixes. We need to have 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:11.480 longer attention spans, especially when it comes 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:14.600 to this. Thanks for listening to The Shallow 00:08:14.600 --> 00:08:17.959 End. I'm Dave. I would Dave Sports Cards on Instagram. 00:08:18.459 --> 00:08:21.139 And if you feel like you or someone you know 00:08:21.139 --> 00:08:23.879 or love is struggling in the sports card hobby, 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:27.939 A great first step is to visit collectorsmd .com. 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:32.159 Now, let's get to the conversation with Alyx. 00:08:35.080 --> 00:08:37.860 Really happy now to welcome back into the shallow 00:08:37.860 --> 00:08:41.720 end. He is the force behind Collectors MD. He 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:44.539 is Alyx. He is the host of The Collector's Compass 00:08:44.539 --> 00:08:48.360 podcast as well. Happy holidays, Alyx. It's nice 00:08:48.360 --> 00:08:50.940 to have you here. Thanks, Dave. Happy holidays 00:08:50.940 --> 00:08:53.779 to you as well. Really appreciate the intro and 00:08:53.779 --> 00:08:56.460 it's great to be back on. You've done such amazing 00:08:56.460 --> 00:09:00.059 work with shining a light on addiction and the 00:09:00.059 --> 00:09:04.179 hobby on companies that use gambling type tactics 00:09:04.179 --> 00:09:07.440 to lure people in, marketing tactics and Whatnot. 00:09:07.720 --> 00:09:10.700 And just since you started Collectors MD, you've 00:09:10.700 --> 00:09:13.159 really driven the conversation. And I'm excited 00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:15.580 to have you back on now to see where things are 00:09:15.580 --> 00:09:17.639 now, what are some of the things you're trying 00:09:17.639 --> 00:09:20.340 to do and what types of... progress or lack of 00:09:20.340 --> 00:09:22.000 progress have you seen in different areas? So 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.039 the floor is yours, and I look forward to hearing 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:27.059 how things are going. Yeah, well, first of all, 00:09:27.100 --> 00:09:29.620 I really appreciate the sort of part two of this 00:09:29.620 --> 00:09:33.399 conversation. I think we last spoke early in 00:09:33.399 --> 00:09:36.059 the summertime. I can't even keep track anymore 00:09:36.059 --> 00:09:38.740 because we've been having so many amazing conversations 00:09:38.740 --> 00:09:42.720 across the board with folks both in the hobby 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:45.379 and gambling prevention spaces that have been, 00:09:45.379 --> 00:09:49.080 like you, just incredibly supportive and Getting 00:09:49.080 --> 00:09:51.700 behind everything we're doing and you know, the 00:09:51.700 --> 00:09:56.000 the biggest thing is like we can't we can't solve 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:58.919 this problem by only reaching a handful of folks 00:09:58.919 --> 00:10:01.940 like we have to reach the masses we have to cast 00:10:01.940 --> 00:10:05.019 a wide net and Spread awareness and educate and 00:10:05.019 --> 00:10:07.860 reach as many people as we humanly can right? 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:10.740 So I'm really glad that you framed it that way 00:10:10.740 --> 00:10:13.899 because we're Collectors MD is right now feels 00:10:13.899 --> 00:10:17.159 very different from when we last spoke back then 00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:20.710 it was Still really a concept, just finding its 00:10:20.710 --> 00:10:23.809 footing, right? Today, it's an active, evolving 00:10:23.809 --> 00:10:26.830 support system with real structure, real people, 00:10:26.889 --> 00:10:30.450 and real momentum behind it. We're running consistent 00:10:30.450 --> 00:10:32.549 peer support meetings every single week, which 00:10:32.549 --> 00:10:35.629 I really appreciate you attending a few of them. 00:10:35.950 --> 00:10:38.330 We're building out professional referral pathways. 00:10:38.529 --> 00:10:40.429 We're collaborating with recovery organizations 00:10:40.429 --> 00:10:43.370 and mental health providers and having direct 00:10:43.370 --> 00:10:47.259 conversations with... platforms, shops, industry 00:10:47.259 --> 00:10:49.980 leaders. I mentioned some of these organizations 00:10:49.980 --> 00:10:51.980 and coalitions within the gambling prevention 00:10:51.980 --> 00:10:55.419 space, all about responsibility and accountability. 00:10:55.860 --> 00:10:58.879 And the truth is the need hasn't gone away. If 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:00.980 anything, it's even more visible than it's ever 00:11:00.980 --> 00:11:03.440 been, especially with all of the latest drama 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:06.259 that's been going on in the hobby lately. And 00:11:06.259 --> 00:11:09.799 so the culture of things like breaking and impulse 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:13.210 buying and dopamine driven hype. It hasn't slowed 00:11:13.210 --> 00:11:15.570 down. And so neither can the conversation, right? 00:11:15.690 --> 00:11:19.049 So what feels most important right now is that 00:11:19.049 --> 00:11:22.070 we don't let compulsive collecting fade into 00:11:22.070 --> 00:11:24.370 the background just because the market cooled 00:11:24.370 --> 00:11:27.110 or the headlines moved or focused elsewhere. 00:11:27.409 --> 00:11:31.429 This isn't a trend. It's a behavioral issue playing 00:11:31.429 --> 00:11:35.389 out inside a hobby that people really love and 00:11:35.389 --> 00:11:39.090 care about. And so Collectors MD sits right in 00:11:39.090 --> 00:11:42.299 that space. anti -hobby like we always talk about 00:11:42.299 --> 00:11:45.580 but pro -awareness pro -support and pro -sustainability 00:11:45.580 --> 00:11:48.700 so where we're at today is less about you know 00:11:48.700 --> 00:11:52.019 raising awareness and more about building the 00:11:52.019 --> 00:11:54.600 infrastructure and making sure that there's an 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:58.100 actual place for people to land when they start 00:11:58.100 --> 00:12:01.440 to realize that they need help guidance or you 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:03.820 know a healthier way forward so that's the phase 00:12:03.820 --> 00:12:07.840 we're in now we're we're growing we're raising 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:10.679 the awareness But really building that infrastructure 00:12:10.679 --> 00:12:12.580 and making sure that we're partnering with the 00:12:12.580 --> 00:12:15.980 right organizations and creating the right alliances 00:12:15.980 --> 00:12:18.679 so that we can help these wider audiences has 00:12:18.679 --> 00:12:22.299 been the number one priority as of late. When 00:12:22.299 --> 00:12:24.279 you reach out to an organization or a company 00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:28.840 to partner with or to consult, how do you talk 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:31.759 about what you do and what are some of the responses 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:33.279 that you hear back from these organizations? 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:37.440 Yeah, well, it's been a mixed bag in terms of, 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:41.720 you know, outreach or inbound opportunities and 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:45.059 it's it's happened very organically right as 00:12:45.059 --> 00:12:49.759 i have more conversations with um uh organizations 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:54.279 and and card shops and industry leaders about 00:12:54.279 --> 00:12:57.460 what we're doing at Collectors MD other people 00:12:57.460 --> 00:13:00.639 other industry leaders other experts in the space 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:03.799 are paying attention and they understand the 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:06.860 demand they understand that this is a completely 00:13:07.810 --> 00:13:11.149 unaccounted for uh space it has been for far 00:13:11.149 --> 00:13:14.429 too long there's been a need for this for years 00:13:14.429 --> 00:13:18.710 and now that somebody is finally doing it in 00:13:18.710 --> 00:13:21.370 the form of a full -fledged movement people want 00:13:21.370 --> 00:13:23.350 to get on board people want to be a part of that 00:13:23.350 --> 00:13:30.029 um that sort of mission and so um the conversations 00:13:30.029 --> 00:13:34.919 have have been incredible i mean Dave, I come 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:37.419 from the world of advertising and marketing where 00:13:37.419 --> 00:13:41.340 I spent 13 years selling things like, you know, 00:13:41.340 --> 00:13:44.799 digital pixels on a phone screen or print ads 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:48.440 in a newspaper. Like I wasn't sort of doing anything 00:13:48.440 --> 00:13:53.559 impactful or meaningful that was making a direct 00:13:53.559 --> 00:13:58.659 impact on people's livelihoods. And so with Collectors MD, 00:13:58.779 --> 00:14:02.570 we're helping people, you know, like. wherever 00:14:02.570 --> 00:14:05.190 they are in their journeys, you know? And so 00:14:05.190 --> 00:14:09.049 it's amazing to see this community sort of materialize 00:14:09.049 --> 00:14:12.250 and come together and support one another. And 00:14:12.250 --> 00:14:15.049 I would say like every conversation we have with 00:14:15.049 --> 00:14:18.950 these different organizations, they all want 00:14:18.950 --> 00:14:20.669 to get on board. They all want to support it 00:14:20.669 --> 00:14:23.350 in some capacity, whether that be, you know, 00:14:23.350 --> 00:14:30.009 a co -branded campaign around responsible ripping 00:14:30.009 --> 00:14:35.960 or, layering in our tools and resources into 00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:38.820 their ecosystem. I mean, there's a lot of different 00:14:38.820 --> 00:14:40.940 ways that we can work together, but it seems 00:14:40.940 --> 00:14:44.600 that most, if not all, folks that we're talking 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:48.379 to want to work with Collectors MD in some capacity, 00:14:48.580 --> 00:14:52.259 which is really amazing. It's humbling, but it's 00:14:52.259 --> 00:14:55.940 powerful. It's something that has been, again, 00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:59.779 needed for far too long. As you've gotten... 00:15:00.279 --> 00:15:02.360 Further along through this process of growing 00:15:02.360 --> 00:15:05.179 Collectors MD and reaching out to people and creating 00:15:05.179 --> 00:15:06.960 support for people and creating accountability 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:10.940 within the marketplace, what is something that 00:15:10.940 --> 00:15:13.559 you've noticed that has really encouraged you? 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:15.940 And the other side of that is what is something 00:15:15.940 --> 00:15:19.500 that continues to frustrate you? I think something 00:15:19.500 --> 00:15:23.460 that really encourages me is, again, our community 00:15:23.460 --> 00:15:27.039 coming together and supporting one another. It's 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:31.129 not just me leading the meetings. It's people 00:15:31.129 --> 00:15:33.909 stepping up and looking out for their peers, 00:15:34.070 --> 00:15:36.549 looking out for other folks who are going through 00:15:36.549 --> 00:15:38.970 the same struggles, right? This is a peer support 00:15:38.970 --> 00:15:41.649 movement. It's not a leader movement. And so 00:15:41.649 --> 00:15:46.929 I've hammered that home from day one. And everybody 00:15:46.929 --> 00:15:51.330 within our weekly meetings, our group chat, our 00:15:51.330 --> 00:15:53.830 Discord, they all support one another. And it's 00:15:53.830 --> 00:15:56.269 such a beautiful thing to watch and be a part 00:15:56.269 --> 00:15:58.960 of. And so that's really encouraging, knowing 00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:02.960 that there are people out there that might be 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:05.379 struggling, but they also want to help other 00:16:05.379 --> 00:16:07.960 people, right? They want to support their neighbors, 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:09.820 even if they don't know them, even if they're 00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:13.139 complete strangers. And so you've seen it. We 00:16:13.139 --> 00:16:16.340 have weekly meetings. People share what they're 00:16:16.340 --> 00:16:18.360 going through. And it's not just me providing 00:16:18.360 --> 00:16:21.679 feedback or helping them get through these tough 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:24.740 times. It's the other folks that are also going 00:16:24.740 --> 00:16:27.700 through these issues. that are stepping up and 00:16:27.700 --> 00:16:32.340 providing really thoughtful and and candid feedback 00:16:32.340 --> 00:16:35.240 and support and and that has that has just been 00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:39.000 um so encouraging and then as far as something 00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:42.259 that i do get frustrated with it's sort of the 00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:46.320 uh a lot of people just don't want to see something 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:49.580 for what it is they just they look at it surface 00:16:49.580 --> 00:16:52.970 level and that's That's all they care about. 00:16:53.169 --> 00:16:55.350 They judge a book by its cover, so to speak. 00:16:55.429 --> 00:16:59.330 So they see Collectors MD partnering with an organization 00:16:59.330 --> 00:17:03.250 in the hobby that maybe they find polarizing 00:17:03.250 --> 00:17:05.650 or that they don't like or support. And they 00:17:05.650 --> 00:17:09.829 just automatically assume that we're by association, 00:17:10.130 --> 00:17:14.289 you know, we have these malicious intentions 00:17:14.289 --> 00:17:18.809 or we're not really mission -based or we're... 00:17:19.349 --> 00:17:22.809 uh losing credibility things like that that's 00:17:22.809 --> 00:17:24.710 not what it's about it's about reaching these 00:17:24.710 --> 00:17:28.309 wide audiences like i mentioned right like for 00:17:28.309 --> 00:17:31.369 instance if you look at uh the gambling industry 00:17:31.369 --> 00:17:35.930 right there's a reason why you see a 1 -800 gamblers 00:17:35.930 --> 00:17:40.890 or 1 -800 gambler hotline number on every single 00:17:40.890 --> 00:17:44.430 casino or sportsbook ad right it doesn't mean 00:17:44.430 --> 00:17:46.970 1 -800 gambler which by the way is a company 00:17:46.970 --> 00:17:49.900 is an organization It doesn't mean they're endorsing 00:17:49.900 --> 00:17:52.799 gambling behavior. It means they're providing 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:54.900 a layer of support for the people that might 00:17:54.900 --> 00:17:57.480 need it. And so you can look at Collectors MD 00:17:57.480 --> 00:18:00.059 sort of through the same lens, where when we're 00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:03.660 partnering with breakers and card shops, we're 00:18:03.660 --> 00:18:10.819 not endorsing malicious behavior or irresponsible 00:18:10.819 --> 00:18:15.240 and predatory tactics. And I'm not saying that 00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:17.099 any of the organizations that we partnered with 00:18:18.329 --> 00:18:21.230 sort of do those things but everybody in the 00:18:21.230 --> 00:18:24.990 sports card world if you rip on Whatnot you are 00:18:24.990 --> 00:18:27.309 automatically placed in that bucket right and 00:18:27.309 --> 00:18:30.670 so you're not going to be able to make an impact 00:18:30.670 --> 00:18:34.089 by standing on the outside looking in you have 00:18:34.089 --> 00:18:37.829 to be inside of the conversation making noise 00:18:37.829 --> 00:18:41.390 so that you can help and reach those people that 00:18:41.390 --> 00:18:43.750 actually need the support and many of those people 00:18:44.469 --> 00:18:47.690 are either customers, users, consumers, whatever 00:18:47.690 --> 00:18:49.869 you want to call them to a lot of these organizations 00:18:49.869 --> 00:18:52.809 that we're partnering with. I hope that makes 00:18:52.809 --> 00:18:56.710 sense. It does. Yeah. Yeah. And you've never 00:18:56.710 --> 00:18:59.029 said once, I've never heard you say once that 00:18:59.029 --> 00:19:01.710 you are trying to get rid of the sports card 00:19:01.710 --> 00:19:03.470 hobby. You're not trying to get rid of breaking. 00:19:03.829 --> 00:19:05.289 You're not trying to get rid of people buying 00:19:05.289 --> 00:19:08.490 singles. You're trying to spread awareness of 00:19:08.490 --> 00:19:10.910 certain behaviors that lead to destructive patterns, 00:19:11.130 --> 00:19:15.400 right? Right. That's exactly right. So in these 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:16.960 meetings that you've talked about, these support 00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:19.380 meetings, I assume there are people who have 00:19:19.380 --> 00:19:21.299 been going for a while now and those who are 00:19:21.299 --> 00:19:24.079 trickling in occasionally for the first time 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:26.740 or for the second time. Are you seeing any sort 00:19:26.740 --> 00:19:30.359 of patterns in the people who are coming in with 00:19:30.359 --> 00:19:31.980 the types of things that they are talking about 00:19:31.980 --> 00:19:34.759 that they are dealing with themselves? Yeah, 00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:38.299 absolutely. It definitely mirrors a lot of what 00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:41.319 we see in Gamblers Anonymous traditional. you 00:19:41.319 --> 00:19:44.259 know support group meetings where people have 00:19:44.259 --> 00:19:49.359 you know um tendencies whether it be uh addictive 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:55.140 obsessive and it's having a direct negative impact 00:19:55.140 --> 00:19:59.839 on their not just financial well -being but their 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:03.960 mental health their emotional well -being it's 00:20:03.960 --> 00:20:06.140 impacting the people around them their family 00:20:06.140 --> 00:20:10.619 members friends colleagues whoever and I would 00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:14.759 say that what we're seeing is the Collectors 00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:18.119 MD program and our recovery guide is providing 00:20:18.119 --> 00:20:21.859 them with a foundation to stay on track, stay 00:20:21.859 --> 00:20:26.119 on course, be held accountable, right? Yeah. 00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:27.740 I mean, I'm not going to, I'm not going to like 00:20:27.740 --> 00:20:31.059 BS you. Like we've had a handful of people come 00:20:31.059 --> 00:20:33.500 and go. We've had some folks that were consistent, 00:20:33.660 --> 00:20:36.720 consistently joining meetings week after week, 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:39.940 and then suddenly poof, they're gone. And I reach 00:20:39.940 --> 00:20:41.559 out. I want to make sure they're okay, they're 00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:44.160 doing well. And some folks respond, some don't. 00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:48.420 But it's not like a foolproof program where you 00:20:48.420 --> 00:20:51.519 join this group and suddenly you recover from 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:53.660 addiction. That's not how any recovery group 00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:56.740 works. It's a lifelong commitment. And every 00:20:56.740 --> 00:21:02.819 single day is a step toward recovery. But that 00:21:02.819 --> 00:21:05.519 recovery never ends. You always have to put in 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:09.579 the work. Again, there are a lot of parallels 00:21:09.579 --> 00:21:14.119 between what we're doing and what type of support 00:21:14.119 --> 00:21:17.099 is offered in these traditional group settings, 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:20.960 recovery group settings, like GA, like NA, like 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:27.059 AA. But the difference is we are a full -fledged 00:21:27.059 --> 00:21:29.220 movement. So beyond just the weekly meetings, 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:31.480 there are multiple touch points. There's the 00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:34.619 group chats. There's the Discord. There's our 00:21:34.619 --> 00:21:38.230 social media presence. The educational content 00:21:38.230 --> 00:21:41.509 we put out, the podcast, the editorial franchises, 00:21:41.509 --> 00:21:44.710 the partnerships, the tools and resources that 00:21:44.710 --> 00:21:49.089 we offer our community members. So it's a full 00:21:49.089 --> 00:21:51.509 -fledged ecosystem. And one other thing that 00:21:51.509 --> 00:21:53.690 I think is really important to bring up is that 00:21:53.690 --> 00:21:59.490 a lot of people have a hard time sort of slowing 00:21:59.490 --> 00:22:01.970 down or walking away from something they've been 00:22:01.970 --> 00:22:04.410 a part of for a long time because they're afraid 00:22:04.410 --> 00:22:07.130 of losing that sense of community. especially 00:22:07.130 --> 00:22:10.289 within the hobby right they feel like if we if 00:22:10.289 --> 00:22:14.230 I walk away and stop collecting or abstain completely 00:22:14.230 --> 00:22:17.849 then I'm no longer gonna be able to interact 00:22:17.849 --> 00:22:19.950 with these people that I've interacted with every 00:22:19.950 --> 00:22:22.490 single day for however long people feel like 00:22:22.490 --> 00:22:25.069 they've made a lot of friends they go to card 00:22:25.069 --> 00:22:28.210 shows they go to different events they link up 00:22:28.210 --> 00:22:33.920 with whoever digitally, virtually, in live streams 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:37.599 and social media, et cetera, the most important 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:40.759 thing is that we still offer that sense of community 00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:43.500 and camaraderie. It exists within Collectors MD. 00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:46.299 It's just amongst people who want to help one 00:22:46.299 --> 00:22:48.000 another, who want to hold each other accountable, 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:52.519 who want to proceed with the hobby or abstain 00:22:52.519 --> 00:22:56.519 completely. Again, we offer two lanes, but do 00:22:56.519 --> 00:23:02.099 so in a mindful... and responsible way. You mentioned 00:23:02.099 --> 00:23:05.579 the partnerships and every now and then through 00:23:05.579 --> 00:23:07.740 your social media feeds, we'll see that you've 00:23:07.740 --> 00:23:10.019 entered into a partnership with a group. What 00:23:10.019 --> 00:23:11.779 are some of the partnerships and how do they 00:23:11.779 --> 00:23:14.680 benefit Collectors MD and the people who Collectors MD 00:23:14.680 --> 00:23:17.400 seeks to help? Yeah, so we have a few different 00:23:17.400 --> 00:23:21.759 buckets of partnerships or I should say different 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:24.039 types of partnerships. The first is our referral 00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:26.789 network. these are individuals so therapists 00:23:26.789 --> 00:23:32.150 doctors clinicians we just brought in a financial 00:23:32.150 --> 00:23:35.750 advisor individuals who can provide that layered 00:23:35.750 --> 00:23:39.470 support depending on what the you know individual 00:23:39.470 --> 00:23:42.210 is going through we want to be able to again 00:23:42.210 --> 00:23:45.569 meet folks where they are and provide whatever 00:23:47.059 --> 00:23:50.039 service that they might be looking for. And so 00:23:50.039 --> 00:23:51.660 the more folks that we can add to this referral 00:23:51.660 --> 00:23:53.359 network, the better, because it gives people 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:56.319 more options. Beyond just partnering with folks 00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:58.819 on the individual level, we're also partnering 00:23:58.819 --> 00:24:02.019 with organizations like Birches Health, Right 00:24:02.019 --> 00:24:05.099 Choice Recovery, Better Way of Miami. And so 00:24:05.099 --> 00:24:09.299 these sort of partnerships. with longstanding 00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:13.680 nonprofit organizations or facilities dedicated 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:16.880 to things like addiction recovery, mental health 00:24:16.880 --> 00:24:20.440 support, community care. It allows us, again, 00:24:20.579 --> 00:24:25.980 to provide our community with layers of support 00:24:25.980 --> 00:24:29.299 wherever they are in their journey and to be 00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:33.200 able to select a group, a facility, an organization. 00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:36.079 based on what they're going through. So for instance, 00:24:36.380 --> 00:24:40.980 Birch's Health offers telehealth support for 00:24:40.980 --> 00:24:43.039 any and everybody dealing with gambling addiction, 00:24:43.420 --> 00:24:47.940 behavioral issues, compulsive collecting, which 00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:51.180 is obviously a layer that they've added. Right 00:24:51.180 --> 00:24:53.559 Choice Recovery is a local facility here in New 00:24:53.559 --> 00:24:56.900 Jersey that offers outpatient and inpatient treatment 00:24:56.900 --> 00:24:59.400 for folks that are dealing with not just gambling 00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:03.039 issues, but substance abuse. And then Better 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:05.299 Way of Miami, which is our most recent partnership 00:25:05.299 --> 00:25:11.079 within the space, like Right Choice, offers their 00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:17.759 patients things like outpatient programming and 00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:24.019 telehealth and one -on -one therapy sessions, 00:25:24.180 --> 00:25:26.920 things like that. So there are multiple options 00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:30.500 that people can choose from. based on what they're 00:25:30.500 --> 00:25:32.900 going through. And then beyond just the referral 00:25:32.900 --> 00:25:35.940 network, we also are partnering with hobby organizations, 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:39.000 whether it be break shops, card shops, platforms 00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:42.819 to promote our responsible ripping messaging. 00:25:43.240 --> 00:25:47.240 And so these are mission aligned brands and companies 00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:50.259 that want to get behind what we're doing and 00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:54.599 provide their customers that sense of, hey, we're 00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:57.049 looking out for you. We understand that this 00:25:57.049 --> 00:25:59.710 hobby can be a slippery slope and we want to 00:25:59.710 --> 00:26:01.609 make sure that we're providing you with the tools 00:26:01.609 --> 00:26:05.150 and resources so that if things start to go down 00:26:05.150 --> 00:26:08.690 that dark path, you have a safety net to fall 00:26:08.690 --> 00:26:11.829 back on. So we've partnered with My Card Post, 00:26:12.049 --> 00:26:16.829 which is a relatively new marketplace with. i 00:26:16.829 --> 00:26:20.349 believe they're now at 16 000 users and uh their 00:26:20.349 --> 00:26:22.990 founder Mark Hill was just on The Collector's 00:26:22.990 --> 00:26:25.549 Compass podcast last week we had an amazing conversation 00:26:25.549 --> 00:26:28.069 with him and he's been really supportive and 00:26:28.069 --> 00:26:30.089 so we're doing some some co -branding with them 00:26:30.089 --> 00:26:34.029 uh we partnered with um i mentioned yesterday 00:26:34.029 --> 00:26:38.049 Market Movers so Geoff Wilson's uh platform same 00:26:38.049 --> 00:26:40.329 thing with Card Ladder obviously Market Movers 00:26:40.329 --> 00:26:42.710 and Card Ladder are direct competitors they offer 00:26:42.710 --> 00:26:45.609 very similar services but it's not about competition 00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:48.359 It's about making sure that we're offering as 00:26:48.359 --> 00:26:52.400 many tools and resources that people can leverage 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:55.119 as part of their collecting journeys. And so 00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:59.240 Chris HOJ, who is the co -founder of Card Ladder, 00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:02.559 also is on The Collector's Compass. He's been 00:27:02.559 --> 00:27:04.880 on two episodes now and he's fantastic and has 00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:07.940 been incredibly supportive. And we have many 00:27:07.940 --> 00:27:10.920 more rolling out. Oh, I didn't even mention Gamban. 00:27:11.019 --> 00:27:14.029 So that's... app locking software that people 00:27:14.029 --> 00:27:17.470 can download on their phone which uh allows you 00:27:17.470 --> 00:27:19.650 to basically prevent yourself from going into 00:27:19.650 --> 00:27:23.289 apps like Whatnot Fanatics eBay they originally 00:27:23.289 --> 00:27:26.329 just offered the traditional gambling apps like 00:27:26.329 --> 00:27:30.309 drafting's vandal you know those types of those 00:27:30.309 --> 00:27:33.089 types of apps but they've seen they've recognized 00:27:33.089 --> 00:27:37.150 they've acknowledged that uh break culture has 00:27:37.150 --> 00:27:41.450 become synonymous with gambling and so They've 00:27:41.450 --> 00:27:44.029 added these hobby -related platforms as well. 00:27:44.130 --> 00:27:46.890 So if anybody is struggling with addiction and 00:27:46.890 --> 00:27:49.930 feels like they can't find a way out or they 00:27:49.930 --> 00:27:51.569 need to protect themselves, they can download 00:27:51.569 --> 00:27:54.109 Gamban, get that software on their phone, and 00:27:54.109 --> 00:27:57.569 sort of add that safeguard, add that layer of 00:27:57.569 --> 00:27:59.450 protection where they won't be able to access 00:27:59.450 --> 00:28:03.190 Whatnot in Fanatics at 2 a .m. when they're tossing 00:28:03.190 --> 00:28:05.190 and turning and they feel that devil on their 00:28:05.190 --> 00:28:07.549 shoulder trying to rip the wheel away from their 00:28:07.549 --> 00:28:12.500 conscious. Again, we're continuing to partner 00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:14.559 with organizations, like -minded organizations 00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:19.039 across each of these verticals. We have half 00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:20.900 a dozen rolling out in the next couple of weeks. 00:28:20.940 --> 00:28:24.240 So be on the lookout for that. But we're doing 00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:26.079 some really, really amazing things. And we're 00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:27.759 really, really grateful for all of the support 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:30.019 we've received to date. I just have one more 00:28:30.019 --> 00:28:32.220 question about the partnerships. Then I want 00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:36.000 to jump topics a little bit. The ones that are 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:38.700 the partnerships that are about. helping people, 00:28:38.859 --> 00:28:43.180 the sessions, the app locking, I get those. The 00:28:43.180 --> 00:28:45.240 ones that you have, the partnerships that Collectors MD 00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:48.519 has with My Card Post, with Card Ladder, with Market Movers, 00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:52.420 what do those partnerships look like? And what 00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:55.720 are you hoping that those larger organizations 00:28:55.720 --> 00:29:00.660 do? And in terms of, well, I don't even want 00:29:00.660 --> 00:29:02.420 to put an answer in your mouth. What are you 00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:03.819 hoping to gain out of those types of partnerships? 00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:08.519 Yeah, so the... Market Movers Partnership is 00:29:08.519 --> 00:29:11.079 actually an extension of another partnership 00:29:11.079 --> 00:29:13.500 we're building with Geoff Wilson's, one of his 00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:16.960 other entities, CardsHQ, which is his main card 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:19.279 shop in Atlanta. And they've become one of the 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:21.180 biggest hobby shops in the entire country. And 00:29:21.180 --> 00:29:24.319 so it all centers around what we call the Rip 00:29:24.319 --> 00:29:27.079 Responsibly campaign. And so the big picture. 00:29:27.579 --> 00:29:30.660 The Rip Responsibly mission is to normalize responsible, 00:29:31.079 --> 00:29:33.539 intentional ripping in live breaks and personal 00:29:33.539 --> 00:29:36.220 collecting, and to give collectors visual reminders 00:29:36.220 --> 00:29:39.200 and language around limits, boundaries, and support 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:41.740 right where the behavior is happening, whether 00:29:41.740 --> 00:29:44.319 it be on the desk, in the break, on screen. And 00:29:44.319 --> 00:29:48.039 so the specific goal is to create co -branded 00:29:48.039 --> 00:29:52.099 stands, break mats, desk accessories that carry 00:29:52.099 --> 00:29:55.720 the hashtag Rip Responsibly message or mantra. 00:29:56.650 --> 00:30:00.049 And so we layer in this messaging and subtle 00:30:00.049 --> 00:30:02.769 prompts about intention and mindful spending 00:30:02.769 --> 00:30:06.250 and support all within the ecosystem. Am I able 00:30:06.250 --> 00:30:09.170 to share my screen? Because this actually just 00:30:09.170 --> 00:30:12.710 went live today. So this is what the - Real quick, 00:30:12.849 --> 00:30:15.289 if you're listening to this podcast, and this 00:30:15.289 --> 00:30:17.329 will be on YouTube, but also on audio. If you're 00:30:17.329 --> 00:30:19.890 listening right now, Alyx has just pulled up 00:30:19.890 --> 00:30:25.740 some of these branded types of materials. as 00:30:25.740 --> 00:30:29.420 part of the RIP responsibly campaign. So that's 00:30:29.420 --> 00:30:32.359 what we're looking at right now. Yeah. So we 00:30:32.359 --> 00:30:34.920 have like card stands, we have backdrops, we 00:30:34.920 --> 00:30:37.059 have card mats. And the idea here, again, is 00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:40.000 to subtly layer in the RIP responsibly messaging 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:43.019 so that people see it and they go, oh, what's 00:30:43.019 --> 00:30:45.299 that? That's interesting, right? What's Collectors 00:30:45.299 --> 00:30:50.279 MD? And Geoff has this recurring video that rolls 00:30:50.279 --> 00:30:54.730 through their live breaks. I guess his plan is 00:30:54.730 --> 00:30:58.349 to do it between every break. And it serves as 00:30:58.349 --> 00:31:03.970 that disclaimer that gambling brands or gambling 00:31:03.970 --> 00:31:06.869 companies and alcohol brands do. It's a part 00:31:06.869 --> 00:31:09.150 of their corporate responsibility because of 00:31:09.150 --> 00:31:12.509 the gaming commission and other rules and regulations 00:31:12.509 --> 00:31:15.089 that require them to layer in this messaging. 00:31:15.150 --> 00:31:19.549 Rather than following a law, so to speak, our 00:31:19.549 --> 00:31:23.940 partners are... being proactive in acknowledging 00:31:23.940 --> 00:31:25.839 that there's a real problem here. And we want 00:31:25.839 --> 00:31:28.039 to offer that layer of support for our customers. 00:31:28.460 --> 00:31:32.700 You can also purchase just Collectors MD branded 00:31:32.700 --> 00:31:36.059 merchandise here as well. The card mat, the backdrop, 00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:39.579 the card stand. If you want to just support the 00:31:39.579 --> 00:31:41.980 movement and continue to get the word out. This 00:31:41.980 --> 00:31:45.420 isn't about like making money or profiting or 00:31:45.420 --> 00:31:47.420 anything like that. This is just about continued 00:31:47.420 --> 00:31:52.359 spread awareness and making sure that the rip 00:31:52.359 --> 00:31:54.940 responsibly mantra, the collect with intention, 00:31:55.119 --> 00:31:58.119 not compulsion tagline that we use is in front 00:31:58.119 --> 00:32:02.259 of as many people as possible. So we're partnering 00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:06.140 with Chronic Cards on this. They've been incredibly 00:32:06.140 --> 00:32:09.279 helpful and supportive. And there's going to 00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:11.680 be more things rolling out like stickers. And 00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:14.380 we're also working with Stand Up Displays, which 00:32:14.380 --> 00:32:17.319 is actually an entity of Geoff Wilson's as well, 00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:22.740 to sort of have alternate stands. But that really 00:32:22.740 --> 00:32:26.339 is the theme behind the Rip Responsibly campaigns 00:32:26.339 --> 00:32:28.680 that we're rolling out with these different card 00:32:28.680 --> 00:32:32.720 shops and break groups. But with Card Ladder 00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:35.779 and Market Movers and My Card Post, it's really 00:32:35.779 --> 00:32:38.819 more so just about layering in subtle messaging. 00:32:39.039 --> 00:32:43.099 Because those companies don't run breaks or sell 00:32:43.099 --> 00:32:45.779 product per se, but they still want to be able 00:32:45.779 --> 00:32:49.420 to... provide their customers, their user base 00:32:49.420 --> 00:32:54.539 with that extra layer of support. We endorse 00:32:54.539 --> 00:32:58.039 responsible ripping. We endorse responsible collecting. 00:32:58.160 --> 00:33:00.619 If you have a problem, here's where to go. And 00:33:00.619 --> 00:33:03.740 then vice versa. Collectors MD is offering these 00:33:03.740 --> 00:33:07.019 tools and resources to our intentional collecting 00:33:07.019 --> 00:33:12.500 vertical so that those individuals can continue 00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:15.220 their hobbies, but in a more responsible and 00:33:15.220 --> 00:33:20.690 mindful way. The other day, I think it was a 00:33:20.690 --> 00:33:23.630 repack company. They had an ad that was running 00:33:23.630 --> 00:33:27.410 on social with the father and son influencer 00:33:27.410 --> 00:33:31.890 team of AJ and Big Justice. And I think it was 00:33:31.890 --> 00:33:37.049 repacking in which a kid is opening repacks and 00:33:37.049 --> 00:33:38.890 getting excited for it. The dad's saying, what'd 00:33:38.890 --> 00:33:42.089 you get? What did you get? Since Collectors MD 00:33:42.089 --> 00:33:45.049 has gotten moving, I think as the word spreads, 00:33:45.109 --> 00:33:47.529 people understand that. Breaking is just basically 00:33:47.529 --> 00:33:51.289 an online casino. But repacks have really gained 00:33:51.289 --> 00:33:55.369 momentum. And this has been one of the things 00:33:55.369 --> 00:33:58.970 that you have tried to talk about as well. I 00:33:58.970 --> 00:34:02.609 saw that post because you shared it. As someone 00:34:02.609 --> 00:34:06.049 who worked in marketing the way that you did, 00:34:06.230 --> 00:34:09.909 what was your reaction when you saw the company 00:34:09.909 --> 00:34:14.719 using a kid to market repacks? it's completely 00:34:14.719 --> 00:34:18.420 irresponsible. It's exploitative. It's predatory. 00:34:18.719 --> 00:34:20.860 I mean, these are the things that come to mind. 00:34:20.900 --> 00:34:23.800 I mean, one thing that's become, it's something 00:34:23.800 --> 00:34:26.340 that's become absolutely impossible to ignore, 00:34:26.500 --> 00:34:30.500 right? It's this direction that some parts of 00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:33.340 the industry, unfortunately, are heading, especially 00:34:33.340 --> 00:34:35.599 around the repack products and how they're marketed. 00:34:35.880 --> 00:34:40.559 You know, the way they advertise with using a 00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:45.230 child to promote something. that is quite literally 00:34:45.230 --> 00:34:48.909 gambling or sending a message saying, we missed 00:34:48.909 --> 00:34:53.349 you, come back, trying to reel us back in if 00:34:53.349 --> 00:34:56.769 we've stepped away. When you look at platforms 00:34:56.769 --> 00:34:58.869 like Arena Club, we're talking about Arena Club 00:34:58.869 --> 00:35:01.570 here. Is it okay that I mentioned them? 100%. 00:35:01.570 --> 00:35:05.650 Okay. And like this broader sort of repack ecosystem, 00:35:06.030 --> 00:35:09.070 what raises concern isn't just the product itself, 00:35:09.349 --> 00:35:12.469 right? It's the language. and psychology that's 00:35:12.469 --> 00:35:15.170 surrounding it we're seeing this messaging that 00:35:15.170 --> 00:35:18.429 feels eerily similar to gambling promotion you 00:35:18.429 --> 00:35:21.230 know chase the the monster hit like life -changing 00:35:21.230 --> 00:35:24.190 polls don't miss your shot come back we miss 00:35:24.190 --> 00:35:28.349 you like it's designed to trigger urgency uh 00:35:28.349 --> 00:35:32.230 fantasy and dopamine and what's even more troubling 00:35:32.230 --> 00:35:35.489 is how often this is packaged in a way that clearly 00:35:35.489 --> 00:35:37.949 appeals to these younger audiences the young 00:35:37.949 --> 00:35:41.210 collectors You have the flashy visuals, you have 00:35:41.210 --> 00:35:44.030 the hype -driven influencers, kids we're talking 00:35:44.030 --> 00:35:46.829 about, and content that really just blurs the 00:35:46.829 --> 00:35:49.550 line between hobby, fun, and high -risk behavior. 00:35:50.210 --> 00:35:54.909 So the issue isn't about whether someone likes 00:35:54.909 --> 00:35:57.690 or agrees with the concept of a repack, which 00:35:57.690 --> 00:36:00.449 is gambling, but that's a separate conversation. 00:36:00.730 --> 00:36:03.110 The issue is when the marketing specifically 00:36:03.110 --> 00:36:07.730 leans into manipulation instead of honesty and 00:36:07.730 --> 00:36:10.650 transparency. when the like the odds aren't clear 00:36:10.650 --> 00:36:13.389 the risks aren't explained the emotional hooks 00:36:13.389 --> 00:36:16.530 are doing more work than you know the actual 00:36:16.530 --> 00:36:19.369 value that's where it becomes predatory especially 00:36:19.369 --> 00:36:22.869 when miners or emotionally vulnerable collectors 00:36:22.869 --> 00:36:25.889 are watching and absorbing this as normal behavior 00:36:25.889 --> 00:36:29.389 they're being conditioned right and so that's 00:36:29.389 --> 00:36:31.949 what we're we're trying to keep like press and 00:36:32.409 --> 00:36:34.789 make sure people are educated and understand 00:36:34.789 --> 00:36:37.690 this because if we don't name this stuff if we 00:36:37.690 --> 00:36:40.269 don't call it out right the next generation of 00:36:40.269 --> 00:36:43.170 collectors are going to end up growing up thinking 00:36:43.170 --> 00:36:46.250 this is just how the hobby works this is just 00:36:46.250 --> 00:36:47.869 what collecting looks like now it's all about 00:36:47.869 --> 00:36:50.849 chasing and overspending and emotional whiplash 00:36:50.849 --> 00:36:54.710 and that's that's just a part of the fun so again 00:36:54.710 --> 00:36:56.889 Dave like our goal isn't to cancel the hobby 00:36:56.889 --> 00:36:59.469 it's to protect it to bring back things like 00:36:59.469 --> 00:37:03.039 intention to create spaces where Excitement doesn't 00:37:03.039 --> 00:37:05.960 come at the cost of mental health or financial 00:37:05.960 --> 00:37:09.340 harm, especially for these young, impressionable 00:37:09.340 --> 00:37:12.820 kids who don't have the tools or the wherewithal 00:37:12.820 --> 00:37:16.019 to recognize the manipulation that's happening 00:37:16.019 --> 00:37:19.059 in plain sight right in front of them. That's 00:37:19.059 --> 00:37:23.380 the conversation that we're committed to keeping 00:37:23.380 --> 00:37:27.920 alive because we want a safer, healthier, and 00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:31.099 more sustainable future for the hobby. And that 00:37:31.099 --> 00:37:33.159 conversation is everything. It's when the conversation 00:37:33.159 --> 00:37:36.840 stops that the sort of the darkness continues 00:37:36.840 --> 00:37:40.139 to creep in. So I've enjoyed talking with you 00:37:40.139 --> 00:37:42.679 today. Thank you and continued good work with 00:37:42.679 --> 00:37:45.079 what you're doing with Collectors MD. I look forward 00:37:45.079 --> 00:37:47.320 to talking with you again another few months 00:37:47.320 --> 00:37:49.239 down the line just to see what new developments 00:37:49.239 --> 00:37:50.980 are happening, other new partnerships and ways 00:37:50.980 --> 00:37:54.179 that you can continue to help people and people 00:37:54.179 --> 00:37:56.579 can help themselves and help their fellow collectors. 00:37:56.840 --> 00:37:59.579 Before we go, though, just talk about where people 00:37:59.579 --> 00:38:02.969 can, find you where people can find Collectors MD 00:38:02.969 --> 00:38:06.110 and maybe if they want to jump on a meeting, 00:38:06.170 --> 00:38:08.949 how they can do that. Absolutely. So we have 00:38:08.949 --> 00:38:11.349 a few different outlets. We're on pretty much 00:38:11.349 --> 00:38:13.789 all social media. So Instagram, Facebook, X, 00:38:13.929 --> 00:38:19.210 YouTube, TikTok, Threads, Discord, Reddit, LinkedIn, 00:38:19.329 --> 00:38:21.889 you name it. Like we are syndicating our content 00:38:21.889 --> 00:38:27.489 wherever people are consuming content. We also 00:38:27.489 --> 00:38:29.510 have three podcasts, so The Collector's Compass, 00:38:29.650 --> 00:38:32.489 Behind The Breaks, and Collectors MD Features. 00:38:32.769 --> 00:38:36.349 This episode will be syndicated as part of Collectors 00:38:36.349 --> 00:38:38.309 MD Features. We want to make sure that people 00:38:38.309 --> 00:38:41.989 can hear and consume any and all content that 00:38:41.989 --> 00:38:44.250 is being put out there, whether we're hosting 00:38:44.250 --> 00:38:48.199 it or one of our partners. supporters is hosting. 00:38:48.559 --> 00:38:51.980 You can watch or listen to those videos, those 00:38:51.980 --> 00:38:55.139 podcasts on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, 00:38:55.280 --> 00:38:58.059 pretty much any major streaming platform. If 00:38:58.059 --> 00:39:01.619 you want to check out our tools, resources, editorial 00:39:01.619 --> 00:39:04.840 content, you can go to collectorsmd .com. And 00:39:04.840 --> 00:39:06.880 then from there, you can also sign up for our 00:39:06.880 --> 00:39:10.280 weekly meetings. There's a dropdown menu under 00:39:10.280 --> 00:39:13.809 resources. first tab, weekly meetings, or you 00:39:13.809 --> 00:39:15.849 can click on sign up for our weekly peer support 00:39:15.849 --> 00:39:18.809 meetings. It takes you to a very straightforward 00:39:18.809 --> 00:39:22.730 Google form. You answer a few questions and we 00:39:22.730 --> 00:39:25.110 can get you added to the calendar invite. And 00:39:25.110 --> 00:39:27.550 those meetings are every Wednesday night at 8 00:39:27.550 --> 00:39:30.150 p .m. Eastern. We're obviously skipping this 00:39:30.150 --> 00:39:33.090 week because of Thanksgiving, but we also have 00:39:33.090 --> 00:39:35.989 a second meeting on Thursdays at 7 p .m. Eastern. 00:39:36.730 --> 00:39:38.710 that is in partnership with The Problem Gambling 00:39:38.710 --> 00:39:41.389 Coalition Of Colorado those meetings are called 00:39:41.389 --> 00:39:45.369 Unboxed Powered by Collectors MD and uh if you'd 00:39:45.369 --> 00:39:47.650 like to learn more about those you can email 00:39:47.650 --> 00:39:51.050 info collectorsmd .com or just shoot me a dm 00:39:51.050 --> 00:39:54.110 on instagram and i'll get back to you so uh there's 00:39:54.110 --> 00:39:57.389 a lot more but i try to keep it as as uh contained 00:39:57.389 --> 00:40:01.650 as possible um but Dave thank you so much for 00:40:01.650 --> 00:40:04.489 your ongoing support you've been an incredible 00:40:04.489 --> 00:40:08.550 ambassador and just uh really great friend as 00:40:08.550 --> 00:40:12.429 I continue to navigate this journey. It is not 00:40:12.429 --> 00:40:15.489 a one man show. It's not a one man mission. And 00:40:15.489 --> 00:40:18.809 so any and all support that we can get from the 00:40:18.809 --> 00:40:21.510 community is so incredibly appreciated. So I 00:40:21.510 --> 00:40:23.909 just wanted to thank you again for all that you 00:40:23.909 --> 00:40:27.889 do as well. Alyx Effron, Collectors MD, happy 00:40:27.889 --> 00:40:30.150 holidays and thanks for being on. Take care.