The hobby will descend on the Chicago area this week for the 2025 National Sports Collectors Convention.
If you're heading to the show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, cllct has everything you need to know for the biggest sports card show in the country.
Here are five helpful tips to make the show a success for you.
1. Stay comfortable
It doesn’t matter if you’re at the show for one day or five days — remaining comfortable will be key, with 500,000-square-feet of event space packed with things to do and cards to buy.
Treat the show as you would a concert, fair or festival by bringing comfortable shoes and socks. Put a priority on remaining hydrated and try to avoid consuming too much concession stand-style food if you’re at the show for multiple days. Your stomach will appreciate you.
Be sure to pace yourself, too. Regular show hours are long, and that’s before you include any trade nights or other post-show activities. Days can become extremely long and running yourself ragged by Friday can ruin your weekend.
Consider resting up for trade night if you can and be sure to get a little fresh air whenever possible.
2. Be social
The National will have more than 600 vendors selling some of the best cards the hobby has to offer. The cards are great, but the power of friendship can be even better.
Use the convention to catch up with old friends, make new ones and appreciate being around so many people who also love the hobby. Make sure you check out at least one trade night if you’re at the show for multiple days.
Consider chatting up the dealers — as long as you aren’t preventing sales — to learn about interesting cards you come across. Vendors are often some of the most knowledgeable collectors in the hobby, and you can learn a lot by asking questions.
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3. Buy smart
There’s a lot of nuance to buying and selling at card shows, but some simple tips are to bring cash to help negotiate lower prices and always be respectful when haggling.
Consider bringing cards you’re willing to trade as these can help lower the price at a vendor and will obviously be great for the organized trade nights.
The show can be overwhelming at first, and it’s critical you remember the first deal isn’t always the best deal. Consider “taking a lap” to see what the show has to offer before spending big.
Vendor inventory can turn over significantly during the show, so be sure to stop by interesting showcases more than once. And don’t forget the final days are sometimes the best opportunities to make deals with vendors looking to liquidate before traveling home.
4. Take in all the show has to offer
The cards are the National’s major draw, but there are plenty of other things to see and do.
Stop by booths for the major hobby companies for giveaways and other activations.
The auction houses will have impressive items on display, too, so don’t skip them if you have the time.
Heritage Auctions will be showing off its Kobe Bryant-Michael Jordan Dual Logoman, which is set to sell as part of the Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction Aug. 23-24.
Also at the show will be items from the personal collection of Willie Mays, which will sell at Hunt Auctions this fall. Items include a championship ring, MVP awards and his Presidential Medal of Freedom.
If breaking is your thing, the breakers pavilion will be an interesting experience with dozens of companies ripping live from the convention.
Don’t forget about the autograph pavilion either. Some of the greatest athletes of all time will be signing Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so the National might be the perfect place to get some in-person ink from one of your sporting heroes.
5. Explore Rosemont and Chicago
The National might be the reason you’re in Rosemont, but there are plenty of things to do outside the convention center. There’s great food in Rosemont, including Chicago-area favorites such as Gibsons for a great steak and Carmine’s or Giordano’s for pizza.
Getting into Chicago proper is a little more work, but the White Sox play at home Wednesday, and the Cubs have a three-game series of day matchups against the Orioles on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Lollapalooza is also taking place in Chicago’s Grant Park from Thursday through Sunday if you’re interested in checking out one of the biggest music festivals in the world.
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the Collectibles Editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.