Published August 29, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

It finally happened. Topps Chrome SpongeBob. On the surface, it sounds like a joke—a novelty release you’d expect to stumble across in a bargain bin. But it’s not a joke at all. It’s the latest move in Fanatics’ relentless march to turn every franchise, every corner of culture, into a monetized, gamified product.

Just look at the 2025 slate: Topps Mint Disney, Disney Wonder, Disneyland 70th Anniversary, Topps Disney Vault, Topps Chrome Marvel Studios, 1975 Marvel Golden Anniversary, Topps Infinity MCU Phase 1, Topps Chrome Deadpool, Marvel The Collector, Pixar Gold, Toy Story 30th Anniversary, Topps Dune Chrome, Topps Meiyo Star Wars, Smuggler’s Outpost, Topps Chrome Stranger Things, and now SpongeBob 25th. And this is just the short list.

It’s dizzying. Every franchise, every universe, every piece of culture is being pulled into the same machine. What was once the unique language of sports cards—parallels, refractors, numbered inserts, chase hits—has now become the universal template. Movies, cartoons, theme parks, even anniversaries are being packaged into high-risk, high-cost collectibles designed to keep you ripping, chasing, and spending.

And your local breaker? If they make it, they will rip it. They’ll find a way to exploit their customers into buying more junk, dressed up as “generational, can’t miss” products.

This isn’t just diversification. It’s monopolization. Fanatics isn’t testing the waters anymore—they’re flooding the market, colonizing every vertical they can. And while it may look like “fun” at first glance—who wouldn’t smile at a Spongebob Superfractor?—the underlying mechanics are anything but harmless.

They’re the same gambling-coded systems we’ve been warning about: the manufactured scarcity, the lure of “hits”, the dopamine spikes that drive compulsion.

The danger isn’t just in sports or TCG anymore. It’s in everything. If you grew up loving Marvel, Disney Pixar, Star Wars—there’s now a product waiting to turn your nostalgia into a slot machine.

And when the chase ends, it won’t be joy or connection left behind. It’ll be fatigue, debt, and the hollow feeling that comes when a hobby stops being a hobby and becomes a hustle—a relentless gambling machine that will unapologetically rinse you until you’re left with nothing but a hollow collection that cost you quite literally everything.

At some point, we have to ask: where does this end? When every cultural property has been “Chrome’d out”, when every cartoon or franchise is reduced to numbered refractors and short-print inserts, what’s left of the joy of collecting? What’s left of the purity that drew us in the first place?

Not everything needs to be Chrome’d or Prizm’d. Not every memory, character, or story should be refracted into a numbered parallel. The joy of collecting isn’t about chasing scarcity manufactured by corporations — it’s about connection, community, and meaning.

#CollectorsMD
When every corner of culture becomes a casino, protecting your intention as a collector matters more than ever.

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Check out some of our cards featured on Fanatics Collect in the WeTheHobby Premier Auction Collection!

Published August 04, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

In our Collectors MD support group chat this week, the conversation has been heavy—but necessary. We’ve been unpacking the emotional, financial, and ethical weight of where the hobby stands today.

And truthfully, it’s scary what the hobby has become.

What used to be fun, social, and simple has morphed into something far more aggressive. The prices. The pressure. The performance. For many, collecting now feels less like a joyful pastime and more like trying to “beat the house.” And the house? It’s built to win.

We reflected on how breaks that once cost $20–30 and felt like hanging out with friends have devolved into high-stakes, profit-driven streams—filled with influencers shouting over background music while flipping low-value cards at absurd markups.

Over the weekend, we witnessed a reseller auctioning off paper base Bowman prospect cards for $30–40 apiece—cards genuinely worth less than the toploader they were being showcased in. When someone respectfully called out the price manipulation and inflated comps, they were immediately banned from the stream—no questions asked, no room for discussion.

Some in the group shared that if they’d never opened apps like Whatnot, they might’ve had the savings to put a down payment on a home—or even send their kids to college.

This isn’t just about bad actors—it’s about a broken system. From artificially inflated prices and shady trade-in schemes to comp manipulation and the normalization of gambling among kids, the ecosystem has shifted in a way that hurts more people than it helps. Even trading, once the soul of the hobby, has become sterile and transactional—more about spreadsheets than stories.

This is the reality we’re facing: the hobby is now conditioning impressionable kids to treat high-dollar repacks as a game of recouping value, not collecting. When the focus shifts entirely to “getting your money back,” the joy is replaced by anxiety—and the line between collecting and gambling disappears. It’s not just dangerous. It’s predatory.

When one of the guys in the group chat said, “I want the hobby to collapse,” what they really meant was this: “I want it to go back to when it actually felt like a hobby.”

And that’s a feeling we all understand.

But here’s the hard truth: there’s no going back. The money, the infrastructure, and the corporate consolidation are too deeply embedded. Fanatics isn’t going to let it collapse—they’ve invested billions to scale it into a full-blown entertainment ecosystem, one that blends gambling, streaming, influencer culture, and brand-building.

That’s why we’re not trying to destroy the system—we’re trying to reshape it.

Fighting Fanatics, Whatnot or any of these platforms or manufacturers head-on would be like storming the gates with cardboard swords. We’d get steamrolled. Instead, we’re playing the long game: building relationships, embedding ourselves where it matters, and fighting for a seat at the table.

Think of the movie 300. Leonidas didn’t assemble a random army—he handpicked warriors who stood for something. At Collectors MD, we’re doing the same. We’re forming a community of disciplined, purpose-driven collectors who want to rebuild this space with intention, education, and integrity.

We’re not aimlessly throwing spears. We’re getting inside the walls—to strategically influence from within.

And for those who still want to host breaks or be part of the marketplace? That’s okay. This hobby isn’t one-size-fits-all. For some, it’s casual. For others, it’s a slippery slope. What matters is self-awareness, boundaries, and responsibility.

We need more people asking:
“Is this in line with my values?”
“Am I protecting my community?”
“What example am I setting?”

Because ultimately, the hobby’s future won’t be determined by billion-dollar companies alone—it will be shaped by the choices we make as a collective. Whether it’s calling out fraud, educating the next generation, or showing others a healthier way forward, we each have a role to play.

We can’t rewind the hobby. But we can reshape what it looks like going forward. And that’s exactly what we’re here to do.

#CollectorsMD
We’re not trying to beat the house. We’re building a new one.

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From my 9 units that I purchased of 2025 Fanatics Under Wraps Emanates, I got:

• Jasson Domínguez (Pink Lemonade “Halftone” short print)

• Ichiro - Mariners (Orange 12/25)

• Jacob Wilson (Gold 34/50)

• Pete Alonso (Gold 50/50)

• Reggie Jackson (Green 85/99)

• Randy Johnson - Diamondbacks (Green 49/99)

• David Ortiz (Green 19/99)

• CC Sabathia (Green 97/99)

• Willy Adames (Green 31/99)

Looking to sell them (may hold on to Jacob Wilson). So before I list them on EBay, if you’re interested in any, please message me with an offer.

My best friend told me last night that as he was leaving Dick’s Sporting Goods, the Manager put out 9 2025 Under Wraps Emanates. They didn’t expect to receive any. So I woke up this morning and wanted to help them free up some shelf space 😂