The Hobby was abuzz yesterday, Collectors! Upper Deck president Jason Masherah took to LinkedIn to express some frustration around Kevin O’Leary rocking a Kobe Bryant / LeBron James / Michael Jordan Triple Logoman Autograph card on a blinged chain around his neck at the Oscars (FWIW, the card is worth anywhere between $10-$Infiniti million dollars, if you ask Mr. Wonderful).

Masherah wrote, “The hobby doesn't need theater to justify itself… When mainstream attention arrives organically, it reinforces something authentic. When it feels staged, it creates skepticism. And skepticism is the last thing a hobby built on trust needs.”

I tend to agree… When Logan Paul wore the Pikachu Illustrator around his neck, it felt inventive, fun and fitting for his persona. On O’Leary, the card looked unoriginal, gimmicky and very “How do you do, fellow kids?”

And while the card itself is still amazing, the peacocking makes it ever-so-slightly less cool to me… the opposite of O’Leary’s intention! Not that Mr. Wonderful cares about the opinion of people who can’t afford to buy the card in the first place…

Perfect segue from the lede! The modern sports card market is attracting new capital from celebrities (like Mr. Wonderful), athletes, and investors, transforming collectibles into global cultural assets. High-profile purchases, such as Shohei Ohtani’s $4.4M home run ball, Paul selling his Pokemon grail to A.J. Scaramucci, or O’Leary buying up Logomen, illustrate this shift. While visibility has increased through media and live commerce, much of the market’s highest-value activity still occurs privately through brokers and insider networks, and probably isn’t impacting card values in the average collection.

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit alleging Fanatics and major sports leagues conspired to monopolize the trading card market. The court ruled plaintiffs failed to show they overpaid for cards or had standing, noting Fanatics wasn’t producing certain licensed products at the time. The case was dismissed without prejudice, and plaintiffs are considering next steps.

An espresso machine that became a dugout fixture during Italy’s World Baseball Classic run sold for $16,510 at auction. The basic machine gained attention as players celebrated home runs with espresso shots and remained with the team through its run to the semifinals. Proceeds from the sale were directed to the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center. The viral moments from the dugout really added a fun wrinkle to Team Italy games, though I always wondered how the late-night shots were impacting the team’s sleep…

The espresso machine wasn’t the only big ticket item from the WBC to sell at auction this week. Shohei Ohtani’s jersey from Japan’s March 6 game sold for $1.5M after 298 bids, setting a record for an Ohtani jersey. He wore it during a game in which he hit a grand slam and drove in five runs (so a typical outing for Ohtani).

Ohtani and Logomen… this newsletter has a theme that sort of snuck up on me. The Shohei Ohtani–Aaron Judge dual Logoman 1/1 Autograph card sold for over $2.1M, drawing mixed reactions. Some viewed it as a strong result for a non-rookie dual auto, while others expected a higher price given recent market momentum. The sale highlights ongoing debate around modern 1/1 cards, particularly their long-term value relative to rookie cards and the potential for similar future releases. But bottom line- the card is sweet, and features two of the best to ever swing the big stick.