Inside Arena Club: Brian Lee on Disrupting Grading, Marketplace & Repack Models

In Part 1 of Episode 273, Jeremy Lee welcomes Arena Club founder and serial entrepreneur Brian Lee for a deep-dive conversation into the origins and future of Arena Club—a company that’s trying to do grading, marketplace, and repacks differently. Brian shares the story of how a frustrating conversation at the 2022 National with a vague repack seller sparked the idea for Arena Club’s “Slab Packs,” and how Derek Jeter—yes, that Derek Jeter—became a co-founder. He opens up about the uphill battle to gain traction in a hobby dominated by legacy grading companies and entrenched marketplaces, and why transparency, technology, and trust are at the heart of Arena Club’s mission. From his past successes with LegalZoom and The Honest Company to his vision for Arena Club as a true brand in the hobby, Brian explains why consistency, customer experience, and innovation will be the keys to long-term growth—and hints at what Arena Club may be launching next. This is a must-listen for collectors, flippers, entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about what it really takes to build a hobby business in today’s environment. Each week we tackle hot hobby headlines with a rotating panel of hobbyists, taking your questions and comments! We are likely to go into overtime so join us live grab your favorite beverage and snacks and bring your questions and comments as they will be in play. Originally aired Saturday June 28, 2025 Sports Cards Live has recently been ranked #5 among Feedspot's top 90 Sports Card podcasts https://podcast.feedspot.com/sports_card_podcasts/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices