The National 2026: Inside the Hobby’s Greatest Show, PLUS A Hero’s Journey Ends (Ep. 266)

Fresh back from Chicago, this week Ian and Josh relive their trip to the 46th National Sports Collectors Convention, with Keith and Jason firing in questions from home.It’s a full National debrief, from the scale of the show and the crush of the crowds to the way the big booths turned floor space into proper hobby theatre. Think live breaks, giveaways, custom cards, free slabs, app sign-ups, and enough collector temptation to test even the strongest willpower.Was there much non-sports to be found? Ian and Josh go hunting beyond the sports tables, from Pokémon, One Piece, Marvel, and DC to sealed boxes, autos, vintage oddities, and the Star Wars-heavy Heritage Auctions display.We also get into show logistics, favourite moments, Chicago food, Target restocks, Lollapalooza chaos, and why The National is as much about people, networking, and industry handshakes as it is about buying cardboard.BIG love to the Upper Deck team and to all who we met at the show.Plus, Jason signs off from regular podcast duties with a heartfelt farewell. I’m not crying, you’re crying.---⏳ TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro to The National, Not “Nationals”02:36 Josh’s First Look at the Scale of The National07:40 Meeting IRL and the Industry Side of the Show12:23 Queues, Crowds, and Product Flying Off Tables17:03 eBay Live, Whatnot, and Big Booth Activations20:18 Custom Cards, Freebies, and Fanatics Instant Rips29:26 Upper Deck, Hockey Breaks, and Show Questions34:25 Wi-Fi, Venue Logistics, and Future Host Cities39:20 Spending, Pickups, and the Non-Sports Hunt53:26 Favourite Moments, Chicago, Target, and Lollapalooza1:14:03 Networking, Vintage Sports, and Million-Dollar Displays1:29:43 Jason’s Farewell and Episode Sign-Off---👇 JOIN THE COMMUNITY & WATCH VISUAL EPISODES• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod • Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJx2Ddsda7tRKBzWW1OMCrA • All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod---🎙️ SHOW CREDITS• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel Base Card Podcast – check out his show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠ • Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ---ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCASTWelcome to That Card Collectors Podcast! We dive deep into the non-sports, sports, and pop-culture trading card universe. Subscribe for weekly hobby updates, honest set reviews, and authentic grassroots collector culture. #EnjoyCollecting