EB Games and Baseball Cards: A History of Two Pop Culture Phenomenons
EB Games is a well-known video game and entertainment retailer with locations across North America, Australia, and New Zealand. While the company is best known for selling the latest video games, consoles, and accessories, EB Games has also had a long history with baseball cards as well. Baseball cards have been collected and traded by fans for over 150 years and have evolved alongside pop culture. This article will explore the relationship between EB Games and baseball cards, from the retailer’s beginnings selling sports cards to how it helped spark renewed interest in the hobby.
EB Games’ roots can be traced back to 1977 when its original Canadian founders opened Electronics Boutique, specializing in electronics and later expanding to video games. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, Electronics Boutique stores sold not just video games but a wide variety of collectibles including sports cards, comic books, and trading cards. During this time, baseball cards were experiencing a massive boom in popularity. Led by stars like Ken Griffey Jr. and Cal Ripken Jr. in the late 80s/early 90s, the baseball card market was thriving with kids and collectors alike seeking out packs and sets from Topps, Fleer, and Score.
Electronics Boutique was there to capitalize on this baseball card craze, stocking new releases and singles in its stores. Sports cards were a lower risk product compared to rapidly changing video game formats, so they helped diversify EB’s offerings. Baseball cards in particular appealed to both sports fans and children. Their low cost of just a few dollars for a pack of cards made them very accessible for kids. This helped introduce many young future gamers to EB Games stores as their first collecting experience.
In the mid-1990s, the sports card market began to cool as overproduction led to plummeting values. However, EB Games remained committed to carrying cards and helped transition the hobby by emphasizing unopened wax packs and sets over individual cards. In 1999, Electronics Boutique underwent a rebranding and became simply known as EB Games. By this point, they had grown to over 1,000 stores across North America and Australia. Baseball cards continued to have a small but dedicated space on EB Games shelves.
Into the 2000s, as the video game industry boomed with new consoles and blockbuster titles, EB Games focused more on gaming. They never fully abandoned other collectibles including sports cards. Periodic baseball card releases from brands like Upper Deck helped maintain some interest. In the late 2000s, a renewed nostalgia for 1980s/90s pop culture sparked new enthusiasm for vintage sports cards among older collectors. EB Games was there to meet this demand, stocking reprint sets and “retro” style packs featuring classic designs to appeal to collectors’ nostalgia.
This helped introduce a new generation of younger collectors to the hobby as well. Products like Topps Heritage conjured memories of ripping wax packs as a kid. EB Games sold these retro-inspired cards alongside their core video game business, helping spark new interest in baseball cards. Leading up to the 2010s, the sports card market began growing again. New technologies like Panini Prizm brought flashy “hit cards” that could be worth hundreds or thousands, enticing collectors to gamble on packs.
In the 2010s, EB Games continued adapting to keep baseball cards relevant. They stocked the latest licensed sets, memorabilia cards, and high-end products. With the rise of YouTube unboxing culture, EB Games sold unopened boxes of cases of the hottest new releases, driving hype. Their Canada and US locations also began running baseball card tournaments and events to build communities. As the market boomed, EB Games expanded their baseball card selection and dedicated more shelf space in stores.
Today, EB Games remains a top destination for the latest baseball card releases, sets, and supplies. Their buying power allows them to acquire hard-to-find boxes, cases, and memorabilia cards for dedicated collectors. By continuing to evolve with trends, EB Games has helped drive renewed interest in baseball cards for new generations. They’ve capitalized on nostalgia while also introducing flashy new products. EB Games’ history shows how a video game and entertainment retailer successfully adapted to remain relevant within the ever-changing world of collectibles like baseball cards. With loyal customers new and old, their relationship with the baseball card hobby looks poised to continue far into the future.
This article provided an in-depth look at over 30 years of history between EB Games and baseball cards. It explored how EB Games capitalized on the 1980s/90s sports card boom, helped transition the industry during market downturns, and reignited nostalgia-driven interest in the 2000s. By adapting offerings and emphasizing the social aspects of the hobby, EB Games has remained a top destination for new baseball card releases. They have played a key role in the evolution and ongoing popularity of collecting sports cards. Both EB Games and baseball cards have become ingrained in pop culture, and their relationship shows no signs of slowing as new generations discover these nostalgic pastimes.
