“Topps Ripped” defines breaking as opening multiple boxes or cases of a product simultaneously and then distributing the cards to a larger group of paying customers. Breakers sell ‘slots’ to their breaks, and customers receive a defined portion of the opened product. Customers either pay for a specific team, which entitles them to any card belonging to a player from that team or are given a randomized allotment.
I will occasionally buy a pack of baseball cards just for fun and see what cards I can pull. The other day, I went to my local Target store and looked at the baseball card section to see that they only had 2024 Bowman Cards on the shelf for $44.99. I said, “That’s crazy! I’m not paying that price.”
I went home, searched the web for baseball cards, and came across Steel City Collectibles Break Room White Oak, PA., forty minutes outside Pittsburgh. It piqued my interest as I read that you can buy into a sports card break for a specific team for half the price. For $19.99, I purchased the Cleveland Guardians 2024 Topps Series 2 Baseball Hobby six-box pick-your-own team group break. This break consisted of 30 MLB team slots that can be bought for a specific price, with the Guardians being the lowest-priced team slot.
The break consisted of 400 cards per box being ripped open and streamed live over YouTube, as I was intrigued to see what this new approach to sports card collecting was about. The online presenter began the break by ripping open one pack at a time, naming the player on the card, and then showing the card to the camera. If it was a good card hit, a star player, and serial-numbered, it would be sleeved and top-loaded, and the person who bought that team slot would be told it’s their card.
The hobby has seen its ups and downs, from being popular to being uninterested by kids because of social media and the popularization of the iPhone. During the ’80s and ’90s, the card market was oversaturated with the “Junk Wax” era — too many card companies with too many products for the industry to handle. Today, the two popular sports card manufacturers are Topps and Panini America, with some small spin-off brands. Researching sports card breaking became popular during the pandemic as people sat at home and tried to keep themselves busy.
Breaking has become a significant and prominent business within the trading card world. Breakers operate websites and often stream their breaks on social media platforms. For high-stakes breaks, it isn’t uncommon for thousands of people to tune in and watch, even though they aren’t paying for a slot or receiving any cards.”
Besides Steel City Collectibles, other reputable sports card collectible stores do live breaks. Here’s a look at a few of them:
— Jaspy’s Case Breaks, Hermosa Beach, CA.
— Stryker Breaks, Lapeer, MI.
— Dave & Adam’s Card World, Amherst, NY.
Breaking also consists of Pokémon, Star Wars, non-sports cards, and memorabilia. So, if you’re not into gambling your money at the casino, maybe try sports card breaking, as there will be some big winners and, on occasion, losers, too.
