eBay Dropping Rare Basketball Trading Cards in 24-Hour Auction Series

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This "Gametime Gets" initiative by eBay is an innovative approach to merge real-time sports achievements with collectibles trading. It's likely to generate significant buzz among basketball card collectors and fans. The 24-hour auction window creates urgency, potentially driving up prices and engagement.

The collaboration with Candace Parker adds credibility and expert curation to the selection. The inclusion of both NBA and WNBA players is noteworthy, reflecting the growing interest in women's basketball collectibles. The 0.24 starting bid is a clever marketing tactic, tying into basketball's shot clock.

eBay's data on search trends and player popularity provides valuable insights into the current state of the basketball collectibles market. The surge in searches for players like Caitlin Clark (1,200% increase) and Victor Wembanyama (3,100 searches per hour) indicates strong demand for rookie and rising star cards.

This promotion could potentially increase eBay's market share in the sports collectibles space and drive traffic to their platform during the basketball season. It's a smart move to capitalize on the real-time excitement of sports achievements and translate that into collectibles sales.

10/22/2024 - 09:00 AM

Curated by NBA analyst and former WNBA MVP Candace Parker, eBay's "Gametime Gets" puts epic cards up for auction when on-court milestones are achieved

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- eBay, home of the trading card hobby and a top shopping destination for basketball fans, announces "Gametime Gets" – a curation of basketball cards that drop when players hit milestones on the court, available for only 24 hours.

Each of the 50 valuable trading cards – and the on-court milestones that make them available – were selected by former WNBA MVP and basketball analyst Candace Parker. With 'basketball card' searched more than 10,000 times per day on eBay globally during 2023, "Gametime Gets" gives fans a chance to bring home the thrill of the game.

Starting today, fans can view the full "Gametime Gets" collection, along with the career benchmarks, league-wide records and single-game achievements that will trigger them to drop, at ebay.com/gametimegets. With bidding for each card starting at 24 cents, as an homage to the game's 24-second shot clock, everyone has an opportunity to get in on the action.

"Each season, we watch our favorite players hit their personal bests and set records, and as fans, we want a piece of that action and history," said Candace Parker. "Between my years on the court and in the broadcast booth, I've witnessed some incredible history-making moments. Now, with 'Gametime Gets,' fans can score iconic, collection-defining cards that you can only get on eBay."

All cards featured in the Gametime Gets curation are backed by eBay's Authenticity Guarantee and stored in the PSA Vault, making it easier than ever to store and sell cards when the next big play sparks demand.

How to Score:

Weekly drops will take place every Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. ET starting on October 22.
Fans will have just 24 hours to bid on rare cards corresponding to on-the-court milestones achieved during the past week – each starting at just 24 cents.
"Gametime Gets" kicks off with ten women's basketball cards commemorating huge on-court achievements from the historic 2024 WNBA season, including:
- A'ja Wilson 2020 Prizm WNBA Signatures Mojo: Third Career MVP Award
- Caitlin Clark Panini Instant Debut Jungle Auto: Single-Season Assists Record
- Kelsey Plum 2023 Prizm Get Hyped Gold: 3,000 Career Points

Featured NBA cards and pending milestones include:
- LeBron James 2003 Topps Chrome Gold Diamond: dropping when 1,500 games played
- Anthony Edwards 2020 Panini Flawless Auto Rookie: dropping at 7,000 career points
- Victor Wembanyama 2022 Bowman Chrome Auto: dropping for three blocks & three three-pointers made in a single game
- Luka Doncic 2018 Panini Instant Auto Black Rookie: dropping when he records a triple-double
- Kevin Durant 2007 Topps Chrome Refractor Rookie: dropping when 35 points scored in a single game

The complete list of players and milestones can be followed at ebay.com/gametimegets.

Basketball by the Numbers, on eBay

From reigning MVPs sealing their hall-of-fame bids, to rookies ready to make their mark, eBay has served as a cultural barometer for sports fans for nearly 30 years, offering unmatched depth and breadth of authentic and graded inventory. For example, global searches of 'wnba' items increased nearly 110% on eBay during the 2024 season versus the 2023 regular season, mirroring popular interest in breakout stars.

The Popular Kids:

The top five active NBA players with the most items sold during the 2023-24 NBA season (September 1, 2023 to June 18, 2024) on eBay globally, were Victor Wembanyama, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic, and Jayson Tatum.
The top five most searched active WNBA players on eBay, globally since the start of the WNBA season (May 1, 2024 - September 30, 2024) were Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Sabrina Ionescu, A'ja Wilson, and Kelsey Plum, with Clark dominating searches.
The top 5 most searched Rookie NBA players during the 2023-24 NBA season (September 1, 2023 to June 18, 2024) on eBay, globally, were Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, and Amen Thompson.

The Next Generation of Stars:

In July 2024 – when Angel Reese made her first WNBA All-Star game – global searches for 'Angel Reese' increased nearly 180% compared to May 2024, when the WNBA season began.
In September 2024 – when Caitlin Clark put the finishing touches on her record-setting Rookie of the Year campaign – global eBay users searched for 'Caitlin Clark' nearly 1,200 times per hour.
Interest in Victor Wembanyama collectibles peaked on the marketplace midway through the season, with global searches reaching over 3,100 times per hour from the beginning of February through the day after the Finals ended (June 18, 2024).

MVPs Past, Present… and Future?:

In April 2024 – when former MVP Candace Parker officially announced her retirement – global searches for Candace Parker increased more than 50% compared to the month prior (March 2024).
In September 2024 – when A'ja Wilson was named WNBA MVP – global searches for A'ja Wilson increased nearly 190% compared to May 2024, when the WNBA season began.
In May 2024 – when Anthony Edwards led the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Western Conference finals – searches for 'Anthony Edwards card' increased over 1,850% compared to October 2023, when the NBA season began.
In May 2024 when Jalen Brunson became the 4th player ever to score 40+ points in four straight playoff games, global searches for Jalen Brunson trading cards increased over 910% compared to the first month of the season (October 2023).

About eBay
eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a global commerce leader that connects people and builds communities to create economic opportunity for all. Our technology empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world, providing everyone the opportunity to grow and thrive. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is one of the world's largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2023, eBay enabled more than $73 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.