Hobby Musings: Leaf’s CJ Breen, Women of Sport – Interview

 

Hobby Musings: Leaf’s CJ Breen, Women of Sport – Interview Transcript

Editor’s note: Some text has been changed from original audio for grammar and clarity. C.J. is the Director of Marketing & Athlete Relations for Leaf Trading Cards.

2024 Leaf Metal Women of Sport Hobby Box (Presell)Kelsey Schroyer: Hey everyone, welcome to another edition of Hobby Musings. I’m Kelsey Schroyer, joined today by Leaf’s C.J. Breen. C.J. thanks for being with us.

C.J. Breen: Thanks for having me.

KS: So, you guys just released some big information about a pretty cool product coming out, an all women’s sports product. Why make the decision to unveil this?

CB: I think it’s been almost a year in the making now. From our internally discussing the way women’s sports have really captivated the sports industry and a whole from Caitlin Clark to Paige Bueckers to, you know, the US women’s soccer team being so good. Everyone wants to collect women’s trading cards. And now we’re providing the opportunity to collect a women’s only product. I think that is a real testament to our team and our hard work to include diversity, inclusion into trading cards, and it is a hobby at the end of the day, and we want everyone to feel welcomed. So this product really shows Leaf is going the extra mile to cater to the collectors.

KS: So with that being said, who are some of the top names we’re going to see in this product? Some of the rarer names too, especially for autographs.

CB: Definitely Cameron Brink and Paige Bueckers. I mean, can you think of two hotter names in the trading card industry? Then if you also pay attention to women’s basketball, you’ll know that Kate Martin and what her Leaf cards sell for, they’re hundreds of dollars, which is insane that this is her first ever autographs or Leaf cards. We’re super excited to have them in the product as well as Alicia Lehmann, Mia Hamm, Doris Burke. There’s a triple autograph of the, you know, the biggest three women’s sideline reporters and announcers in the game. So as a sports fan, I’m like, it’s so cool to see that finally happen.

A lot of first time signers with NIL, the top female athletes. I think it’s the nice part about multisport is you get everything from, you know, track and field to lacrosse to basketball to soccer to NASCAR in this product. There’s just so many different unique ways to collect and I think that it’s the perfect mesh of everyone being included in the set.

KS: You mentioned NIL, we know some of the big names that you just mentioned who’s kind of an under the radar. And, and you mentioned Kate Martin and someone kind of being like, you wouldn’t think at first you know kind of at a higher value figure. Who is an athlete in this, where by the time it’s all said and done, you’re going to be like, yeah, we told you this was a big person. This is someone who’s going to be the next kind of big collectible person in women’s sports?

CB: I think a name that folks need to pay attention to is Toby Fournier, who is a Leaf exclusive athlete. We signed her about three months ago, exclusive, and just finally announced it last week. She’s one of the only females in the world that can dunk. And then I tell you, dunk It’s not just, you know, laying in there. It’s aggressive. It’s like any man can dunk. I had the privilege of doing a workout with her. When I was doing the signing and just watching her go through her progressions and dunk, and I’m like, she is on par with probably some of the best dunkers in college basketball. And I’m, we’re super excited for her to start this year. And then the first moment of the first dunk that she has in her career, her cards are going to go bananas.

I think she’s going to have a similar effect to the “Clark effect” I think that Duke’s women’s basketball team is going to take the next step. They play in the best conference in women’s basketball, in my opinion. So, we’re really excited to have her on board. And she’s exclusive so you only can find her cards in our products. Her first ever card is going to be in Women of Sport, which she has on card autographs with inscriptions. It’s just going to be super fun product for all collectors.

KS: Some of the athletes you mentioned, you know, like your Mia Hamms, they’ve had plenty of cards already. They kind of know what this deal is. But with someone like Fournier where this is her first card. Correct?

CB: Correct.

KS: How does that come together in terms of making the deal? And what’s the reaction from her and her camp when you approach them with something like this?

CB: It’s she’s also from Canada. So that adds another logistic to it with NIL for instance have to do the deal has to be done in their home country. So we flew out to Canada, did the signing. But trying to get to the NIL people that aren’t really familiar with trading cards like the track and field, lacrosse that really have never had cards, just trying to explain to them what it means to have your own card and how fans can finally collect you in a different way than maybe, you know, a shout out on social media or a merch like a t shirt. It’s as you know cards are the best form of collecting, we think at least at Leaf. And this adds another bonus to their, you know, repertoire. And it’s a legacy. And it will, you know, be passed down for a while.

KS: So, this is looking a bit far ahead, but is this the only women’s sport exclusive project you’re planning on doing, or is there more in the pipeline?

CB: You know, we’ve had talks internally and so far, we’ve had such a good response to this product and the pre-sales of it. You know, it wouldn’t shock me if you have series two, you know, in the works middle of next year, you know, it is with some new names. Like once we start telling people, hey, like women’s sport product, you’re going to be featured in and they’re start telling their friends, we’re going to get some names that have never had cards before. And it’s going to be, you know, one of the most intriguing products I think, you know, moving forward. Not that this product doesn’t have new names that we’ve never seen before, but as it continues to grow the brand, I think we’re going to keep, you know, upping it and, you know, doing cool, unique things.

KS: Like most things in the hobby, the women’s sports card market has boomed, has spiked, you know, thanks to the Caitlin Clarks but also thanks to your Mia Hamms and those very big legacy names. With that being said, looking at this a little long term, especially, you know, depending on the reception of this product, how much bigger do you think the market can go for women’s sports cards?

CB: You know, I think the sky’s the limit. And how it goes. And as you know, with, with the hobby draft classes and, and things like that change, you know, the collectability.  But if you look at women’s basketball, which quite frankly, is kind of what you have to base things off of since it is probably the most collectible women’s sports cards available right now, especially with the Caitlin Clarks, the Cameron Brinks and all those other things you have Paige Bueckers coming out next year. Paige Bueckers has a lot of autographs in this product. Paige Bueckers first ever card was a Leaf card, and she inscribed my first ever card. So, this product, if you follow the trends, this product is going to be monster because there’s tons of Paige Bueckers in this product. So that’s super exciting.

So, with Paige Bueckers being the next draft class, and then you have, you know, a few more names like Juju Watkins and other things like that coming up. I think that women’s sports have never been hotter. I don’t think it’s slowing down anytime soon. I think that we’re just, you know, hitting stride. So, we’re super excited. And I think that, you know, we’re in a great place for sure having these connections with all these players already.

 

Hobby Musings: Leaf’s CJ Breen, Women of Sport


Kelsey’s ability to bring hobby coverage to the mainstream sports fan has been a true asset. GTS is happy to feature his thoughts on collecting in Hobby Musings. The opinions expressed are his and do not necessarily reflect those of GTS Distribution.
Kelsey Schroyer

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