THE NATIONAL SPORTS COLLECTORS CONVENTION WRAPS UP 5-DAY EVENT
CONVENTION CENTER OFFICIALS ESTIMATE 60,000+ IN ATTENDANCE
The National Sports Collectors Convention just wrapped up its 42nd annual 5-day event at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Local Convention Center officials estimate a total attendance of attendees, dealers, and sponsors of over 60,000, the highest since 1991.
The event is an annual gathering of collectors, dealers and other groups interested in collecting trading cards, autographs, and other related memorabilia. The Center welcomed the event to Atlantic City in 2016, and was scheduled to host it again in 2020, but was canceled due to the pandemic and rescheduled for 2022.
“The 42nd National was by all accounts one of our most successful events, as the attendance was the second largest in the history of the show,” said John Broggi, Show Manager of the National Sports Collectors Convention. “The Convention Center’s location allowed us to promote to a large population base within a reasonable proximity to Atlantic City. The result was a huge number of first-time attendees. 54% of those completing a surveying on our web site indicated the 2022 was the first National they had attended.“
“The 2022 National Sports Collectors Convention was the largest event held at the Atlantic City Convention Center and Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in the last decade,“ said OVG360’s Jim McDonald, General Manager of the Atlantic City Convention Center. “This event utilized all of the exhibit halls and meeting rooms, totaling over 500,000 square feet of space; that’s over 100,000 square feet more than its footprint in 2016. Attendees and exhibitors from all over the world traveled to the city, booking over 11,000 room nights, enjoyed the beaches, gaming, restaurants, shopping and nightlife.“
“Atlantic City welcomed back The 42nd National Sports Collectors Convention with open arms, and the five-day event exceeded expectations for attendees and exhibitors alike with a grand slam. This event is Atlantic City’s largest consumer event and boosted the destination with over $20 million in projected economic impact. We look forward to the opportunity to host the NSCC in Atlantic City in the future again,” said Meet AC and Atlantic City Sports Commission President and CEO Larry Sieg.
“All three Caesars Entertainment properties in Atlantic City hosted room blocks within the show’s official block and we are sure they also drove incremental business through other channels such as casino earned comps and third party and transient room sales,” said Jim Ziereis, Vice President Hotel Sales- Atlantic City Region. “Having the sports celebrities throughout the properties created a lot of buzz and the exhibitors and attendees all hit the restaurants and lounges at night.”
“This event was packed with sports fans and it served to bolster the city economy by drawing tourists over the course of several days,” said Michael Chait, President of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber. “The National is a special event of the summer and it showed in the number of families who attend and come from as far away as Seattle. The show is terrific for the entire region because it draws positive attention to Atlantic City.”
“The National Sports Collector’s Convention was a spectacular show and one unlike we have ever seen in our 12 years of being a local restaurant business at the Atlantic City Convention Center,” said Blake Morgan, owner of Mad Dog Morgan’s. “The show was massive and has a fantastic following. It was a unique opportunity to see such a large gathering of famous athletes and industry professionals. From both a vending perspective and as an attendee, this was one of the best shows we have participated in. Well laid out, well directed and excellent all around!”
The Tristar Autograph Pavilion welcomed 144 autograph guests including: Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Odell Beckham Jr., Rickey Henderson, Mariano Rivera, Julius Erving, and Floyd Mayweather, together with other football, basketball, hockey, boxing, MMA, and baseball legends and Hall of Famers, and other notable entertainment stars. On-site were several cast members from the iconic movie “The Sandlot” and Thomas Ian Nicholas, best known for “Rookie of the Year.” In addition, former US NAVY SEAL Robert O’Neill, member of Seal Team Six, was available for photos and autographs. A quick breakdown of the week included: 73 Hall of Famers, 24 MVPs, and 6 Heisman Trophy Winners.
The 2023 National will be held in Chicago, IL; OVG360 and Meet AC will continue to work with event organizers to host a future event at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
“It was a pleasure to welcome over 600 dealers from across the country to Atlantic City; we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to host each of them again at a future date,” continued Chait. “The entire local business community, from hotels and restaurants both large and small, to transportation companies and parking lot operators, all saw a direct impact from this incredible event, and we truly appreciate the time they spent with us.”
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center are operated by OVG360 and owned and funded by the CRDA.
Photos by Tom Briglia
