Player performance on NBA trading card prices
Date
2022-01-26
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Abstract
The unprecedented surge of sports card trading in 2021 has proved the relevance of sports cards not only
as a collector's item but as a profitable investment. With its market now valued at 14 billion USD, trading
cards have captured even the interest of non-sport fans who seek alternative sources of income. However,
despite the increased interest of people towards sports card trading, a guide on how sports cards are priced
still remains non-existent. Thus, investors are left to their own wisdom in distinguishing factors that impact
card prices in the resale market. In order to broaden the knowledge surrounding the prices of NBA trading
cards in the secondary market, we explore how different elements of player performance affect NBA trading
card prices. To determine the relationship of the variables, we employed panel data techniques and LASSO
models using a constructed dataset of NBA players during the 2020-2021 season. The data gathered was in
the form of in-game statistics from Stathead Basketball and card prices from Market Movers. Key insights
from the results reveal that injury instance, blocks per game, and points per game are significant factors in
the price of NBA trading cards. Specifically, injury instance has a negative impact on price, while blocks
per game and points per game both have positive effects. As an application of the findings, we recommend
that sports card traders not only look into in-game statistics but also consider the injury history of the player
in their investing decisions.