I wanted to bring up a discussion point for the hobby. How can social media influencers such as Pokémon you tubers help grow the hobby. Is it even necessary to have big YouTube channels showcase these amazing cards to a bigger audience? Even someone like myself who has a pretty solid understanding of a lot of cards in the hobby gets surprised now and then with new finds. I’ve noticed leonhart starting to target collectors besides just opening the new sets. I’ve really enjoyed this change.
Ask your favourite content creators to subscribe to smpratte and interact/promote on efour
this is the only platform that really caters to collectors who want to focus on the hobby and cuts out the flipper shenanigans
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@rainbowneosking overall, there are some great talking points here, all of which we could only really speculate on but I find in doing so we might find some answers.
As @budget stated, this platform currently is really the only place ive noticed that promotes a healthy environment for all collectors and people into the hobby. I personally ditched most other social media-esq pokemon related talking places (reddit, facebook groups etc) because I found most of it to be quite toxic not to the hobby per say but rather my well being. First group i was ever in I tried asking someone for a price on a card they had for sale, they told me to “make an offer”, I made it too low because i was not yet educated in the market value and then the individual laughed at me. Quite the turn off if you ask me, so now ive been here a minute and its been the best place ive found to find information, talk, and overall have fun in the hobby instead of it being something more sour.
That being said, I wish more youtubers took note of here and hopped on that wagon, but then again, they must be quite busy already with that sort of deal. Uploading every day cant be easy, so i get it. Is it needed for the hobby to thrive? I honestly dont think so in this day and age. Pokemon promotes itself since its so established, but having youtubers help it out would be nothing but a benefit to us as a whole. So either way, i feel it would still thrive. But I will say I love the turn some youtubers have taken (LeonHart being that good example) in moving towards showing more collectors aspects of things. I imagine that the Gray/Smpratte video from him really branched out more newer collectors/tcg players into the deeper realms of collecting, and that alone is a great thing id love to see more of. Its always cool to see the progress in others collecting journeys while they also help highlight those really big in the game to give a wider perspective of just how big and great this all is, so hopefully we get the privilege of seeing more of these things from other big youtubers as time goes on.
I completely agree with your points about social media platforms. I only use Instagram to post pictures of my cards with videos from the anime that correspond to memories I have with that Pokémon. It serves as an outlet to express my love for collecting and let others appreciate these cards.
Maxmoefoe despite being a meme god actually seems like a serious collector. He does a lot of unboxings on new Japanese product. I don’t think he speaks much on the grading aspect of cards.
I feel like a lot of his viewers aren’t even collectors, or came to the channel already as a collector. His personality is definitely one of the biggest highlights. However at times when I wasn’t actively collecting Pokémon cards, his pack openings and humor always got me relapsing into Pokémon.
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The big youtubers make a big impact in the expansion of this hobby. I was 100% removed from it up until a few years ago when the Youtube algorithm gods blessed me with a random Leonhart video.
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@rainbowneosking I actually only recently discovered maxmoefoe myself and the first thought in my head was “how does this guy have so many subscribers”, but it makes sense with his style of content. Hes really hit or miss for me personally, because one second ill be weirded out or annoyed by his videos and the next ill find something funny, but overall id say hes alright in terms of content. Im just more geared towards less clickbaity titles and more chilled out informational type things (which is why I highly enjoy Smpratte overall) but he does provide for those who are really into his style of videos.
I cant really speak on him being a serious collector, but he does buy lots of great product that ive seen so there is that aspect as well, but i feel for him to reach a heavier collector base hed have to change that element he has that makes him so popular, as in my own personal experience Im really easy to turn away from just overt yelling or silly non stop antics being that id have a hard time taking that person seriously which is exactly the case with him and why i just really watch it for enjoyment only. But again, thats why it works for him and why hes so popular. Maybe down the road he could do a separate thing to attract that older collector base in more higher numbers, but i see him more as hitting the younger/young adult crowds more than anything else. Regardless, still quite the interesting dude!
If speaking on youtubers, if youre familliar with Rudy from Alpha investments, hes a youtuber i really enjoy even though he does mainly magic the gathering. He has a great mix of everything, and I feel if there was a Pokemon equivalent who hits those high views and subscriber count (meaning someone that could provide just as much content in a large consistent mannor) that would be awesome.
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Lee, Max, Hannah, Scott, Michael (Ando), Dani, Nate, Rusty, and all the big players are honestly great passionate people. They created content that grew a community and helped our hobby immeasurably. Anytime I can help any of them, I’m there, because they deserve the support.
Now we have many newer folks who are certainly capable of making a big splash too.
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Collectors can get too sucked into their pockets/perspective and miss the larger picture. I am in danger of this at times. Collectibles in general are not purchased by majority of the US. Hell even traditional investments aren’t a strong majority, which is why financial institutions are constantly doing outreach.
The ultimate answer for Pokémon; nowhere near majority of adults are in the hobby. Therefore larger channels tap into that potential pool. It’s simple organic traffic. Also this is why fear mongering about “growth” is only relative to the past and not actual market share.
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I see the YouTubers as the fisherman with the giant nets and crab baskets. Catering to all the crab but every once in a while you scrape up and octopus. (Who is much smarter and starts a collection of their own!)
Leonhart is probably the most recognizable face of pokemon youtubers in my opinion, and his stuff caters heavily towards kids-young adults. I always am happy to see leonhart with Gary, and the time with smpratte. I think those collabs are going to be very important. Would love to see more with the likes of Charlie, gemmint, TCA, Rev and the like
While this forum is amazing, I do think there is added value that can be gained from instagram, and other social media platforms. At times it kind of seems like its this forum vs instagram community. I’ve been in the instagram community longer than I’ve been on this forum and have made some awesome friends, and deals. Also, instagram is frankly way more appealing to use then this website or the mobile version on tapatalk
Touching off that I think we, and mainly the top dogs, should embrace influencers looking to get into the hobby, whether it be a Bieber, Danny Duncan, or Gary Vee. For example, Gary Vee posted on Twitter the other day that his relatives want to get into psa graded pokemon cards, and he wanted to know who is the best source of info. I cant tag Smpratte because there isn’t a twitter for him, and honestly his channel while popular with us, is very small versus the other pokemon youtubers. I know Smpratte and Gary can’t possibly give everyone a step by step guide and hold their hands into the hobby, but these guys have so much to offer and its wild just seeing opportunities slip by. And yes, I told Gary to check out Smprattes channel, but I mean i’m just some random guy with low follower count lol.
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E4 is more appealing to me. I like it here despite being unsocial.
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