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Last Updated On: February 12th, 2024
There’s something sacrilegious about digital sports cards. For starters, the whole thing sounds like an oxymoron: digital means intangible, while a sports card was specifically created as something to hold in one’s hand.
And let’s not get started on storage. After all, what would collectors do with all that attic space if their product could be stored in the cloud?
Regardless, digital sports cards are here. In fact, they’ve been around longer than we may realize and represent the hobby’s longstanding willingness to experiment with new designs. Think about the spacey designs of ‘90s basketball cards or hologram baseball cards from the same decade.
This post will cover the wide world of digital sports cards, beginning with an overview of NFTs. Then, we’ll move on to exploring digital sports cards brand by brand before wrapping up with a discussion of digital collectibles.
Let’s get to it!
Table of Contents
Understanding Digital Collectibles
Before jumping into the various opportunities for collecting digital sports cards and memorabilia, let’s make sure we’re on the same page about how this technology works. Don’t worry – it’s nothing particularly complex.
But a baseline comprehension will help explain why digital sports cards are popular in the first place (and, you know, make you sound cool at the water cooler…).
What are NFTs?
First and foremost, a digital sports card is a form of nonfungible token (NFT). An NFT is a digital asset representing real-world objects like art, music, memorabilia, and sports cards.
But the immediate availability of art on the Internet inevitably leads to one big drawback: scarcity. When images can be copied and reproduced millions of times on the Internet, how can an artist ensure that only a set number of pieces are made?
The answer is something called blockchain, which is essentially a virtual database that ensures digital assets are secure and authentic. Since digital images can be reproduced infinitely, a blockchain separates reproduced JPEGs from the real-deal original.
Blockchain also allows for seamless transfers, as each NFT’s purchase and sale is recorded in the blockchain’s database, as well.
Think of it like the difference between a signed Anthony Edwards Logoman card and a photograph of the same. Chances are, the card will come with a Letter of Authenticity guaranteeing its legitimacy (and, by extension, its scarcity). Blockchain operates the same way – it’s a virtual “letter of authenticity” that promises an owner that what it has is real.
But not every digital sports card exists on the blockchain; thus, they aren’t NFTs. The key difference is that ownership of non-NFT digital sports cards isn’t backed up by the authority of a blockchain.
Further, a few of the brands currently operate on private blockchains, meaning the NFT stored there can only be traded, bought, and sold between users on that specific blockchain. Others utilize public blockchains, which allows for easier transfer between users.
There are several benefits of collecting via NFTs. They make buying and selling easy: there’s no need for shipping boxes, trips to the post office, or packing slips. Storage is also a breeze: everything is stored virtually. And because they’re protected from the elements, you don’t have to worry about accidentally losing your priceless fortune of Jordan cards to disasters or normal wear and tear.
Types of Collectible NFTs
Given their digital nature, collectible NFTs come in all shapes and sizes, both traditional and potentially groundbreaking. Here are a few:
Sports and Trading Cards
While sports cards have come in their traditional cardstock form for over a century, digital cards are still a relative newcomer. However, they aren’t as young as you might think! Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Pokémon have made digital versions of their hit table strategy games since the 1990s.
And in 1999, Upper Deck released PowerDeck, a fully digital sports card that came with all the works – music, stats, video footage, and photos. Today, many traditional sports card companies, like Panini, also produce digital versions of their cards.
Team Kits
Collectors can also own jerseys and kits from their favorite players or teams. While you won’t actually possess any of the thread used to weave the uniform (remember, this is all digital), designers are finding ways to transform legendary jerseys into outstanding pieces of digital art.
Additionally, designers could sell their “concept shirts,” which are jersey designs made by artists that aren’t actually used by a team.
Memorabilia
In a similar vein to digital sports cards, memorabilia such as a team trophy or awards can also be given the NFT treatment and bought and sold as a commodity.
Highlights
Perhaps one of the more groundbreaking opportunities for collectible NFTs is the opportunity to own game highlights. Stored as a video clip, it’s possible for fans to possess some of the most memorable moments in sports history.
These “cards” aren’t cheap: a LeBron James highlight sold for as much as $200,000 during the height of NFTs, and other collectibles, back in 2021.
Digital Collectibles in the Market
With the increased popularity of NFTs and spurred by intrigue in cryptocurrency, many established sports card brands have begun offering digital products. Still, other newcomers are looking to capitalize on the buzz.
Let’s break down a few of the top names in digital sports cards.
NBA Top Shot
Founded in 2019, NBA Top Shot produces licensed basketball highlights that are sold as NFTs (meaning they’re on the blockchain). The basketball highlights are called “Moments,” i.e., video clips that range from a LeBron James windmill dunk to a Steph Curry three-pointer from deep. The rarer the Moment (meaning, the fewer clips out there), the more valuable.
Fans can purchase packs from Top Shot’s website for as little as $5.00. Each pack contains three Moments from a given NBA team. Higher-end packs go for upwards of $1,000, including the limited-edition Larry Bird Anthology packs, which went for $999. Top Shot also serves as a marketplace where sellers can post their Moments for buyers.
For a time, Top Shot looked like the future. The brand peaked in early 2021, with the average Moment price rocketing to $181 and the company doing some $50 million in sales.
But as of November 2022, the average Moment had plummeted to just $12.83.
Unfortunately, Top Shot got hit with the proverbial double whammy. Not only did its value likely tumble due to the broader recession in sports card interest following the pandemic surge, but it surely wasn’t helped by the stunning collapse of other crypto-based entities like FTX.
Topps
In 2012, Topps launched Topps Digital (later renamed Topps Bunt), which served as a hub for digital baseball cards. Since then, the brand has released several other apps for its myriad other digital brands, including games like Star Wars Card Trader, Topps Total Football (soccer), Topps NHL Skate, Marvel Collect!, and Disney Collect!.
But more importantly for our purposes, Topps also has an NFT division known as ToppsNFTs. The site operates as a marketplace to buy and sell Topps digital sports cards. Unlike NBA Top Shot, which strictly produces its video-based Moments, ToppsNFTs hew closer to the traditional sports card, albeit in a digital format.
Currently limited to baseball, the site is still working on rolling out NFTs for brands and sports, including Godzilla, international soccer, and hockey. Additionally, Topps Digital and Topps NFTs are stored on the blockchain.
Upper Deck
Upper Deck e-Pack helps solve one of the biggest problems in digital sports card collecting: convincing the traditionalist to switch over. The brand offers online packs available for purchase, which a buyer then keeps in their online collection. But they can also have eligible cards shipped to them, so the digital card becomes real.
But that’s not where the fun ends. Buyers are incentivized to purchase more cards because once they amass the requisite numbers of a given card, they can “level up” to a rarer version of the same. Think of it like trading 15 base cards for one Silver and then 15 Silvers for a numbered parallel.
In addition, users can virtually trade cards with one another in the site’s marketplace.
The only downside? Upper Deck only licenses with NHL, CFL, and AEW, meaning it’s a great option for hockey and wrestling enthusiasts (or, Canadian Football lovers), but not so for those interested in the other mainstream sports.
Upper Deck E-Packs and cards are also marketed as Authentic Digital Collectibles and maintained on the Evolution, the site’s private ledger. This ledger operates as a blockchain for the collectibles, but the collectibles can currently only be traded within the Evolution marketplace. According to its site, Upper Deck is exploring ways to store the Collectibles on a public blockchain ledger.
Panini
Panini America has dominated modern collecting for traditional NFL, and NBA sports cards, acting as the only officially licensed producer for both sports over the last 15 years. It’s no surprise they have established a digital footprint today as well.
Panini offers multiple digital trading card games through its Panini NFL Blitz, NBA Dunk, and FIFA World Cup-branded apps. Separately, collectors can buy and sell NFT packs, and officially licensed digital cards for the NFL, NBA, soccer, and WWE. Panini’s marketplace includes popular brands such as Panini Prizm, Select, and National Treasures. Buyers will find digital versions of familiar case hits and rare fan-favorites like Kaboom!, and NBA logoman cards in public auctions as well.
Keep in mind Panini’s blockchain is private, so NFTs can only be traded within their walls. It’s important for collectors to keep abreast with how Panini handles their entire NFT offering after the loss of NFL and NBA rights by 2026 (or sooner).
Sorare
Founded in 2019, Sorare combines the fun of collecting with the thrill of fantasy sports. With three sports represented – football, basketball, and baseball – users collect “cards” that serve as the members of their respective fantasy teams. Points are given to a player based on their real-life performance. Winners receive prizes ranging from cash, Ethereum tokens (a cryptocurrency), game tickets, and apparel.
From there, users can compete in various weekly competitions using their cards. And here’s where the collecting comes into play: the more prestigious tournaments are limited to users with more prestigious cards. The rarer cards are also boosted, meaning they perform better in fantasy competitions against other teams.
Here’s a breakdown of the Sorare cards based on rarity:
| Card Type | Total “Printed” |
| Limited Yellow | 1,000 |
| Rare Red | 100 |
| Super Rare Blue | 10 |
| Unique Black/Brown | 1/1 |
In addition, the site is a marketplace where users can buy, sell, and trade their cards. Prices vary extensively on the marketplace, with some yellow NBA “cards” going for as low as $1.40, while Victor Wembanyama’s rookie “card” is priced at $233.
Another point in Sorare’s book — it operates on a blockchain that “allows for complete freedom of movement for digital assets.”
Candy
Candy Digital, which deals primarily in MLB NFTs (stored on blockchain), offers a fairly traditional approach to the digital sports cards landscape. By selling packs of cards and operating as a marketplace where users can buy and sell the NFTs they want, it’s very much like a digital pawn shop or card store.
In addition to player-based NFTs, Candy provides the MLB equivalent of Top Shot’s basketball Moments. Buyers can crack open digital “Plays of the Week” and “This Month in Baseball” packs that allow individuals to own highlight reel plays.
Many of the MLB highlight packs come affordably, selling for less than $50 on the site’s Marketplace. Finally, users can also purchase NFT versions of their favorite team’s jersey, like this Phillies Bryce Harper red pinstripe.
NFL All Day
While Top Shots provides NBA highlights and Candy corners the MLB highlights, NFL All Day ensures fans are covered with the best plays from their favorite football players. What’s more, many “cards” actually come with multiple highlights: since one purchases the player, they receive up to 15 key plays of a player’s game against an opponent.
For example, this Travis Kelce 35/59 captured 15 stunning moments from the legendary tight end’s game against the Los Angeles Charges on December 16, 2021.
Another cool feature of the NFL All Day site is that it tracks sales on a given card. This allows a user to see the lowest it’s gone for, the most, and the average price. This helps tremendously in a buyer’s ability to track a card’s value over time (made all the more important since Card Ladder only inventories traditional sports cards). The site also provides an up-to-date catalog of the number of cards for sale, owned, and burned (those that have been permanently removed from the set) which is stored on a blockchain.
Ultimate Champions
Ultimate Champions, a fantasy trading cards brand that offers European basketball and soccer NFTs, has quite a bit in common with Sorare. In fact, we might consider Ultimate Champions to be something of a “Sorare lite.” Users can purchase cards for cash (or cryptocurrency), build a team, and then compete against other teams. And like Sorare, Ultimate Champions is stored on blockchain.
But while Sorare utilizes the cryptocurrency Ethereum to power its transactions, Ultimate Champions has its own digital currency called $UNA (although a traditional credit card is also accepted).
In addition to offering packs of cards, users can buy, sell, and trade on the store’s marketplace. We should also mention that Ultimate Champions is up-and-coming, meaning it’s working to expand its list of licenses and the sports it offers. Currently, it feels a bit more bare-bones compared to some of the other brands on this list. That said, getting in on the ground floor never hurt, either!
Digital Trading Cards
Unlike sports cards, digital trading cards belong to brands that aren’t associated with athletes or teams. Historically, these have been iconic table strategy games like Pokémon, which offers NFTs through Polygon.
In 2022, Wizards of the Coast was forced to send a cease and desist letter to fans of its hit Magic: The Gathering game, which planned on releasing unlicensed NFTs depicting the brand’s many famous figures.
Still, digital trading cards have expanded to other avenues, including politics. In 2022, Donald Trump launched an NFT site to sell $99 trading cards of, you guessed it, himself. The expansion is a sign that the NFT card craze isn’t limited to historic trading card brands, but open to eager opportunists, as well.
Future of Digital Sports Cards
Hobbyists should be aware that they’re dealing with more than just traditional theories about collecting. Because of its close connection to cryptocurrency, collectors should stay informed of any changes in that space, as well.
But if anything, digital sports cards are yet another way to invite others into the hobby and push the boundaries of what we expect from a sports card. It’s possible to imagine a digital reboot of MLB Showdown, with virtual competitions across the country (and ditto for other table strategy games).
While many of these digital sports card brands are far from perfect, I want to stress something: it feels inevitable that these cards will be part of our future. Yes, the Top Shot price drop is concerning, but not so much so when you consider the broader trends in sports card collecting over the last three years.
Think about the car for a moment. The first automobile patent was filed in Germany in 1886. Forty years later, in World War I, armies still used horses for transport. The United States interstate highway didn’t start construction until 1956. And today, no one would question the central role cars play in our lives. But that’s nearly 150 years of history to refine (add seatbelts, windshield wipers, etc.) and popularize a product until was taken for granted.
The point is we’re only twenty-some years into the history of digital sports cards. We still have a long way to go before digital cards are taken for granted in the same way as cards. But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.
If you have personal experience with digital sports cards, let us know in the comments! What do you think the future looks like?