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As sports card collecting makes a comeback, organizers hope Lafayette show is first of many

The Advocate - 9/27/2021

Sep. 26—In what he hopes to be the first of many shows, Chad Domengeaux deemed the Acadiana sports cards and collectibles show held in Cathedral Carmel's gymnasium to be a success.

With no real expectations, Lafayette's Domengeaux watched as a couple hundred collectors went from vendor to vendor viewing cards and negotiating sales.

"Oh, we're very happy with the turnout," said Domengeaux, who admittedly was on the lookout for a card featuring Joe Burrow card in his LSU uniform. "This is our first show here and I feel like everyone here is happy."

Sports memorabilia, including trading cards, has experienced a renaissance recently, caused, in part, by the coronavirus pandemic. Along with baking, organizing and gardening, collecting benefited from people staying home during the pandemic and finding new ways to spend their time.

In addition, one "element of collecting has to do with the ability to gain and exercise control, especially in uncontrollable circumstances — which the pandemic was the epitome of," Holly Schiff, a clinical psychologist who specializes in anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder, told The Washington Post in story published in June.

The Lafayette show, which was free of charge, featured more than 25 vendors with cards from all sports, autographed memorabilia and even Pokémon cards. Cards were as cheap as $0.25 a card to as expensive as $20,000 for an autographed Michael Jordan Upper Deck card.

"I'm a sports fanatic," said 36-year-old Shane Meyers, who drove from Morgan City to attend the show. "I've been collecting sports cards since I was 10 years old. It is a very fun hobby."

Meyers, who last attended a show while in his hometown of Lake Charles, said he has some collections with good value.

"I have a Joe Burrow Mosaic Rookie card that is worth a couple hundred bucks," Meyers said. "I consider myself to be a low-end collector, with most of my interest being in LSU and the New Orleans Saints. I really enjoy it."

Even Church Point Mayor Ryan Meche, a collector since the late 1980's, was in attendance for the show.

"This is the first time that I have been to a card show since like the mid-1990's when they were held at the Holidome in Lafayette," said Meche, who enjoys collecting baseball, football and basketball cards. "I came here looking to see what was available, to learn and to see how things have evolved since I was a kid. Things have definitely changed."

Meche, who recently got back into sports card collecting earlier this year, said the hobby provides him the perfect escape from the "hustle and bustle" of life.

"I got back into it about six to eight months ago and I'm enjoying it as much today as I did when I was a kid," Meche said. "There's definitely a lot to learn."

Meche and others will have other opportunities to attend shows and learn, as Domengeaux vowed to put on more shows in the future.

"People I have spoken to today from vendors to people attending were thankful for the show," Domengeaux said. "They all told me this show was something needed here in Lafayette. So, I feel good about saying this was just a stepping stone. I have no doubt it will grow. (Saturday) was more about reviving the hobby in the area. The next show will be even bigger with more people and more vendors."

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