There are a lot of people in this world that would describe themselves as collectors in some way, shape or form. And one area that many specialise in is sports memorabilia. Sports is of enormous interest and a passion, and some solidify that by collecting pieces of memorabilia. But what are their motives for doing so?
For Profit
Let’s face it, where sports are concerned, everything is a potential money maker for some. For instance, there is no shortage of successful and licensed sportsbooks where bets on every sport imaginable are available, especially in the online space. Another example is that you can purchase tickets and sell them for profit, or you could down the line of collecting sports memorabilia. With the sports memorabilia, it’s often match worn football shirts and similar that will be picked up, potentially for free or little cost, held onto, with the value increasing over time. Items can then be sold for profit. Some repeat this process as part of a business venture.
Keepsakes
The clue, in many ways, is in the title. Sports memorabilia is precisely that, memorabilia, and for some people, they collect items simply as mementoes or keepsakes to remind them of great times. They could be keepsakes from sporting events they’ve attended themselves or from years gone by which have a meaning. For example, you may support a specific team and want mementos based on the team’s history. This can be especially important when you consider a person is only likely to be around for a very short period in a team’s long history.
Decorative Pieces
It may seem obvious, but some sports memorabilia is cool-looking and can make for great decorative pieces to hang on walls. In the last several years especially, we’ve seen more people build games rooms, bars and so on at their homes, be it in spare rooms or outbuildings. A lot of these places are used to watch sports, play video games and chill out with friends while having a beer. So what’s better than doing all that with sports memorabilia to look at, such as framed signed football shirts, especially if everyone who congregates supports the same team?
Charitable Purposes
Sports memorabilia, as you will gather, can be incredibly valuable. And this means that getting your hands on specific pieces can be beneficial if you’re looking to raise money for charitable and good causes. If, for example, you want to raise money for charity and arrange a fundraising night with a raffle, people will get involved if there are sports memorabilia up for grabs, especially if the tickets are cheap. And auctions can prove incredibly profitable for high-end and must-have pieces of sporting stuff, which are deemed rare.
There are many reasons why people will go out of their way to collect sports memorabilia, with some seeing it as a passion and even a profession. The above are four of the most popular motivations for doing so, but there are many more, as sports memorabilia continues to be in demand and highly sought after.