Lack of interest in collectibles sends message
Memorabilia of tainted players falling in value
By Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Friday, December 14, 2007
There was a time when sports collectors were willing to spend $200 for Mark McGwire's rookie baseball card.
Bill's Sports Collectibles now sells the card for $30.
Whatever inventory Bill's Sports Collectibles has of McGwire and Barry Bonds in his South Broadway store isn't worth very much today.
The players' appeal has fallen considerably for baseball fans since allegations began surfacing in recent years they used steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs to bash home runs, Bill Vizas, the store's owner, said Thursday.
"We don't actively pursue Mark McGwire or Barry Bonds," Vizas said.
Rookie cards at Bill's Sports Collectibles for Bonds and seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens also are going for about $30. Select Topps baseball cards might go for substantially higher online, Vizas said.
But with names such as Bonds and Clemens appearing in the Mitchell Report as major leaguers who were tied to the use of performance-enhancing drugs, Vizas said he will take a wait-and-see approach on how his customers respond to the players' merchandise.
Thursday, no customers were stepping forward for baseball memorabilia, he said. It might have helped baseball is not in season and customers were more interested in other sports products.
"I'm going to let the public kind of judge it because we'll find out soon enough," Vizas said about whether he'll adjust the value of items related to baseball players named in the report. "It's kind of like Barry. He's quieted down a lot from where he was, like McGwire."
The store's owner so far doesn't think the players' links to steroids and other drugs will reach the taboo status of O.J. Simpson.
"Guys like O.J., we don't carry," Vizas said. "We try to stay away from controversial people."
In many ways, Vizas said, the players listed in the Mitchell Report represents old news.
"If it had been Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Troy Tulowitzki or Matt Holliday, people would have said, 'Oh, no,' " Vizas said.
Ryan Opeka, manager of Denver Autographs in Lakewood, said none of his customers was talking about the Mitchell Report.
Although most of his merchandise consists of memorabilia autographed by Colorado athletes, his store does sell baseballs signed by Clemens, Bonds and McGwire that cost at least $300 each.
"Ultimately, it comes to the public's reaction, and most people don't even care," Opeka said.
He said reaction will be stronger in cities such as San Francisco, where Bonds played.
"This is going to affect them," Opeka said.
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