After co-leading the league in total tackles in his sophomore season, linebacker Blake Martinez delivered three straight seasons with more tackles than he totaled in that second year of his career. The tackling machine came to a screeching halt in 2021, though, when a torn ACL sidelined him for the rest of the season. He then made the surprise decision to retire midseason the following year. The reason for that retirement may have seemed questionable to some, but according to a deep dive by The Athletic’s Zak Keefer, it seems to be paying off. 
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Martinez got interested in an old childhood hobby of his: Pokémon cards. He collected as a child, and after stumbling upon some articles detailing the worth of well-kept cards, he implored about his old collection, discovering that his parents had given them away. Still, knowing that it was a thing he was both knowledgeable and passionate about, Martinez got back in the game.
In his first foray into the buying of cards in search of rarities to resell, Martinez netted $108K in profit from a purchase load of approximately $40K. The profit comes from a live stream opening of purchased cards that allows other collectors to see potential rarities they’d like to add to their collection. Soon after his first stream, Martinez announced the conclusion of his NFL career, despite leading the Raiders in tackles in his final professional game.
Martinez’s money-making hobby turned into his own company, Blake’s Breaks (a reference to box breaks, the act of opening new packs of cards). He has since hired about 20 full-time staffers, and his company streams an average of 16 hours a day, with Martinez still hosting a stream two or three times a week. In the first year of its existence, Blake’s Breaks has reportedly brought in over $11.5MM of revenues.
Can a football player make that much in a single year alone? A good one can, and Martinez himself had a three-year, $30.75MM contract at one point in his career. But Martinez found a way to turn something he loved into a business that brings in multiple millions of dollars of revenue without putting his body on the line. At a time with his ailing body was starting to cost him money in the NFL, it’s a best-case scenario for Martinez.
Great for Blake, but this is further proof of how broken the sports card market is.
I think almost every collectors market has a problem now with counterfeits and cheap knockoffs trying to pass themselves off as the real deal. You need to verify the providence of antiques and do some homework before investing large sums.
$11.5M in revenue is fine, but that’s what not goes into his pocket. $11.5M revenue then operating expenses, taxes, etc.. So while that’s a nice chunk of change, you can’t compare that to HIS NFL salary.
The profit from margins are insane when it comes to things like pokemon cards. Especially if you can afford large quantities and gain a huge following. Cassius Marsh did this but with magic the gathering. Cash cards unlimited or something.
When it comes to the new wave of pokemon businesses a lot of ppl can run a business out of their house and sell. Customers pay for product pay for shipping you just gotta send it off.
At worst Martinez makes half if not more in profit assuming he pays taxes salaries and cost of product. But even then a booster box of pokemon costs businesses 100 bucks and msrp is 161 or something. And he probably buys people’s collections and males a steal off those. I’ve seen people willing to sell collections at 60% market value.
Martinez last contract was a 1 year 1 mill deal with tbe Raiders. Before that his contract with the giants included 6 mill signing bonus and 19 mill guaranteed over 3 years. Before that he was making less than a mill on a 4 years 2.5 or so mill contract with green bay.
So roughly 5 mill in profit is comparable to nfl salary he made.
Card market has collapsed
Maybe the sports card market. Not too knowledgeable in that area.
Pokemon hasnt collapsed. Well if you compare it to 2020 sure. It surged like crazy during the pandemic.
But it certainly hasn’t collapsed.
Buying bulk cards use to be .01 cents for commons uncommons and .03 cents for rares. It’s jumped to .02 commons and uncommons and .05 for rares.
Plus pokemon just stopped making rainbow cards so market for those is gonna go through the roof. Same with vintage packs that have high chase cards. A set called team up made in 2019 has a special card (latios latias heart) and pack pricing have almost doubled in recent months going for 20 a pack to close to 40. I expect a set called evolving skies to also be worth a pretty penny in 10 years. Has an umbreon chase card.
Just gotta know what you’re buying. Rule of thumb is anything with a chase card and charizard sets..grab them when they come out and save them somewhere safe for 10-15 years.
I’d buy a couple booster boxes of obsidian flames (charizard chasers)
And couple upcoming upcs of pokemon 151 and save them for 10-15 years. Likely triple your money if not more.
Going from Gotta Tackle’em all, to Gotta Catch’em all?