You can purchase authentic Yankee Stadium “freeze-dried grass” sod for a nickel under a hundred dollars. It is a little desktop display that could be used for a paperweight, but it is a plug of the turf in a preserved state, inside a cube that sits on a pedestal. When you are searching for stadium souvenirs, sod seems to be a popular item, but so does an authentic brick from Yankee Stadium Ceremonial Monument Park that is displayed in a handsome display case, marked with an attractive plague that states it is a “Yankee Stadium Artifact”. You will get a Yankees-Steiner Letter of Authenticity for the price of $180, but there is a limited supply of any of these types of stadium souvenirs.

Keep in mind you need a Letter of Authenticity from the Yankees organization, for it to be considered true and authentic, however. There were likely some people that got away with a few pieces of the stadium, before the security got tighter, but if you are collecting stadium souvenirs, you will want the authentic stadium souvenirs that are offered. This is especially true if you are mounting an effort to start a collection that will be worth something, someday. It might take a little bit of time to see much appreciation, but there will always be an interest in certain stadium souvenirs.

Of course, any sports memorabilia and stadium souvenirs should have COAs, like we always say, and it is almost mandatory on any collectible sports souvenirs, even the balls you catch at the ballpark. Parts of stadiums that are closing might appeal to you, but there are all kinds of things you can collect, when it comes to vintage sports souvenirs. It’s not too late to own a piece of Yankee Stadium because I just saw all of these things on the Internet the other day!

Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium fans were swiping stadium souvenirs that ranged from pieces of seats from Shea Stadium to pieces of the red-white and blue outfield bunting that decorated Yankee Stadium! Leave it to New York…..of course, the teams want to make sure Stadium fixtures stay in their control, but somebody even stole a Yankee Stadium toilet seat. Stadiums that are older and get closed allow the teams to sell the rights to stadium souvenirs for profit and charity. That means you can buy bricks, seats and other parts of the stadiums because it has become a fund-raising event for all of the major league teams that have a stadium closing in their recent history.

Chicago White Sox’s Comiskey Park closing netted more than a million dollars for charity and other teams want to do the same thing. In fact, in the case of the 86-year old Yankee Stadium and the Shea Stadium, there was a third-party company hired to salvage the stadium souvenirs and the team gets a cut of the action, along with the City of New York, who owns the stadiums.

While Yankee’s players scooped up cups of dirt on their own, anything else they wanted had to be bought, when going on the auction block. Some of the sports fans that love stadium souvenirs just want a piece of a memory, but there are many that buy them as an investment because there is an active market in stadium souvenirs, just like there is with other types of sports memorabilia. It seems that stadium closings have created a sports souvenir class that appeals to many people, just make sure you are purchasing from authorized contractors offering a COA!

Sure-why not! If you love fantasy sports and lining up your own team of stars, you might want to take it a step further, especially if you are a leading local fantasy sports team manager! Since these fantasy teams compete against each other based on real statistics and you can earn awards and prizes, having your own team identity can be a great way to bring good luck and keep you inspired. If you are good at assembling the best players and you get the best draft picks, you might be a consistent leader that has become obsessed with fantasy sports, anyway!

There are some fantasy sports team managers that design and print a custom fantasy sports jersey to support their fantasy team. There are places that don’t have a minimum order and you can select from different styles of custom fantasy football jerseys that include custom color placement, your name and number sewn on the front and back and 100% tricot mesh jerseys that feature 100% satin nylon shoulders and sides, along with V-neck collar cuts, yokes and sleeves.

It’s not as expensive as you might think to create and print your own fantasy sports team jersey or design a custom logo and have it printed on fantasy draft boards and other fantasy sports paraphernalia. There are places on the Internet that will help you print these promotional items for an affordable price, if you are an avid fantasy sports fanatic.

You can find football jerseys, baseball jerseys or basketball jerseys, besides golfing shirts for your fantasy team. Of course, there are fantasy leagues for just about any kind of sporting event nowadays, so it is a matter of figuring what fantasy sport you are interested in and becoming an active participant. There are some local fantasy leagues, but the major sporting organizations and television networks follow fantasy leagues or offer them.

If you are in a local fantasy sports league, getting your own custom logo and custom jersey for your fantasy sports team is even more fun! It is a great way to show your team spirit around town and there are some fantasy leagues that offer software to help you design your logo and order your own custom jerseys. Just decide what your team’s identity is going to be and pick your color, because custom jerseys and logos are part of the fun with fantasy sports leagues.

Does this sound familiar? For basketball fans, finding the best deals on authentic NBA autographed jerseys might be easier to do right now, but keep in mind, they are really popular and in high demand, right after a big game. You can find authentic Kobe Bryant autographed jerseys that might have a list price around five hundred dollars, but they might be on sale for around four hundred and fifty, for example.

Of course, there are all kinds of authentic NBA autographed jerseys to choose from on the Internet- even eBay offers some great deals. Sometimes, you can save fifty to one hundred dollars from the regular list price, if you search around. Keep in mind that some of the lesser known players or those out of the spotlight might be on sale for under a couple hundred dollars.

For example, you might be able to find a Walt Frazier signed jersey for around a little over two hundred dollars, but on the other hand, a Jason Kidd autographed jersey might be going for more than seven hundred dollars. Even a Dennis Rodman jersey that is hand-signed is going for around five hundred dollars and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and a tamper-evident hologram, which is something you always want to look for. That is still around a hundred dollars less than the list price is showing!

If you really want a certain authentic NBA autographed jersey, you might expect to pay a few hundred dollars and some of them might cost more than a thousand dollars or two! There are lesser known players that offer authentic NBA signed jerseys, but what are the odds they will increase in value, if you are collecting sports jerseys for an investment hobby?

There are all kinds of collector jerseys from the NBA, but make sure to look for the authentic NBA tags, but if you get the holograph-sealed Certificate of Authenticity, you should be safe in knowing that you have an official signed NBA jersey. There are some people that think it is better to collect the best known NBA player jerseys, regardless of whether they cost a few hundred more than some of the less famous players and this is probably a good strategy, unless you are particularly fond of a certain NBA player. Collecting authentic NBA autographed jerseys can be a lucrative hobby, if you do it right!

It sure seems like it sometimes-Right? Have you ever thought about the fact there are just some sports teams that have no fashion sense at all, when it comes to uniforms? There are some ugly colors and styles of sports uniforms on famous teams throughout history. If you observe some of the sports teams, it makes you wonder if there is some kind of contest for the ugliest sports team uniforms. Obviously, it makes it easier to pick your “home boys” out of a crowd. Some sports teams get carried away and it can be difficult to watch the sport, instead of gawking at the uniforms.

The Seattle Seahawks “Green” Jerseys are a prime example. These neon green jerseys are some color you can hardly describe, so don’t even try! You could probably see them in the dark and they would really look cool, if they were playing football under a black light. In fact, they should make a team poster like that for the “black light” crowd, or maybe they already have?

Then there are the Red Sox green and red uniforms, vintage 2007. While they tried to be fashionable by wearing a red long sleeve jersey under a green short sleeve jersey, for a layering look, the only “socks” they remind you of are the ones you hang on the mantle at Christmas time. They looked like a bunch of elves getting ready for a holiday parade, only you don’t really want to think about that when you still have 200 shopping days left!

There are hideous uniforms for the animal lovers in the crowd. The Boston Bruins hockey team of 2006 sported a big old brown “bear head” on their chest, while the bright yellow and black uniforms made them look like giant bees. It’s a bit reminiscent of Winnie the Pooh, when you think about it, sticking his head in the honey pot…….oh, never mind. At least it was scarier than the Anaheim Mighty Ducks hockey team logo with a crazy-looking duck on the front. I bet their opponents were really scared and pleaded for mercy the moment they saw them enter the rink.

I’ll bet you will see some ugly sports team uniforms on your own, especially if you are watching a boring match-off. It seems to be more noticeable when there isn’t much action going on, but it gives you something to think about, at least!

Enjoy this short video on The Top 10 College Football Uniforms with the music, “I could Use Somebody” …

Now it’s your turn … which team has the best uniform?  Comment below!

Well, you’re not alone. You’ll be happy to know I can offer you a few proven tips that winners of multiple fantasy baseball league championships have used in some of the most competitive fantasy baseball leagues. It’s just a matter of applying some of these strategies, if you hope to have the best chances and finding the best simulative fantasy baseball league helps.

First of all, you need to know how points are accrued and be familiar with the rules because each fantasy baseball league has their own. Make sure you know how many players you are allowed and stock up early on the best ones in positions where there might be shortages of good players. This means prepare for the draft and pick carefully. Make sure you know the categories you want to dominate and be sure players are actively playing.

Even if you have a bad draft or you get an auto-pick that isn’t that great, you can work waivers and trades! Focus on getting great hitters because they are more consistent than pitchers. Don’t overpay for your starting or relief pitchers, but consider going after star batters. Rookies can be long shots in baseball, because it isn’t like fantasy football or basketball, where they can shine a lot quicker.

You need to stay active with your league and pay attention because it is estimated that a third of the fantasy baseball managers give up too early. That means your chances are increased if you are persistent and stay with it because they might drop some good players too soon. You can use this to work waivers. On the other side of the coin, you don’t want to give up on your players too quickly, so stay on top of baseball news regularly and stay on top of your trades. The idea is to try to get great players at a cheap price and some might be available for cheap, if they get off to a rough start.

Winning fantasy baseball means managing your team to become winners through watching your categories and deciding which categories you need to carry for the week. If you are behind on your wins, but have a safe advantage on strikeouts, you want to get starting pitchers that can help you in the win category, for example. You can take different categories in your league, if you use these proven strategies.

Okay … so maybe you don’t understand the whole Fantasy baseball concept. Maybe this Youtube video will help: Guide to Fantasy Baseball

Are You Thinking About Collecting Baseball Cards?

If you are….then join the crowd that loves this childhood fascination! There are some people that are avid baseball card traders, and many kids used to buy and trade the Topps baseball cards, that came in a package of bubble gum. I was one of those many kids that only wanted the gum for the baseball card that came with it. I got to admit- it was a pretty ingenious marketing ploy, on the part of Topps. Now, there are Topps baseball cards that are worth thousands of dollars and maybe millions of dollars, especially if they are some of the cards that depicted the earliest celebrity players.

If you are a “late bloomer” to the baseball card collector market, you might have to pay significantly more than you might imagine, to get the baseballs cards you want, but they can be an investment that has a better history of paying off than the stock market! The baseball trading cards that depict the picture of the player, along with their vital and player statistics were typically printed on paper stock or card stock. You hate to think how many of them got thrown away over the years that might be worth a small fortune, but if you were a kid that collected them diligently, you might be rich and not even know it.

Did you know that the most valuable baseball card in the world, to date, is the 1909 T206 Honus Wagner baseball card, which was recently sold for $2.8 million? There might be many kids that wasted Mickey Mantle baseball cards by using them to make noise on their bicycle wheel, but there are a few entrepreneurs that have made big money from them. You never know when a baseball player is going to become the next legend, but collecting baseball cards can have a large financial payoff.

If you are an adult that loved collecting baseball cards as a kid, but didn’t hold onto them, you might be kicking yourself, now. If you know the going prices on some of your favorite baseball cards from childhood, then you might be prepared for the market prices on some of the top-player, vintage baseball cards. You might not be able to afford them, but you can still find some great deals if you do a little research.

If you’re interested in collecting baseball cards this video has some great pointers for beginners:

How to Be a Baseball Fan : How to Collect Baseball Cards

If you are like I was, this might be a question you are asking, but I have a few ideas for you. Of course, you can find all kinds of vintage sports memorabilia on the Internet and there are all different kinds of sports memorabilia to think about. Some of the most popular types might include stadium souvenirs, old game programs or player yearbooks, sports magazines, team pennants and even buttons and ticket stubs are popular. Of course, autographed baseballs and footballs are always popular, but be sure you get holograph authentication certificates to avoid buying phony vintage sports memorabilia.

The best place to purchase vintage sports memorabilia is from reputable dealers or Internet sources that offer holographic-sealed COAs (Certificates of Authenticity) and offer “guaranteed” authentication because this can help protect you from getting counterfeit items. Some of the greatest sports teams and players in history offer legitimate sports memorabilia items through these reputable dealers. Most dealers offer COAs on all of the more unique and higher cost vintage sports memorabilia, but there are still some phonies in the memorabilia industry that have duped consumers, so be careful.

You might still run across some vintage sports memorabilia from private collectors that might not contain these authentications. Keep in mind that baseballs you catch at the stadium should be authenticated, if you are a collector that hopes to have a valuable “catch” someday.

There are many vintage sports jerseys, and of course, old baseball cards are a favorite form of vintage sports memorabilia for many avid sports collectors. You can find authentic autographed items that are offered by well-known sports celebrities from the past and there are some items that will have notarized statements by the sports celebrities, stating it is their signature.

If you are looking at the antique sports memorabilia that might be offered at some antique shops, there are many antique dealers that are very familiar with what is real and what is a cheap copy. When you are searching for things to add to your collection, you want a real vintage item, but there are people that just buy sports souvenirs because they like what they say or they might contain old photos, statistics and other interesting things. It is a matter of personal taste, but it helps to talk with a dealer that is reputable, when you are considering more expensive vintage sports memorabilia.

Well, if you are new to the world of fantasy sports, you might be asking this question! You’ll be hooked, once you get a chance to play “armchair quarterback” in a real fantasy game. Sounds, a bit ironic, when you look at it like that though, doesn’t it? Before too long…you may become the Fantasy Sports Legend and take home the trophies.

The real appeal of fantasy sports is that it allows the average person to act as the owner of their own sports team in many different types of sports, including baseball, football and even fishing tournaments have fantasy sports leagues. Basically, you build a fantasy team based on real participants and their statistics. You might be surprised at how quickly you become addicted to it!

Fantasy sports have become a hobby that many people love- in fact, there are more than 30 million people that are involved in the fantasy sports leagues in the US and Canada, according to recent estimates by the Fantasy Sports Trade Association.  There are billions of dollars in economic impact that is estimated to be derived from fantasy sports.

If you are wondering how these games got started, it is possible you may have heard fantasy sports referred to as “rotisserie” leagues, which were a name that was given to the fantasy sports hobby by sports reporters. There was a New York City restaurant called the La Rotisserie Francaise, where the first fantasy baseball league was believed to originate in 1980.

Since that time, the fantasy sports hobby has grown, especially with the convenience of the websites that offer fantasy sports. They track real-time stats, standings in the rankings and contain message boards, along with all kinds of major sponsors that offer prizes and awards, making it big business. In fact, there are more websites that offer fantasy sports because it was one of the few things that were exempt under the Internet Gambling Act of 2006, as long as it followed specific guidelines for giving away prizes. Basically, the prizes and awards need to be established and known before the game and can’t be contingent on the number of players or the fees they pay.

You can find fantasy leagues in football, soccer, baseball, basketball, golf, cricket, hockey and even wrestling or auto racing might be included in fantasy sports leagues. If you are a sports enthusiast and you have always thought you could create a “dream team” in your favorite sport, the world of fantasy sports leagues is a place that offers plenty of opportunity for fun and possibly, prizes. If you have a favorite sport, chances are you can find a fantasy sports league to join. You’ll quickly discover why it is so appealing!

So, how do you know whether you are buying the real thing or whether an autographed sports item is phony? Fake sports memorabilia still shows up all the time because it is almost impossible to keep up with who’s selling it. Certificates of Authenticity, also known as COAs, are the best way to be fairly certain your sports memorabilia is authentic. Many dealers now trade in sports memorabilia that only includes numbered, tamper-proof and holograph-sealed COAs for this reason.

If you can get notarized letters from the athletes to authenticate their signatures-that’s even better! Many of the large sports memorabilia dealers maintain a database that shows exactly what they sold, so autographed sports memorabilia from these dealers will include holographic authenticity certificates, which are the best protection.

Did you know that if you catch a ball at the game, it still needs to be authenticated, if you ever hope to sell it or make it worth anything in your collection? This is especially important if you are a collector because almost all collectors will now steer clear of anything that doesn’t come with a COA that is holograph-sealed.

There are too many chances of finding counterfeit sports memorabilia on the market, but some dealers in sports memorabilia will give you an “authenticity guaranteed” sale. What this means is the dealer will issue a full refund, if it is ever discovered that a sports memorabilia item is fraudulent and the item will come with a Certificate of Authenticity that bears the tamper-proof holographic seal. Many of the reputable sports memorabilia sources will understand your reasons for concern if you ask for this, so don’t be lax in requiring the holographic COA on all of the sports memorabilia you purchase!