NSU circulation numbers are up. Maybe more collectors in the hobby?

December 16, 2018, 10:57 PM

Heroes For Hire

Not that there is really any one metric to see if the non-sport trading card niche is growing/rebounding, but looking at NSU circulation might give some insight ... and it seems like the numbers are slightly higher.

In the December/January 2019 issue, I noticed that there was circulation data for the time between Oct/Nov 2017 - Aug/Sept 2018. It's gives the total number of Copies (Net Press Run): 5,813 / 6,285.

So I look for last year's numbers and found it in the December 2017 - January 2019 issue. For the time period Oct/Nov 2016 - Aug/Sept 2017, it's gives the total number of Copies (Net Press Run): 5,568 / 5,358.

Those numbers are higher than last year. Not sure why the higher and lower numbers are inverted though. But there seems to be more issues being printed.

Could it be more people are collecting newer trading cards again and want a current price guide? Maybe it's the diversity of the articles that are drawing people back? Perhaps it's my bi-monthly favorite: The Hot List.

I have noticed more "guests" on Card Talk recently. Maybe they want to see what's going on in the magazine. It could be the addition of NSU's social media presence on Instagram and Twitter this year are reminding people of picking up the magazine. It has nice to see that NSU's Instagram and Twitter accounts slowly gaining more followers (418 and 283 respectively) over the months.

I'm not sure what exactly the reason is for the slight increase in the number of people getting NSU magazine, but I hope it continues and that it means there are more non-sport card collectors coming into the hobby as well as more coming back to the hobby.

December 28, 2018, 12:22 AM

catskilleagle

I think with the popularity of "Outlander," at least part of the increase comes from some of the fans of the show figuring out where some of the promo cards were coming from and started buying issues to get them directly. Hopefully, some percentage of them will continue to pick them up even after the show has run its course.

quote:
Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
Not that there is really any one metric to see if the non-sport trading card niche is growing/rebounding, but looking at NSU circulation might give some insight ... and it seems like the numbers are slightly higher.

In the December/January 2019 issue, I noticed that there was circulation data for the time between Oct/Nov 2017 - Aug/Sept 2018. It's gives the total number of Copies (Net Press Run): 5,813 / 6,285.

So I look for last year's numbers and found it in the December 2017 - January 2019 issue. For the time period Oct/Nov 2016 - Aug/Sept 2017, it's gives the total number of Copies (Net Press Run): 5,568 / 5,358.

Those numbers are higher than last year. Not sure why the higher and lower numbers are inverted though. But there seems to be more issues being printed.

Could it be more people are collecting newer trading cards again and want a current price guide? Maybe it's the diversity of the articles that are drawing people back? Perhaps it's my bi-monthly favorite: The Hot List.

I have noticed more "guests" on Card Talk recently. Maybe they want to see what's going on in the magazine. It could be the addition of NSU's social media presence on Instagram and Twitter this year are reminding people of picking up the magazine. It has nice to see that NSU's Instagram and Twitter accounts slowly gaining more followers (418 and 283 respectively) over the months.

I'm not sure what exactly the reason is for the slight increase in the number of people getting NSU magazine, but I hope it continues and that it means there are more non-sport card collectors coming into the hobby as well as more coming back to the hobby.

December 28, 2018, 09:19 AM

wolfie

I wonder how many copies are sold outside the USA. My guess is not many but it would be intresting to know.

December 28, 2018, 02:49 PM

webjon

I think the hobby in general is gaining a bit, so that has to help in general.

December 30, 2018, 01:12 PM

Heroes For Hire

quote:
Originally posted by wolfie:
I wonder how many copies are sold outside the USA. My guess is not many but it would be intresting to know.

Not sure, but it has a line for "... paid/requested outside-county mail subscriptions ..." that has the numbers "997 / 968" in it. Seems like it could be about 15% of the circulation.

December 27, 2020, 03:31 AM

Heroes For Hire

Numbers in the December 2020/January 2021 issue for the time period of Oct/Nov 2019 - Aug/Sept 2020:

4,641/ 4,427

Numbers are slightly down

But maybe there’s movement towards yearly almanacs, online price guides, Card Talk guests, and content shown on social media and away from the bimonthly publication.

We all know publications are in decline readership, but what are somethings that could make NSU maintain or even increase in readership?

I’d like to see more current content. It’s nice to have features about the vintage sets, but I like to see slightly more on content with emphasis on products that were produced within the last 15 years. Maybe be slightly more topical, too. Having The Mandalorian on the cover was great timing with the episodes leading to Season Finale of Season 2 and then having a Wonder Woman feature with the release of WW84 (Wonder Woman 1984) happening during the issue’s shelf life.

Of course, finding ways to get the next generations to be interested in card collecting and price guide magazines that were popular in the 90’s might be as challenging as to getting them interested in stamp collecting.

January 04, 2021, 02:11 PM

Heroes For Hire

Should have suggested giving a subscription to NSU for Christmas to help promote the hobby to others. Or, at least, encourage more to sign up for Card Talk

January 04, 2021, 04:09 PM

catskilleagle

I think Beckett sees it's a tightrope balancing coverage of old and new stuff. The new stuff is going to be on the cover and there has to be a lot of new stuff covered in the issue but there also has to be some old stuff to keep many collectors interested in the magazine - the collectors only interested in old stuff.

The limiting factor is the page total which has been the same for at least 10 years and appears to be a publishing sweet spot as far as printing costs. Natural History magazine is also about 40 pages. It caters to a niche readership too but costs only $3.95 - maybe the last of the cheap magazines - but then it doesn't come bagged with a trading card or two.

Jess

quote:
Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
Numbers in the December 2020/January 2021 issue for the time period of Oct/Nov 2019 - Aug/Sept 2020:

I’d like to see more current content. It’s nice to have features about the vintage sets, but I like to see slightly more on content with emphasis on products that were produced within the last 15 years. Maybe be slightly more topical, too. Having The Mandalorian on the cover was great timing with the episodes leading to Season Finale of Season 2 and then having a Wonder Woman feature with the release of WW84 (Wonder Woman 1984) happening during the issue’s shelf life.

Of course, finding ways to get the next generations to be interested in card collecting and price guide magazines that were popular in the 90’s might be as challenging as to getting them interested in stamp collecting.

December 11, 2022, 03:45 PM

Heroes For Hire

Looked in the back of the December 2022/January 2023 issue and saw the circulation numbers. For the time period of Oct/Nov 2021 - Aug/Sept 2022:

5,365 / 5,340

Slightly higher than a couple years ago.

Does that mean there are more people collecting and interesting in non-sport card information? Maybe the magazine covers and the highlighted articles are drawing in more casual collectors to pick up the magazine?

Whatever it is, it’s good to see. Hopefully, the powers-at-be can continue the momentum in this digital age and reach even more physical magazine readers!

quote:
Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
Numbers in the December 2020/January 2021 issue for the time period of Oct/Nov 2019 - Aug/Sept 2020:

4,641/ 4,427

Numbers are slightly down

December 11, 2022, 04:40 PM

Raven

I like greater interest as a reason, but it could also be that specific time period. We weren't doing very well the whole of 2020 with the pandemic. Maybe the subscription numbers were down because outlets were closed, or customers had fallen off. Maybe the increased circulation in the latest issue is a return to more normal business, which is good too.

December 22, 2022, 01:49 PM

catskilleagle

I was in a Barnes & Noble a few days ago. I'd already bought the latest NSU at a sports card shop so I didn't buy one but I did see it on sale and there was just one copy left. They get a stack of them when they come in so it's selling pretty well here.

November 19, 2023, 02:31 PM

Heroes For Hire

In the back of the Dec 2023/Jan 2024 issue once again has the circulation numbers for the NSU.
Here’s what it says for the time period between Oct/Nov 2022 - Aug/Sept 2023:

5,061 / 4,942

Slightly less than the previous year. But it seems like all of the trading card hobby has been trending down since the end of the pandemic hype.

Hopefully the increased cover price doesn’t dissuade potential new reader from picking up the magazine off of the newsstands (if they can find a place that carries hobby magazines). BUT there seems to be some nice subscription prices advertised in this issue so there’s that.

Maybe some well timed cover subjects and topics headlines to along with the talk of First Card and First Appearances will entice some more physical magazine readership.

quote:
Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
Looked in the back of the December 2022/January 2023 issue and saw the circulation numbers. For the time period of Oct/Nov 2021 - Aug/Sept 2022:

5,365 / 5,340

Slightly higher than a couple years ago.

Does that mean there are more people collecting and interesting in non-sport card information? Maybe the magazine covers and the highlighted articles are drawing in more casual collectors to pick up the magazine?

Whatever it is, it’s good to see. Hopefully, the powers-at-be can continue the momentum in this digital age and reach even more physical magazine readers!

quote:
Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
Numbers in the December 2020/January 2021 issue for the time period of Oct/Nov 2019 - Aug/Sept 2020:

4,641/ 4,427

Numbers are slightly down