Athletes are taking control of their memorabilia

The latest trend in sports memorabilia involves athletes taking more and more control over their memorabilia and autographs. Dalvin Cook is the latest athlete to take control. Cook’s agency, LAA Sports & Entertainment, recently launched an online store that includes game-worn jersey auctions, sales of autographs and game-worn gloves and apparel.

“If you have the right players that understand they can control their own market, it is way more profitable to keep everything in-house,” says LAA founder and Cook’s agent, Zac Hiller.

JK Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens rookie running back, is another athlete taking more control and ownership of his memorabilia. He kept his first two game worn jerseys this season but is auctioning off the jersey he is wearing in his first Monday Night Football appearance tonight against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Timing is right for these athletes to take more control and ownership in their memorabilia and retain more profit as a result. The sports memorabilia market has continued to grow exponentially with trading card sales up 92% on eBay this year.