1215 ET - Collectibles like trading cards and memorabilia are gaining steam, potentially at the expense of Nike, UBS analysts say in a note. The sports collectibles market increased 55% to $32.5 billion last year from 2020, the analysts say, forecasting that strong growth will likely continue. The industry may be absorbing some of the attention and dollars that Nike's "sneakerhead" fans previously put toward its coveted, limited-availability sneakers, the analysts say. "Sneakerheads have historically been Nike's best brand advocates. If Nike is losing this audience, it could make it much more difficult for Nike to engineer a turnaround," they say. Still, the collectibles boom could also be an opportunity for Nike if it can find a way to offer unique trading cards or collectibles, they say. (kelly.cloonan@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 22, 2026 12:15 ET (16:15 GMT)

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