On any given night, eBay Live seller James Morehead hosts live card breaks, opening packs of baseball and football cards on camera while collectors watch, react, and get hyped over big pulls. Streaming six hours a night, six days a week, he’s built a loyal following of superfans who show up for the thrill of the hits and the real-time connection.
After bringing Topp Tier Cards to eBay Live, James saw the demand for cards on the platform and made the leap from construction to full-time breaking. Now reaching a large live audience, he’s turned his passion into a full-time business and gained the flexibility to coach youth sports, spending time where it counts with his son.
Here’s James’ story, in his own words:
I’ve been collecting sports cards since I was a kid. I’d mow lawns to make some cash, then hightail it over to the gas station or the drug store to buy Chicago Cubs and Bears cards. There was nothing better than ripping open a fresh pack of cards.
My love for collecting reignited as an adult when I went to a garage sale and found a 1976 Walter Payton rookie card in a box of cards for $5. It was a once-in-a-lifetime find of one of the greatest running backs ever. That was the first time I sent a card off to be graded, and it started my whole eBay journey selling top tier cards.
At the time, I was working in construction as a project manager. Once I got the bug again, I began to build up my card collection and watch live streams just for fun. Eventually, I realized, I can do that, I’m personable. So I started hosting streams at night after work, breaking and selling football and baseball cards.
I kept hearing “cha-ching” from the eBay app while working my construction job and thinking, Yes, another bid. Let's go. The money in cards was so good that I started wondering, Can I turn my passion into a full time thing? I decided to take the leap and left my 9-5. My business took off, and now I stream six days a week for six hours a night.
Where big pulls meet real community
My eBay Live streams feel like we're hanging out, watching a game, joking around and having a conversation about the hobby we love. And oh yeah, we're opening sports cards too. I stream for four to six hours a night, so it’s not all hype. I'm not a different person on camera than I am off camera.
That’s not to say we don’t have some epic pulls. One of my all-time favorite hits was from 2023 Topps Tribute, which featured special box toppers modeled after the 1954 Topps set with framed versions of the actual vintage cards. I ended up pulling a Hank Aaron rookie card from that set, stamp-numbered 1/1, an incredible moment on the stream.
Keeping fans coming back night after night
I have three rules that guide my eBay Lives: keep it funny, keep it informational, and keep it 100% positive.
First, the stream has to bring the entertainment value people come for. Some viewers join my Live every night, like watching their favorite TV show. They’re not just buying a card, they’re buying an experience. We have a lot of fun and share a lot of inside jokes, which I repeat often for new folks to catch on and share that sense of belonging.
I also want to make sure my viewers have all the information that they need to enjoy the hobby. The rules and language around sports cards can be confusing when you first get into collecting, so I encourage a lot of questions. I try to be super transparent with everything I know so people feel confident buying and don’t get ripped off.
Finally, my Live is always positive. We’re here to have a good time. I don't allow trolls to come into the chat and bring down the vibe. I call 'em out right away and then I delete 'em. And I make sure everybody knows that that behavior's not okay. There shouldn't be any room for negativity in a hobby we all love.
Growing to meet collector demand
After starting out live streaming from a card room in my basement, I moved into a bigger space that I turned into a sports den. I designed it so any sports fan, hobbyist, or card collector could walk in and feel at home. Jerseys from incredible players and other memorabilia are framed on the walls, and my favorite cards are on display.
As demand has grown, I’ve expanded my team. A few years ago, my wife left her nursing job to join the business full time, handling everything from product sourcing to office operations and shipping. One of my long-time customers and regular viewers, Jim, joined the team as well. After years moderating the chat, he’s now my full-time Sorting Manager.
From here, we just want to keep growing. I’ve brought on another breaker to go live on camera covering other sports, and I’ve added two more employees to help with shipping and sorting. I’m also now selling signed memorabilia, like jerseys, bats, baseballs, and helmets. One of my goals is to get Topp Tier in front of more viewers on social media and share some big pulls.
A love of the game, on and off eBay
I've never sold on any other platform. Every break I've done and every sports card I've ever sold has been on eBay. I have millions of customers looking at my products and my listings every day.
I get busy selling cards, but every so often I'll step back and realize, You know what? Look what you built, man. Not only do I get paid to break cards, but I’ve met some incredible collectors, and I have the flexible schedule to live life on my own terms.
Being able to coach my son in youth sports has meant the world to me. I’ve coached his baseball and football teams for the past seven years, and I love teaching young athletes the game. I’m passing on to them what I’ve learned; have fun, work hard, put everything into it, and you’ll get results.