TCGPlayer
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Card collecting |
| Genre | Trading Cards |
| Founder | Chedy Hampson |
| Headquarters | |
| Parent | EBay |
| Website | tcgplayer |
TCGplayer is an online trading card marketplace started in 2008 in Syracuse, New York. It sells Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Lorcana, Flesh and Blood, MetaZoo, and Star Wars: Unlimited products.[1][2][3][4]
History
[edit]In 2008, Chedy Hampson founded TCGplayer after it transformed into the modern company from a web design company made in 1998.[5] He first established the business in a downtown Syracuse office building off Warren Street and created an office area with geek themes including a Hogwarts library, a Star Wars spaceship and Storm Troopers, a pirate ship, a castle.[6] Though it also worked with comic books, it stopped selling and taking in comic books in mid-2023.[7] The company created a "card conditioning" area where cards are authenticated and given a grade based on how damaged they are.[8]
In 2021, DJ and streamer Steve Aoki collaborated with TCGplayer in order to sell "mystery boxes" of Pokémon cards, all the boxes together were worth around 3 million USD.[9]
In 2022, the online marketplace EBay bought TCGplayer for US$295 million.[10][11]
On February 21, 2025, the office complex that was the de facto headquarters of TCGplayer went up for auction for $2.5 million from March 3 to March 5.[12]
On February 25, 2025, Wizards of the Coast and TCGplayer announced a partnership that will be able to display a WPN badge next to the names of verified retail stores on their marketplace to show those stores are officially affiliated with Wizards of the Coast.[13]
Controversies
[edit]In March 2020, a union of around 100 workers was established since, according to the unionists, the health care plan was less than admirable since prices had doubled and pay seemed to not match with the new changes.[14]
In 2023, TCGplayer workers established a union,[15][16] but EBay, the parent company of TCGplayer, used illegal practices including surveilling workers who wore pro-Union insignia and denying workers from joining the union,[17][18] afterwards, they would file multiple complaints to the National Labor Relations Board.[19] In March 2023, EBay would be charged for their illegal practices including implementation of unilateral changes, firing a union organizer, and attempting to dismantle the union altogether.[20][21]
In a December 2024 report created by the Communications Workers of America found that 87% of the workers at the Syracuse facility for TCGplayer (Syracuse Authentication Center) made less than a living wage with TCGplayer representatives not responding for requests of comments.[22]
On May 22, 2025, eBay announced it was shutting down TCGplayer's headquarters in Syracuse, NY, laying off 220 employees, and moving the company's Authentication Center to Kentucky.[23] In response, the CWA released a statement which accused eBay of evading their bargaining obligations in an effort to keep the company union-free.[24] This announcement came days after eBay canceled their meeting to finalize the union’s first contract leading to CWA to file another unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing eBay of "terminating the employment' of workers to avoid bargaining.[25] The shut down was made to cooperate with plans on moving the headquarters to Louisville, Kentucky but employees who were laid off stated it was a method to disrupt unionization efforts. EBay denies claims of attempted disruption of unions. The move to Kentucky also is seen as a profit based move, with minimun wage in Kentucky being half of that of New York's.[26] In response to employees being laid off, the employees of TCGPlayer protested outside one of the TCGPlayer headquarters.[27] These protests were alongside members of the Communications Workers of America Local 1123, with these protests calling for the reinstating of the employees and efforts against union busting.[28][29] These protests also called for the boycotting of TCGPlayer with the official Bluesky account of the TCGPlayer union, TCGunion, stating in a post "TCG enthusiasts: don’t buy your cardboard from TCGplayer".[30]
Due to the closure of the Syracuse headquarters of TCGPlayer, State Senator for New York's 50th State Senate district, Christopher Ryan, stated:
I am deeply disheartened by eBay's decision to shut down TCGplayer's Syracuse office, resulting in the loss of over 300 local jobs. This move not only disrupts the lives of dedicated employees but also undermines the economic stability of our region.
TCGplayer has been a cornerstone of Syracuse's tech industry, and its acquisition by eBay in 2022 was seen as a promising development. However, the subsequent actions ranging from reported anti-union tactics to this abrupt closure reflect a disregard for the workforce that contributed to TCGplayer's success. It’s nothing more than a retaliatory move against the hardworking employees that contribute to the success and profit of eBay.
I know firsthand that TCGplayer’s employees merely stood up to ask for fair compensation and safe working conditions. They organized to form a union—the first at eBay—and they did so with courage, vision, and a commitment to fairness and equity.
Central New York deserves better than a multinational corporation that moves in, acquires a successful start-up, and then moves out of state. I will always advocate for our local workforce and the economic well-being of our community.
— Christopher Ryan, [31]
References
[edit]- ^ "Syracuse gaming company TCGplayer sees big growth in the cards". www.cnybj.com. 2015-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ "Ravensburger's 2023 Lorcana Reprints Intended to Impact Product Scarcity and Adjust Aftermarket Resale Value". WDWNT. 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
- ^ Knapp, Drew (2023-10-15). "MetaZoo's Creator Tells All About MetaZoo x Sanrio's Kuromi's Cryptid Carnival". TCGplayer Infinite. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ Knapp, Drew (2023-09-28). "What is Ultimate Pit Fight? Learning Flesh and Blood's Multiplayer Format". TCGplayer Infinite. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
- ^ Moriarty, Rick (2016-01-17). "TCGplayer, funky Syracuse company, finds gold in Magic, Pokemon games". The Post-Standard. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ Eisenstadt, Marnie (2025-06-03). "How a tech giant broke the union and the spirit at Syracuse's funkiest workplace". The Post-Standard. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ Griepp, Milton (2023-06-08). "TCGplayer Exiting Comics". ICv2. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
- ^ Columbia, Erik (2022-04-07). "INTERVIEW: TCGplayer's Chedy Hampson". WSYR-TV. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ "Steve Aoki Is Selling $3 Million Of Pokémon Cards, Other Merch". Kotaku. 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ Lee, Jonathan (2022-08-31). "EBay plans to acquire trading card vendor TCGplayer for $295 million". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ Sato, Mia (2022-08-22). "eBay is acquiring TCGplayer, one of the largest trading card marketplaces". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ Moriarty, Rick (2025-02-21). "A landmark Syracuse office complex, filled with eBay workers, is up for auction". The Post-Standard. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
- ^ Dohm-Sanchez, Jeffrey (2025-02-25). "TCGplayer Announces Partnership with Wizards of the Coast". ICv2. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
- ^ Gault, Matthew (2020-03-23). "Magic: The Gathering's Largest Storefront Is Trying to Unionize". Vice News. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ Bevan, Rhiannon (2023-03-11). "TCGPlayer Workers Win Vote To Unionise". TheGamer. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ Carpenter, Nicole (2023-01-25). "Workers at eBay-owned trading card marketplace TCGplayer want to unionize". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
- ^ Moriarty, Rick (2023-08-10). "NLRB rejects eBay attempt to stop TCGplayer workers in Syracuse from joining union". Syracuse.com. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
- ^ Marcelline, Marco (2023-03-11). "Trading Card Marketplace TCGPlayer Workers Create eBay's First Union". PCMag. ISSN 0888-8507. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ Carpenter, Nicole (2023-01-08). "The game studios changing the industry by unionizing". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ Parrish, Ash (2023-07-31). "eBay charged with multiple unfair labor complaints in struggle with its first union". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ "Syracuse TCGplayer workers file unfair labor practice charges against eBay". WAER. 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
- ^ Velazquez, Eddie (2024-12-10). "Report details grim financial reality for workers at TCGplayer". Prism. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
- ^ Donovan, Andrew (2025-05-22). "eBay to shut down Syracuse operations of TCGplayer, eliminate 220 jobs". Local News. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ DiMaggio, Dan (2025-06-03). "EBay Aims to Bust Trading Card Union with 200 Layoffs". Labor Notes. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Roth, Emma (2025-05-27). "eBay is cutting more than 200 jobs at TCGplayer". The Verge. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ Mooney, Natalie (2025-05-28). "'When we fight, we win': TCGplayer employees rally after layoff announcement". Spectrum News 1 Central New York. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ Devanny, Hannah (2025-05-27). "TCGPlayer rally held after announcing lay-offs to 220 employees". WSTM-TV. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ Deryn, Alexandra (2025-05-28). "TCGPlayer workers fight back against 'union busting'". WSYR-TV. Archived from the original on 2025-05-28. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ "Workers accuse eBay of union-busting in closing of TCGplayer center". Spectrum News 1 Central New York. 2025-05-27. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ Dastoor, Vaspaan (2025-05-30). "TCGPlayer And eBay Hit By Boycott After Closing Grading Center". TheGamer. Valnet. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ Benninger, Matthew (2025-05-22). "TCGplayer to move operations from Syracuse to Kentucky". WSTM-TV. Retrieved 2025-06-05.