The Pitch Blog

Stadium Club Chrome UCL 2025/26: The SSP Chase Guide
Stadium Club Chrome UCL 2025/26: The SSP Chase Guide
Explore the Stadium Club Chrome UCL 2025/26 SSP chase, including Beam Team, Star Attitude, Postcard, Warp Speed, The Grail and UCL Final Stadium, with checklists, rarity and box formats. Read more...
Pokémon TCG for Beginners: ETBs, Booster Boxes & Bundles Explained
Pokémon is the biggest trading card game in the world, but the range of sealed products can be baffling when you're starting out. Booster pack, ETB, bundle, booster box — what's the difference, and what should a beginner actually buy? Here's the plain-English guide. First, the basics Pokémon cards are released in sets (also called expansions), each with its own theme, artwork and cards to collect. Sealed products are just different-sized bundles of packs from a set — plus, sometimes, extras like promo cards, dice or accessories. Bigger products mean... Read more...
PYT, Random or Mixer? Every Break Type Explained
If you've read our guide on how card breaks work, you know the basics: a box gets opened live and the cards are shared between buyers. But when you go to buy a spot, you'll see a wall of terms — PYT, random, tiered, mixer, filler. Here's what each means, and which suits you. Why break formats matter The format decides two things: how much you pay, and how your cards are decided. Some let you pick exactly what you want (for a price); others spread the cost and leave... Read more...
Illustration of a graded trading card slab with a Gem Mint 10 label and a magnifying glass, for the Mania guide to card grading in the UK
Does Grading Add Value? PSA, CGC & What Grading Really Does
Ask ten collectors whether you should grade a card and you'll get ten answers. Grading can turn a £20 card into a £200 one, or cost you £20 to put... Read more...
Panini EFL Stickers 2025/26: Everything You Need to Know
The Panini EFL stickers 2025/26 collection has arrived, and it's bigger and better than ever! Whether you're a seasoned collector or new to the world of football stickers, this comprehensive guide will help you navigate the latest EFL sticker collection.What's New in the 2025/26 Panini EFL Stickers Collection?This year's Panini EFL stickers feature all 72 clubs from across the Championship, League One, and League Two. With 788 unique stickers to collect, including player cards, team badges, and special edition foils, there's never been a better time to start your collection.The... Read more...
Illustration of trading cards being pulled from a hobby box during a live break, with Pick Your Team and Random labels, for the Mania guide to card breaks
How Sports Card Breaks Work: A UK Beginner's Guide
If you've spent any time on card-collecting TikTok or Whatnot, you've seen them: someone opens a sealed box live on stream while a chat full of collectors cheers for their... Read more...
Illustration of hobby, jumbo, blaster and hanger trading card boxes, for the Mania guide to hobby vs retail vs blaster boxes
Hobby vs Retail vs Blaster: What's the Difference?
Walk into the trading card world and the jargon hits you straight away: hobby box, jumbo, blaster, mega box, value box, hanger. They all contain cards from the same set,... Read more...
The Cards Worth Chasing: Key Hits & Multi-Autos in Our National Treasures Case
The Cards Worth Chasing: Key Hits & Multi-Autos in Our National Treasures Case
The Cards Worth Chasing: Key Hits & Multi-Autos in Our National Treasures Case Content feature for maniahobby.com + social | Mania Sports break, Sunday 12pm on eBay Every break has... Read more...