ADOT's Return to SoCo Expo 2025: Official Consignment Sponsor Brings Revolutionary Services to America's Premier Soccer Card Show

Written by Alex Jacobson (@adot_jdot11) - Official Consignment Sponsor for SoCo Expo 2025

We can all feel the energy and enthusiasm as the anticipation for SoCo Expo 2025 builds toward July 31st. Scott and the entirety of the SoCo team have given us the opportunity to do something that didn't exist for the soccer card collecting hobby only 13 months ago: to be at an event where soccer trading cards are the primary focus and not a tertiary or even nonexistent one like Arsenal's focus on signing a striker (at the time of writing Gyökeres remains in a perpetual ‘here we go soon’ state).

The inaugural SoCo Expo was one of my and all attendees' highlights of 2024.

ADOT making new friends at SoCo 2024

The hobby and the soccer/futbol portion of it in particular, is a wonderful space filled with wonderful people. The most important part of our card collections are the people we meet and the friendships we collect along the way. I met a lot of you at last year's event, and look forward to meeting many, many more of you in Chicago this year at America's best soccer card show.

Major Changes Coming to SoCo Expo 2025

A lot has changed for the SoCo Expo in the past year. The event has evolved from a UAW hall with a hundred tables to an indoor soccer facility with a few hundred tables at the Chicago Soccer Fields. I personally thought last year's amount of soccer cards was overwhelming relative to a 'normal' sports card show; I can't imagine how I am going to feel this year with the expanded 80,000 square foot venue.

Now, a lot has changed for me as well. In May 2024, I quit my day job as an attorney to offer consignment services on WhatNot (which has become to be known as DOTsignment). How I ended up doing that is a much longer story, and I was told I couldn't submit a multi-page report for this blog. But in a span of a year, I have gone from adot_jdot11 on WhatNot doing small singles shows to DOT Cards , which offers:

• DOTsignment - An exciting & engaging consignment singles soccer card show on WhatNot that has sold $1 million of soccer cards in 2025 (s/o Lamine Yamal, not possible without him)

• DOT Grading reviews and PSA submissions. I have already submitted 3,000 cards to PSA this year and reviewed several thousand more

• DOT Breaks - In my newly announced partnership with @Kobe_fc91 (IG), Kati, my wife, and I have begun offering $1 auction breaks on WhatNot

• DOT Stories - IG consignment where sellers can broadcast their high-end cards to a broader audience

What are Consignment Services for Soccer Card Collectors?

Before we dive deeper into what I'm bringing to SoCo Expo 2025, let me explain what consignment services actually mean in the soccer card world - because let's be honest, it can  be more confusing than Pep’s obsession with Matheus Nunes at right back.

Consignment services for soccer cards work like having a trusted friend sell your cards for you, except this friend actually knows what they're doing and won't accidentally sell your Messi rookie for the price of a pack of gum. Here's how it works:

You send me your soccer trading cards - whether it's a pristine Haaland rookie you've been holding or a ton of 2022 Topps Finest parallels that have been collecting dust. I handle everything: pricing based on current market conditions, listing on platforms like WhatNot, dealing with buyers, managing payments, and shipping. You get paid, I take a small percentage, and everyone's happy as Chelsea fans winning another meaningless trophy.

What Does Consignment Services Mean for You as a Soccer Card Collector?

For collectors attending SoCo Expo or anyone in the soccer card hobby, consignment services solve problems you didn't even know you had. It's like having a personal assistant who specializes in turning your cardboard into cash.

Time Freedom: Instead of spending hours researching prices, taking photos, writing descriptions, and dealing with buyers, you can focus on what you love - collecting and enjoying the hobby.

Market Expertise: I've sold over $1 million in soccer cards this year alone. That means I know when a Yamal card should sell for $500 versus $50, and I can accurately predict market trends. Your cards benefit from this experience.

Broader Reach: Your cards don't just sit in a display case hoping someone at your local card shop notices them. Through consignment services, they're exposed to thousands of active buyers on WhatNot, Instagram, and at major events like SoCo Expo.

No Hassle Selling: You don't need to become a social media expert or learn the ins and outs of online selling platforms. Send me your cards, and I handle everything else.

Better Prices: Because I'm selling cards daily, I know exactly what collectors are willing to pay right now, not what some outdated price guide thinks they should pay. This usually means more money in your pocket.

Most importantly, the ability to SPONSOR SoCo as the Official Consignment sponsor. I could not be more thrilled to contribute to the best event in the Soccer Card Hobby.

What is ADOT Doing to Prepare for SoCo Expo 2025?

Last year, I shared one table with a Cleveland local as I could not attend until I made the decision to go full-time cards. I was also only able to attend the first two nights. The FOMO I had Saturday night at SoCo Expo can probably only be rivaled by Jeremy Doku's ability to miss out every time he shoots.

This year, I will have two full tables as a sponsor; Kati and I will be there the entirety of the weekend. When I booked two tables, I still had a lot of cards in my inventory. However, I quickly learned that when you have a massive WhatNot stream, it becomes very, very easy to purge your cards there. I am down to 44 cards for sale (I have several hundred Haaland cards but those are casket cards). So I have had to pivot.

I am offering DOTsignors the ability for their cards to be at SoCo Expo even if they can't make it (or can make it and don't want to deal with actually selling their cards), for no fee (ZERO!!). In my experience with hundreds of card shows, cards on consignment don't move because the cards are only for show and the prices are higher than Kane's penalty. Well, these cards are ready to move and I am solely in charge of pricing and selling them.

Why SoCo Expo 2025 is the Ultimate Soccer Card Show Experience

SoCo Expo has become the epicenter of soccer card collecting in America. Unlike traditional sports card shows where soccer cards are an afterthought, this event celebrates our hobby with the respect it deserves. The 2025 event promises to be even bigger, with expanded space, more vendors, and exclusive opportunities you won't find anywhere else.

As the Official Consignment Sponsor, I'm bringing a unique element to this year's show. Attendees will have the chance to see consignment services in action, discover cards they never knew existed, and potentially find their next grail piece at prices that actually make sense.

The combination of my DOTsignment experience, the expanded SoCo Expo venue, and the incredible community of soccer card collectors coming together makes this year's event unmissable. Whether you're a seasoned collector or just starting your journey into soccer trading cards, this is where you need to be.

Happy National SoCo Month, and I can't wait to see you at SoCo Expo 2025!

Connect with ADOT:

• Instagram: @adot_jdot11

• WhatNot: @adot_jdot11

Ready to experience the ultimate soccer card show?

SoCo Expo 2025 is FREE to attend - July 31-August 2, 2025, at Chicago Soccer Fields. Can't make it to Chicago? Follow along on the @adot_jdot11 and @thesocoexpo Instagram channels for all the happenings and behind-the-scenes action from America's premier soccer card show.