Spike Lee and CC Sabathia to Appear at The 45th National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago

Legendary Actor, Director and Sports Ambassador, and 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee Join the World’s Largest Sports Trading Card Collectibles Event, this July

ROSEMONT, IL, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The National Sports Collectors Convention, Inc., along with talent partner TriStar Productions, today announced that Spike Lee and CC Sabathia will join an already long and still growing list of celebrities and athletes appearing in various capacities in the Tristar Autograph Pavilion at the 45th National, to be held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois this July 30th through August 3rd. This year’s National is expected to be the largest in its 45-year history.

As one of the world’s most iconic film directors and pop culture magnates, Spike Lee is as ubiquitous with basketball and the New York Knicks as he is for being a driver of sneaker culture in America and transforming the American film industry with his unmatched storytelling talents. Lee will join a host of other celebrity talent for autograph signings at the event.

Notably, any owner of a Topps 1995-96 Stadium Club Patrick Ewing card with a corner photo of Spike Lee representing his collaboration with Topps will have the unique opportunity to have their card signed by both Lee and Ewing at the event – a possible first for card collectors and the hobbyist community.

CC Sabathia – 2025 Hall of Fame inductee and Fanatics Exclusive – will also make a headlining appearance at the 45th National, signing autographs and being available for photo opportunities. Sabathia’s monumental career included being the all-time American League strikeout leader by a left-handed pitcher, the seventeenth pitcher in MLB history to reach 3,000 strikeouts, a six-time All-Star team member and winner of the Warren Spahn Award three times in a row, from 2007-2009.

Sabathia will be inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame the weekend before the 45th National, meaning that this year’s National will offer fans a first opportunity for Sabathia autographs at a collectors convention since being inducted.

Both stars will join The National on Saturday, August 2nd.

Additional signers announced by The National and TriStar Productions today include:

Football Hall of Famers:
Leroy Butler
Harry Carson
Randy Gradishar
Charles Haley
Joe Klecko (1st NSCC Appearance)
Dave Robinson
Randy White

Baseball Hall of Famers:
Johnny Bench*
Dennis Eckersley*
Carlton Fisk*
Jim Rice*
Ozzie Smith*

Baseball Legend:
George Bell (1st NSCC Appearance)

VIP Autograph Program signers:
Dave Corzine (1st NSCC Appearance)
Doug Plank
Milt Wilcox (1st NSCC Appearance)

“*” refers to Fanatics Exclusive

The 45th National will have a 30% larger footprint – 650,000 square feet - and nearly 20% more space for vendors. Promoters anticipate well over 100,000 fans over the course of the five-day event.

To purchase VIP packages, general admission tickets and/or for more event information, please visit: www.nsccshow.com and follow NSCC on Facebook www.facebook.com/nsccshow, X @nsccshow, Instagram @nsccshow, YouTube and TikTok.

Please visit www.tristarproductions.com/National for more information on the Tristar Autograph Pavilion, and to purchase autograph tickets.

About the National Sports Collectors Convention
The National Sports Collectors Convention is the world’s largest gathering of collectors, dealers and any other groups interested in buying, selling and collecting trading cards, autographs and other related sports and entertainment memorabilia. Starting in 1980, The National has grown into an annual extravaganza that is the premier showcase event of the multi-billion dollar collectibles industry. It’s been said, “If you can’t find what you’re looking for at the National, it probably doesn’t exist.”

Shane Winn
Shane Winn Communications
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