The Rise of Sports Memorabilia as an Investment Class: Define Aura's Growth and Progress in 2026

The sports memorabilia industry continues to evolve, with 2026 further highlighting the growing commercial significance of an industry once largely associated with passionate collectors. Increasingly, rare sporting collectibles are attracting the attention of investors, entrepreneurs and a new generation of enthusiasts, with the market extending well beyond traditional collecting.

The scale of that growth is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. According to Grand View Research, the global sports trading card market could grow to almost $24.7 billion by 2033. Football (soccer) remains the largest sporting category, accounting for approximately 35.6% of global sports trading card revenue in 2025.

Perhaps the most striking illustration of the market's growing appeal came in August 2025, when a unique Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant dual-autograph trading card, incorporating patches from both players' game-worn jerseys, sold at Heritage Auctions for an extraordinary $12.932 million. Among the three buyers was Kevin O'Leary, the well-known investor from Shark Tank. Transactions of this magnitude underline the increasingly significant financial interest surrounding rare sporting collectibles.

At the same time, the hobby continues to attract collectors at every level. From younger enthusiasts entering through trading cards to established collectors pursuing historically significant pieces, the industry is becoming increasingly accessible while retaining its appeal at the highest end of the market.

From Cork to the International Sports Memorabilia Market

Among the businesses operating within this expanding industry is Cork’s very own Define Aura Ltd, which officially launched at the end of 2025 and has spent its first full year developing its presence in the Irish and European sports memorabilia market.

With a focus on some of the most recognisable names in sporting history, the business has developed a collection spanning authentic Signed Memorabilia, Match and Training Worn / Issued Items, Collectible Trading Cards and Customisable Sporting Prints. While football remains its predominant focus, its offering also extends across rugby, GAA, golf, basketball and other sports.

Rather than pursuing volume alone, Define Aura places particular emphasis on the quality and rarity of the pieces it sources, with authenticity central to its offering.

Shane Gilley, founder of Define Aura, believes the growing international market presents opportunities not only for collectors but also for Irish investors and businesses looking beyond traditional investment markets.

"Sports memorabilia is an increasingly interesting alternative asset class. For Irish investors and investment firms, there is an opportunity to explore a market that offers exposure to a completely different range of assets, with rarity, provenance, historical significance and global collector demand all playing an important role."

Throughout this period, Define Aura has also had the opportunity to engage with some significant figures and organisations across the sporting industry, opening conversations with established names in the game and exploring potential commercial opportunities within the sector. Particularly notable was the opportunity to meet with representatives of one of the world's most recognised sporting clubs, a multi-billion-dollar global organisation, to discuss the commercial potential of memorabilia and how clubs themselves can better position themselves to capitalise on the industry's growth.

Shane Gilley believes the relationship between sporting organisations and the collectibles market could evolve considerably over the coming years.

"I think we are only beginning to see what clubs can achieve commercially through memorabilia. There is enormous potential in developing dedicated memorabilia platforms, strengthening e-commerce infrastructure, establishing direct relationships with collectors and creating new revenue streams from historically significant sporting assets."

Looking Ahead to 2027: Two Areas of the Memorabilia Market to Watch

As the industry looks towards 2027, there are several interesting developments worth watching. The international retirements of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar have already had a noticeable impact on the memorabilia market, with items associated with these players experiencing significant increases in value. With their club careers also approaching their final chapters, it will be interesting to see how demand develops further, particularly for pieces connected to defining moments throughout their careers.

Shane Gilley believes this is a market that will be particularly interesting to follow over the coming years.

"We have already seen how significant their international retirements have been for the memorabilia market. As their playing careers move towards their eventual conclusions, I think there will be continued interest in items connected to their achievements, particularly pieces with genuine historical significance."

Separately, another area Define Aura believes remains relatively overlooked is match-worn patch trading cards. Incorporating genuine pieces of sporting garments, these cards offer collectors something quite different from traditional memorabilia, combining the appeal of trading cards with a tangible piece of sporting history.

Shane Gilley believes certain examples remain significantly undervalued.

"To put it into perspective, a genuine Diego Maradona match-worn patch card today could be worth enough to put a very nice extension onto your house. Yet we believe certain cards featuring some of the greatest players to have only recently retired remain seriously undervalued. These are genuine pieces of sporting history, and I don't think the market has fully appreciated what some of them represent."

With football accounting for approximately 35.6% of global sports trading card revenue in 2025, both the continued development of memorabilia associated with football's biggest names and the potential of historically significant match-worn collectibles make for particularly interesting areas to watch heading into 2027.

Industry Recognition and a Growing Presence

Define Aura's progress has also been reflected in its recognition across several industry awards during 2026.

The business received nominations at the Irish eCommerce Awards, held at Dublin's Mansion House, the Cork Digital Marketing Awards and the Digies awards.

For a relatively young business, these nominations represent an important milestone, recognising the work undertaken to develop its e-commerce platform and customer offering during its early stages of trading.

Looking Ahead: Define Aura's Ambitions for 2027

As Define Aura approaches its second year of trading, its focus remains on expanding its collection, strengthening international relationships and bringing exceptional sporting memorabilia to collectors in Ireland and beyond.

For Shane Gilley, the appeal of the industry extends beyond the financial value of individual pieces.

"Sports memorabilia has something that very few other markets can replicate. People have genuine emotional connections to the athletes and moments involved. That connection is what makes the industry so interesting, and ultimately what brings collectors back."

Whether it is a match worn shirt associated with Lionel Messi, or a signed piece from Roy Keane, sporting collectibles offer a tangible connection to moments and icons that have shaped sporting history.

An Exclusive Christmas Offer for Cork Chamber Members

To mark a successful year of development and to thank the wider Cork business community for its support, Define Aura is offering fellow Cork Chamber members an exclusive 10% discount across its collection this Christmas.

The offer applies across Signed Memorabilia, Trading Cards and Customisable Sports Prints, giving members the opportunity to discover a unique Christmas gift for the sports enthusiast in their life, add something special to their own collection or even take their first steps into the world of sports memorabilia collecting and investment.

Members can simply enter the code CHAMBERCHRISTMAS26 at checkout to receive 10% off their purchase when they log into www.define-aura.com.

As the business looks towards 2027, Define Aura would like to thank its customers, suppliers, partners and the wider Cork business community for their support throughout the year, and looks forward to continuing to build on the progress made.