MVP155: eBay, TCGplayer & the Syracuse Union Showdown

Author

Thomas Traplin
June 12, 2025

Hey there!

TCGplayer recently announced the closure of it's Syracuse authentication center and the firing of 220 employees, right as the union was within weeks of finalizing a collective agreement.

In this episode of the Manaverse Podcast, Douglas Johnson, the owner of CardGarden, and I discuss the recent turmoil surrounding TCG Player and eBay and why a major corporation would rather shut down a facility with hundreds of employees than potentially allow a union to take hold in the organization.

We dive pretty deep into TCGplayer's history in dealing with its employees, what this means for sellers and buyers on the platform, and the ethics (or lack thereof) in running a multibillion dollar corporation.

This is an open and ongoing conversation though, and I would love to know what you think about how TCGplayer has handled the situation.

Feel free to email me and let me know!

Best,

Tom Traplin

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