Hello everyone. I have some exciting news to share with all of you.

When I started GameUsedForum.com I did it to benefit the collecting community and as I hope you all know, I am always looking for ways to improve the site and take our information sharing to the next level. In the coming days there will be a few changes to GameUsedForum.com that will benefit everyone involved with our site.

In about a week we will be re-launching GameUsedForum.com with an improved format and access to new features thanks to a new alliance with GameUsedUniverse.com

Over the past few months, I have been extremely impressed with Game Used Universe. They were created with the same goals in mind that we have here- to help collectors and better the hobby and as I like to say “Share The Knowledge.” Thus, rather than trying to achieve this objective separately, we decided to work together.

Our GameUsedForum.com site will serve as the forums over at www.GameUsedUniverse.com

I will continue to moderate the forums exactly as I do now and they will continue to be free for everyone- but now members will get additional benefits

All GameUsedForum.com members will also have free access to Game Used Universe's "Experts' Corner" where hobby luminaries like Vince Malta, Rob Steinmetz, Mike Specht, Jim Yackel, Barry Meisel, Jim Caravello and others write blogs sharing their expertise and answer your questions.

It will also allow forum members free access to post on the Game Used Universe "Hobby Network", a section where users list their interests and can search out others with similar buying/selling interests. It's also a place to show photos of your collection. There are also other benefits the alliance will enable us to provide forum members in the future. Those benefits will be explained when they are ready to be rolled out.

It's a perfect fit.

The transition is planned for next week, however a preview of the new GameUsedForum.com forums can be found at www.gameuseduniverse.com Click on "forums"

With the re-launch, people will need to re-register with user name, password and email address. It will be as simple as when you had to do it originally and your info will not be shared with anyone. Once we're ready to launch, specific information on registration will be provided.

When we're up and running, members will be able to access the same forums through either www.gameusedforum.com or www.gameuseduniverse.com.

I sincerely believe all of this is a tremendous positive step in the hobby. The more information we share, the better the hobby becomes.

I will pass along more details as we prepare for the transition. If there are any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected] or post them here. I thank everyone for making the forum what it is, and I look forward to everything we can do together in the future.

Eric

Eric,

Congratulations on the "merge" with Game Used Universe. In a highly competitive, "pocketbook first" hobby, I'm thrilled to see you make this move for the good of the collecting community. Your "share the knowledge" mantra will only be enhanced by the information already being offered at Game Used Universe.

I had a lengthy conversation this week with a fellow hobbyist who was expressing his concern for the future of our hobby. Despite it's many critics, this forum has already revolutionized the game used hobby. Collectors are relying on game photos to help identify characteristics of game used equipment, networking with niche hobby experts, and doing more homework than ever before. Although the presentation is sometimes less than desirable (and perceived by many as overly negative), no one can deny the good that has come from this incredible resource.

I look foward to my continued involvement in this forum and in the "Experts Corner" at Game Used Universe. I am humbled by the invitation to participate, and I am proud to give my time to such a worthwhile effort. Keep up the great work!

Best,

Rob Steinmetz
Authentic Gamers, Inc.
www.authenticgamers.com
[email protected]
708.250.5220

Eric,

Congratulations. I look forward to contributing to and benfitting from this nexus. The dedication and passion that Chris Cavalier and you share for the hobby are appreciated by many of us. Again, congratulations ... and many thanks for continued your hard work and contribution.

Reid

If you would like to receive my list of game used baseball and basketball items, please email me at [email protected]

A guy, like myself, who buys gameused items for entertainment and to impress his children, greatly appreicates this forum and Eric, in particular, because no one wants to be made to look like a fool, especially in front of his children. My heartfelt appreication and continued success.

I look forward to the combined efforts of both Chris and Eric in bringing accurate information to collectors of game used memorabilia. Both are obviously passionate and committed to this mission, and have already been responsible for strides in this hobby that were unheard of just a short time ago. I am honored to be a part of their efforts through continued participation in the 'Experts Corner' and additional posts in the forum to specific questions regarding game used bats. It is clear, through conversations with Chris and correspondence with Eric, that personal integrity and a strong desire for integrity within the hobby are the driving forces behind this alliance. Good luck and continued success.
Mike

A very Good move to help the hobby. My hats off to Eric and Chris.

Den

Hey Eric:

I think this was a phenominal move by both you and Chris. Yourself with having IMO by far the best game used forum on the internet and with Chris having the most informative game used site out there, this was a perfect match. I think the merging of the two could be the very best thing that has happened to the hobby in a long time.

I'm amazed at the amount of knowledgeable collectors who post information here especially with the work that is done with the photomatches as of late. It is the true passion of these collectors who go to such great lengths in order to validate, or invalidate the authenticity of an item.

I hope to continue to offer my knowledge of modern game used football jerseys, helmets and equipment to everyone as part of my commitment to GameUsedUniverse as a writer and contributor in the "Experts Corner".

As always, I can be reached at 877-580-6673 or email me at [email protected] if you have any questions.

-God Bless

Bernie J. Gernay
President/PSI

Eric and Chris:

Congratulations to both of you on consumating the "Perfect Marriage". Great people can do great things - and you should both be applauded for your efforts in merging two very important resource sites to the game used community. I have met some great, honest people who want to share their knowledge through both sites. That is what will make the hobby stronger going forward. I am very excited ( and humbled ) to be a contributor in the Experts Corner and look forward to sharing as much knowledge as I can on what I have learned as a collector over the years. A Toast to Continued Success!!!

Jim Caravello
[email protected]

I agree this is the perfect fit. I'm very excited to see you both working together to benefit the game used community. I also like the new software technology in the new forums.

All the best,

LoneStarCollector

I think Eric has done a fine job running this board. Being a board moderator often is a thankless job, in part as the average board has many competing vocal opinions on how it should be run, what types of comments should be deleted or included, etc. That the board today runs so smoothly and most members say it's a great source of information and chat, is a very much due to Eric's hard work.