“Heroes come and go, but legends are forever.”
Late Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant said it in a commercial back in 2011.
Heroes and legends rise each year, enriching the world with their feats and incredible achievements. Not just athletes but teams, games, leagues and seasons become immortal. Special ones are etched forever in the minds and hearts of sports fans.
How do you capture a moment and make it forever? How do you commemorate a shot that ends a half-century title drought? How do you honor an impressive first season for a generational talent? Or a player that gave his blood, sweat, and tears to all but one franchise and fanbase?
Enter the world of sports memorabilia—a treasure trove of items that make you own a moment, an icon, an event or a feeling. Seasoned collectors look for authentic signed jerseys, caps, jackets, shoes, posters, game balls, and what have you from sports memorabilia providers worldwide. In the Philippines, there is only one trustworthy online retailer of authenticated signed sports memorabilia: Hall of Fame Authentics or HOFA.
HOFA is an online-based store that offers over 5,000 authentically signed items in various sports on its website, hofa.ph. All memorabilia available are verified authentic as witnessed by licensed memorabilia companies such as Upper Deck, Panini, Steiner, and Fanatics to reassure fans they are getting something 100% legit. The memorabilia also come in a broad range of prices to fit different budgets.
HOFA caters to both expert collectors and those just starting to build their collections. “You don’t have to start big when you take up this hobby,” advises Ron Uy, who owns HOFA together with friends Stephen Songco and Elvis Gutierrez.” You don’t have to go for the big guns like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Tom Brady right away. If there’s someone—maybe a rookie—whom you think will eventually make it big, then you can start from there. If you feel you have a certain connection or attachment to a player, team, or a sporting moment, build your collection around that. Who knows? That player may make it to the Hall of Fame someday. Or that team may eventually win a string of championships? Only time will tell.” Ron himself owns a vast range of Laker memorabilia from the days of Jerry West to Kobe Bryant’s era. Meanwhile Songco, a huge Michael Jordan fan, also owns a game-worn pair of kicks from the greatest of all time.
It’s easy to start a collection thru HOFA. Just go to the website, add the chosen memorabilia to cart, and check out after indicating required details and providing the necessary information. HOFA makes it easy for fans to own memorabilia by making them available through credit card and PayPal or even via installment and layaway plans that fit their budgets better. Afterwards, customers receive a confirmation email containing further instructions. All items are already 12% VAT-inclusive so there are no additional taxes to pay.
As a special touch, HOFA will accommodate requests to have the memorabilia framed or encased for an additional fee so they can be readily showcased upon arrival. It takes just two to three weeks for the items to arrive. And the best thing is you didn’t even need to leave home to shop for the memorabilia you wanted.
Songco adds that when you own authentic memorabilia, you can be secure in what you paid for. “We sell the signed products at their original retail prices. We’re not resellers and don’t plan to be. The price you see on the website is the same pricing they’re sold for in the US and around the world by the companies we partnered with. Think of buying memorabilia this way: If you had enough money to buy a car, would you go for one that has no original receipt and certificate of registration? The same goes for authenticated signed sports memorabilia. This way, you’re comfortable that you are paying for something that has a guaranteed value.” That value will make the memorabilia a sound investment for the future.
With the arrival of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, players and teams will provide new moments and performances that will add value to the items that they own. Will LeBron James tow his Lakers to another title that will make them the winningest franchise in the league? Is this the year Chris Paul finally wins a ring that has eluded him for 16 years? Will Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid finally bring a title to the City of Brotherly Love?
Each of these players and more will have their stories to tell. It’s up to the fans to snatch up a piece of their journey and make it their very own.
For more information: check them out on Facebook facebook.com/hofa.ph and Instagram @hofa.ph.
