The National is the Super Bowl of card shows — shorthand for The National Sports Collectors Convention, the largest and most well-attended card event of the year. If you're serious about The Hobby, The National is the pilgrimage.
The first one was held back in 1980 in Los Angeles, and it's grown into an absolute monster since then. In recent years, it's been held in Atlantic City and Chicago, drawing over 100,000 attendees. You'll find dealers, breakers, grading companies, manufacturers, exclusive releases, and fellow collectors from every corner of the hobby world. It's the one event where the entire collecting community comes together under one roof.