Pokémon Card Release Draws Overnight Tampa Crowd

Roughly 130 collectors lined up outside a Tampa Best Buy, some more than 14 hours before opening, for a new Pokémon card release.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Board Games

Graphic poster-style illustration of a fanned stack of blank card packs in bright yellow and blue with halftone texture. — About 130 collectors lined up overnight outside a Tampa Best Buy, some more than 14 hours early, for the Mega Evolution: Delta Reign Pokémon card release. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you wait overnight in line to buy limited-release collectible cards?

About 130 people waited Friday morning outside the Best Buy on Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa for the release of Pokémon cards from the Mega Evolution: Delta Reign expansion. A nearby Walmart sold out of Pokémon cards by 7 a.m., before Best Buy opened at 9 a.m.

Why it matters

Buyers are hoping to secure the products before they sell out, and some parents are making purchases for children before the collectibles reach the resale market. Waiting in line does not guarantee a purchase.

The release includes Mega Rayquaza ex and Mega Malamar ex, along with special Pokémon 30th anniversary collections. Best Buy sold products on a first-come, first-served basis, and customers had to be present to buy.

The players

Best Buy

Best Buy is a large American consumer electronics retailer whose store on Dale Mabry Highway hosted the overnight line.

Walmart

Walmart is a major American big-box retailer whose nearby Tampa store sold out of Pokémon cards before dawn.

The details

Collectors brought coolers, folding chairs, tables and entertainment to hold their places overnight. Best Buy products were available only on a first-come, first-served basis, and waiting in line did not guarantee a purchase.

Thursday, about 7 p.m.: earliest collectors arrive outside the Tampa Best Buy.
Friday, 7 a.m.: nearby Walmart sells out of Pokémon cards.
Friday, 9 a.m.: Best Buy opens for the release.

Board Games

The overnight Tampa line follows the recurring pattern of Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion launches, which have repeatedly drawn long retail lines and quick sellouts. Collectors arriving far ahead of opening reflects how scheduled expansion drops have become competitive events for buyers.

Shoppers planning to buy new Pokémon releases should expect early-morning lines and quick sellouts at popular stores. Arriving before opening does not guarantee a purchase, so checking store hours and stock in advance may help.

The takeaway

Pokémon release days in Tampa show how quickly limited collectible stock can disappear once it hits shelves. Buyers who plan ahead and check store availability early have the best chance of getting what they want.