Dick’s House of Sport x Miami Marlins Trading Card Photo Booth Activation at Dadeland Mall

Dick’s House of Sport partnered with the Miami Marlins to create an in-store pop-up at Dadeland Mall. The goal was simple. Drive foot traffic, increase time spent in-store, and give guests a reason to engage with the brand.

Our team was brought in to execute a custom trading card photo booth built for speed and volume. This was a public activation. Anyone walking through the store could step in, create a custom baseball-style trading card, and walk away with both a physical and digital takeaway.

How the trading card photo booth worked

The setup focused on fast throughput without lowering quality. Guests walked up to the booth and were guided by our on-site director. They selected from four pre-designed trading card templates, each branded with Dick’s House of Sport and Miami Marlins elements. We built a system using AI-supported workflows to place guests into baseball-themed stadium backgrounds. This removed friction and kept the process moving. The full experience took under two minutes per guest.

After capturing the photo, each guest received:

• A printed custom trading card

• A digital copy for sharing and saving

  
  

The booth was paired with a separate production station behind the backdrop. This kept the front clean while allowing our team to handle printing and assembly without slowing down the line.

Activation setup:

We used a sleek open-air photo booth with unlimited prints.

Key setup details:

• Open-air booth with branded backdrop

• 3 on-site staff members managing flow and production

• 4 custom trading card designs

• Baseball props including bats and balls

• Custom stadium-style virtual backgrounds
  

The footprint was designed to fit inside the retail space without disrupting store flow.

Speed and guest flow. Speed was critical for this activation. The objective was to keep guests moving while still delivering a high-quality output.

We structured the experience to:

• Keep each session under 2 minutes

• Guide guests quickly through template selection

• Separate capture and production to avoid bottlenecks
  

If needed, we scale by adding more stations. This allows us to handle higher volume without increasing wait times.

Results:

This activation produced strong volume in a short time window.

• 650 custom trading cards printed

• Continuous guest flow throughout the activation

• High participation from in-store shoppers

Each guest left with a branded takeaway tied directly to the Miami Marlins and Dick’s House of Sport. This extended the experience beyond the store as guests shared their cards digitally.

Why trading card photo booths work for retail activations

Retail environments need activations that pull people in and move them toward a purchase.

A trading card photo booth does both.

• It creates a clear reason to stop and engage

• It gives guests a personalized item tied to the brand

• It increases time spent inside the store

• It supports social sharing through digital outputs

• It provides an opportunity for data capture during the process

For sports partnerships, this format fits naturally. Guests step into the role of the athlete and leave with something that feels official.

Using photo booths as a brand activation tool

This activation is a clear example of how brands use photo booths as a marketing tool, not only entertainment.

For malls, retail stores, and sports collaborations, the right setup drives:

• Foot traffic

• Brand awareness

• Guest participation

• Shareable content

• Measurable output
  

At Esteem Photo Booth Rentals, we design each activation around speed, branding, and guest flow. Every detail is built to support the client’s goal.

If you are planning a mall activation, sports event, or in-store pop-up, a custom trading card photo booth is one of the strongest formats to use.