NSCC Fallout Pt. 7: Boxes of Product

It felt a little silly to come home from the National with all of my treasures fitting into a brown paper lunch bag, so just before leaving I bought a few boxes of cards. The easiest decision I made all week was to pick up a box of 2018 Topps WWE Legends. Dave & Adam's must have been trying to get rid of the stuff, because the price was right. You are guaranteed two autos per box. I hit FIVE. Needless to say, you'll probably have to wait until January to see what was inside.


 I also got a box of 2019 Topps Opening Day. I enjoyed the packs I bought at Target this spring, so I made the decision to put the set together. Those mascots, man, that's where they get ya.
 

 But what we've come her to talk about is this box. 2017 Topps MLS Stadium Club. Two autos per box, $20, I decided to give it a shot. SPOILER: I did not like this product.


Let's start with the parallels. For some reason, Topps decided that Stadium Club, a brand built on exceptional photography and vibrant colors, should include black and white parallels. Stupid. I'm showing these a red card.
 

Oh great, more parallels, this time the name is in gold. This is a studs-up tackle to the back of the knee. Terrible.
   

Giovani dos Santos Photo Variation
Got a good player, at least. The thing is, this photo is less exciting than the one on the regular dos Santos card. (1:19 pack odds.)


Are the parallels done yet? No? Terrific.
Joao Plata Members Only (5/6)
This is a Stadium Club standby, and perhaps with the low numbering I can get a few bucks for this, even though RSL doesn't have any fans. (1:128 pack odds)


Okay, we made it through that mess and are on to the inserts. These are called "Profiles," and they... what the hell? Where did the color go again? What is with the obsession with black and white? See, MLS made this really great choice when they redesigned their logo a few years ago. The league logo changes color in relation to the team clothing on which it is featured. This is just washed-out image cropping. Donruss Studio did this almost thirty years ago, with much better results.
 

Up next, Scoreless Streak goalkeeper inserts. Now that's what I'm talking about! A focused insert set with something resembling creative graphic design. This is what should have taken the place of all those waste-of-space B&W/gold parallels. Two per box is uncool.
 

The AUTOS
#74 Ignacio Piatti
Perennial MLS All-Star, stuck in the backwater of the league so few know who he is. I will get $3 for this if I'm lucky.
   

#56 Ethan Finlay Members Only (19/20)
Not terrible. Finlay has an interesting story, with his family moving to north-central Wisconsin where soccer is almost nonexistent, and commuting to Milwaukee (well...Germantown) to play youth club ball. (1:80 pack odds)
 

With some luck, I might be able to eke a profit out of this box, since I sure ain't collecting it. Maybe I'll give the base cards to that little blind kid who sits outside my apartment complex.
More to come...