Have A Slice,Find Some Topps:Marketside Pizza And Pack Break

I was at my local Walmart today, and by local I mean an hour away so I don't go to often, and I was really itching for some cards especially some new baseball ones. For the first time in my collecting career, I have broken tradition and haven't bought any 2016 Topps yet. My budget hasn't been the best.

So today, I found myself in that same scenario, have food or buy cards. Obviously, I have to eat....or do I?? 

 

Anyways, it popped into my head as I walked down the refrigerated section that Topps recently announced a deal with Walmart where they included a 3-card pack of cards inside of Walmart's Marketside pizza. Then it hit me, cards and food together. That's gotta be a win-win for me and especially on a day like this. So I picked up one of these bad boys......

 

Inside, I found this.

 

Then under that, I found this.

I do worry however as the pack wasn't even attached to the box and anyone could easily just go up and snatch these out from under the pizza as the package wasn't sealed either. I think at least the pizza box needs a seal.

 

Inside of the pack, I was able to find my first 2016 Topps cards that I opened myself and a Topps Bunt code that I just tossed to the side. As you know, I am not a fan of digital cards but those who are will appreciate that addition.

 

Each card in the Marketside set has a decent design with colored photography and a "digitalized square blur" top 1/3rd of the card. The Topps symbol is in one top corner and the Marketside symbol in the other. Not sure if there is a hidden meaning on this, but I noticed that Marketside was always on the side the player was swinging.

Joe Mauer was the first card in my pack

 

Followed by A.J. Pollock

 

Then to finish it up, Andrew McCutchen.

 

In case you are curious by the card back, here is that on my McCutchen.

 

The checklist on these cards is very promising with the mix of rookies, vets and even a couple of mascots. Here is the list of players you can find.

1 Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
2 Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
3 Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies
4 Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles
5 Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles
6 Carlos Correa, Houston Astros
7 Michael Wacha, St. Louis Cardinals
8 Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
9 Jacob deGrom, New York Mets
10 David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
11 Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
12 Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
13 Troy Tulowitzki, Toronto Blue Jays
14 Miguel Sano, Minnesota Twins
15 Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners
16 Phillie Phanatic, Philadelphia Phillies
17 Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox
18 Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians
19 Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
20 Jacoby Ellsbury, New York Yankees
21 Luis Severino, New York Yankees
22 Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets
23 Prince Fielder, Texas Rangers
24 Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
25 Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals
26 Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants
27 Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
28 Sonny Gray, Oakland Athletics
29 Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals
30 Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays
31 Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins
32 Hector Olivera, Atlanta Braves
33 Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies
34 Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
35 Tyson Ross, San Diego Padres
36 Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
37 Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds
38 A.J. Pollock, Arizona Diamondbacks
39 Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox
40 George Springer, Houston Astros
41 Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs
42 Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
43 Dee Gordon, Miami Marlins
44 Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels
45 Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
46 Kyle Schwarber, Chicago Cubs
47 Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers
48 Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
49 Mr. Met, New York Mets
50 Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

I think to make the chase even more fun would have been to add a few Sp's. No sparkles and such, just plain photo variations. Maybe an idea for the next round as these will only continue to be found til June.

 

Overall, I really dig the marketing idea by Topps and whoever came up with it as it is excellent. First off, pizza is a very popular food among adults and especially children that could get hooked on collecting when finding these. Second, they created a nice checklist of players and the timing to release this at the start of the season was perfect. Third, a lot of us collectors who collected oddball cards that were featured in food products from the 70's, 80's and 90's will completely love this chase and it's a great sell for Walmart as well as collectors will be buying their product to get them.

Before closing, I must also note that the pizza isn't terribly bad either. It's actually surprisingly good. That will be another key element to this as you don't want to buy hobby cardboard and something that tastes like it.

 

 

What do you guys think of this card/pizza combo?