Buzz Break: 2023 SportKings Volume 4 (blaster box)

 From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2023 SportKings Volume 4 sports cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview: Click here
Where to buy: Click here

Packs per box: 6 (five standard, one hit pack)
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 51
Base set completion: 19 of 30 (63 percent)
Duplicates: 1

Base cards – Ric Flair, Babe Ruth, Nolan Ryan, Jerry Rice, Kurt Warner, Lolo Jones (two different cards), Ma Long, J.R. Celski, Sergey Bubka, Sir Garfield Sobers, Larry Bird, Carl Eller, Joseph Ruud, Grant Holloway, Frank Gore, Fred Taylor, Erriyon Knighton, Dallas Seavey

Insert cards: 30 (everything from box in gallery below)
Mini (15) – Ric Flair, Nolan Ryan, Kurt Warner, Lolo Jones, Ma Long, Grant Holloway, Frank Gore, Fred Taylor, Erriyon Knighton, Kerri Strug, Amy Van Dyken, Greg Louganis, Matti Nykanan, Frank Shorter, Ole Einar Bjorndalen
Silver parallels (10) – Jerry West, Cal Ripken Jr., Kurt Warner, Ma Long, Sergey Bubka, Kerri Strug, Greg Louganis, Matti Nykanan, Ole Einar Bjorndalen, Efren Reyes
Blue parallels (5) – Ole Einar Bjorndalen, Sergey Bubka, Efren Reyes, Ma Long, Matti Nykanan

Autographs/Memorabilia: 1
SK Legends Memorabilia (1) – Rafael Nadal (shorts)

What's Buzz-worthy: There were a lot of tennis fans out there in the world this weekend, so I figured I'd trot this one out since the hit is among the names who are about as big as it gets for modern men's tennis. The hits here are the key in my mind but the variety of what's found here is pretty unique, too. These boxes can also be found rather cheaply, too. This box is among the cheapest out in the retail wild at $19.99 with a hit guaranteed -- and as you can see here some of those hits can be a big deal. (Even better, I found this one on sale.) These boxes are also bigger than past releases of this one with 20 guaranteed base cards and the hit and atop that, you get 15 mini parallels and two colors of base parallels, which are a big upgrade from past versions that might have a card or two of this type in a blaster. The overall mix here can be collected pretty easily -- it's just 30 base cards with the two parallels and a mini version for each. The hits packs can include on-card auto cards, memorabilia cards, cut autos, 1/1 sketch cards, a Grand Patch card or a Jared Kelley 1/1 painted art card. ... This box included a lot of names I didn't see last time and I got fewer duplicates, too. Some stars have a couple of different cards -- not variations as they have different card numbers -- so that adds a little more for fans of those names. (There is at least one inconsistency in color between a parallel and a mini here, too, so there may be more to watch for ... or perhaps they went un-corrected.) The hit pack is an easy reason to rip here along with the surprise factor and there's big potential here, too, with Hall of Famer ink in traditional sports and stuff for some who don't have a lot of other cards. With them already cheaper, I'll rip more just for the variety factor alone.

Product Grade: A-
Box Grade: A- (thanks to the hit)
Fun Grade: B+ (parallels alone add a ton more to these boxes)

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