EDICOLA NEWS: THE REVIEWS nr. 197
album: SUPER CHAMPS (Esselunga)
stickers: 180 (1-180)
album: 0,99€
packets: one with € 15.00 spent at Esselunga Supermarket, contains 6 stickers
But how beautiful were the Campioni dello Sport albums? Finally not just football, but all disciplines, all the Olympic sport in one album. Those years are very distant, it is impossible for reasons of image rights to think of having one with athletes from all over the world, at least we can again have one dedicated to the Azzurri.
Again because also in 2016 we had an album, made by Panini at the time. Some comparisons need to be made. The Panini had stickers with really quality photos of the sportsmen, large and in excellent resolution, on the other hand it presented the rather useless set of cards and even the stickers that referred to the various disciplines were not very attractive. But the photos were really beautiful, especially thanks to Panini for having proposed such a particular album.
This time it is the turn of the Esselunga supermarket chain, official partner of Team Italia, therefore with a project that goes far beyond just the album. In fact, you can also buy other official products such as notebooks etc. The line is similar to that of 4 years ago, rightly we try to give space to all disciplines. This of course involves limiting the athletes to stickers, the alternative would have been to make an encyclopedic album.
However, the album maintains an encyclopedic form, not through the stickers, but thanks to the information we find for each sport, from historical notions, to curiosities, to the great victories of the Azzurri over the years. Alongside the stickers and photographs, there are also many details on the athletes.
The preparation work is well made, the stickers are interesting, they are small and therefore suffer from some limitations (especially in relation to the giants of Brazil 2016) but they are appreciated, more successful than 2016 the shining specials of the various caricature disciplines as well as those, always in caricature, of some athletes.
We also applaud the format of the album, not stapled but paperback, a real book in stickers of the Tokyo 2020 Azzurri Olympics. Even the formula of the bags attached to the shopping is challenging but less difficult than other occasions. Meanwhile Esselunga is rooted in the territory, it is enough for 2 months to shop in these well-stocked supermarkets. In addition, for each packet we have 6 stickers, other editions presented only 3 or 4, it changes a lot! Not only that, being a very widespread reality, it is easier to find relatives, friends, work colleagues who can give their unused packets as a gift. Attention, the purchase of the album is open to everyone but the packets are distributed only to holders of the Esselunga Fidelity Card, however free.
Important detail that we regret to note, as in 2016 the athletes of the Paralympics are completely missing. It is a lack that we personally feel very strongly, it is true that they are two separate Olympics (also for logistical and organizational reasons) but we believe it would have been right to give space to all the Azzurri who will compete in Tokyo.
The doubt remains about the chosen title of the collection, it does not like a lot, they must have had their valid reasons. Incredible that, at the moment, the two best sports albums of 2021 are not produced by newsstands but by alternative markets. However, the year is still long, who knows what the future holds.
(EN)