September Sports Crate Review - Chicago Cubs Crate #5

Alright, so the final Sports Crate for this season is (finally) here. This is Crate #5 and the theme is "Finish Strong."

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love!

As most of you who follow and/or subscribe to this box probably know, Sports Crate has been riddled with shipping issues and production problems. Sports Crate is part of the Loot Crate family and I recently saw that Loot Crate is also having a production issue with their specialty Stranger Things Crate, so it looks like this has been an issue across the board with Loot Crate.

Crate #5 is the last Crate in this series, but Sports Crate sent out an email saying they're making some changes to the subscription going forward. Crates will now be bi-monthly (six total per year) throughout the whole year instead of five Crates from May to September for baseball season. They've partnered with brands like '47, Stance, Tervis, and New Era for future Crates. There are also new pricing options:

• Bi-monthly: $29.99 every other month ($29.99 per Crate)
• Three months: $85.50 every six months ($28.50 per Crate for three Crates)
• Yearly: $162.00 once a year ($27.00 per Crate for six Crates)

Crates were previously $39.99 per month, so I am wondering if the drop in price means a drop in the retail value of the merchandise as well.

I can say that I will not be resubscribing to Sports Crate as of right now. The next box will be in December, so if you sign up for their new plan that will be your first box. I'm still waiting on three BALLERS figures from this past subscription, so I don't want to sign up for anything new until I get those items and see what kind of merch they include in the next few boxes.

So! All of that stuff aside, the September Crate was pretty good. I was glad to get another t-shirt with a good design, and I was happy that Javy Báez was the featured player.

Unfortunately, this month's Crate was without the BALLERS figurine yet again. Sports Crate advised everyone last month that they were re-tooling the figurines to be better quality and look more realistic, so there would be a delay in shipping. Last month's Anthony Rizzo figurine is supposed to ship sometime this month (if I recall correctly, Sports Crate said we should have them "by the end of October), and Javy's is also delayed. Furthermore, if you purchased the Season Pass option like me our extra bonus figurine is still on the way but I don't even remember when Sports Crate said that one would be shipping.

Anyway, so regardless of what team's Crate you ordered, according to the insert pictured above we should be getting our BALLERS for Crate 4 and 5 by the end of October. Fingers crossed that we actually see them by then!

This is called the 2 Cubs Lanyard on the info card,d though I'm not sure why. Maybe "2" is the name of the brand? Either way, it's a nice lanyard made of what I'm assuming is a polyester blend. It's soft and shiny, as you can see from the photo above. I like having my keys on a lanyard because it makes them easier to grab out of my bag.

I don't know why, but I just had a feeling when I first subscribed to this box that an apron would be included at some point. I was right, since this box has the Stadium Apron. I really like the Wrigley Field design and the material is nice and sturdy, but I don't grill so I might gift this to my brother or someone else who will use it.

My favorite item in the box is the American Needle Cubs T-Shirt by Wright and Ditson. The design is simple, but I prefer my sports t-shirts to just have a simple logo on them. I also like the lighter blue background since I didn't have any Cubs shirts in that color until now. I put my size down as medium when I first signed up and I probably could have used a small for this since it's a looser tee, but it still fits fine and I will definitely still wear it.

I also wanted to note that MLB licensed apparel is usually pretty pricey regardless of how simple it is ($35 for a player tee, anyone?), so I figured this shirt had a decent retail tag. This particular design isn't available on the Wright and Ditson website, but similar tees range from $30-$38 so I think this was a good deal.

• Visit Sports Crate to subscribe

Bottom Line: Am I bummed that Sports Crate had so many issues with these boxes? Sure. I totally understand everyone else's frustration, too. But I guess because I've been subscribing to sub boxes for so long these kinds of things don't really come as a surprise to me. I hope that we get our BALLERS figurines soon, but I guess there isn't much we can do other than wait.

What do you think of Sports Crate? Do you think you'll subscribe to the new bi-monthly plan>

Chicago Cubs Sports Crate #5 Spoiler

Javier Báez just posted on his Facebook page that the final Sports Crate BALLERS figurine for September will be in his likeness.

I love Javy and am excited that the final BALLERS figurine will be him! It looks like the figurines for the other teams are posted on each team's individual Sports Crate page; view them all here (scroll down to the "Available Teams" section).

August Sports Crate Review - Chicago Cubs

The August Sports Crate was only about a week delayed, so that's an improvement! I have mixed feelings about this month's box; read on to find out why.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love!

Sports Crate is a part of the Loot Crate family and costs $39.99 per month for 5-7 officially licensed, exclusive items valued at $80+. The current season is MLB and is available for the following teams: Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, and the Texas Rangers.

I purchased the Season Pass option for all five boxes (May through September). This option is no longer available, but for those of you who also purchased it, our extra figurine should be arriving with September's box.

Each month features a BALLERS figurine, and as you can see from the photo above this month's is missing. Sports Crate stated they listened to subscriber feedback and are retooling the figurines to look more realistic and have higher quality. I already thought they were pretty nice, but I won't say no to improvements, either. The figurines should be completed and shipped by the last week of September.

The BALLERS figurine for September is Anthony Rizzo, and I'm so excited because he's my favorite current Cub! Based on the photo in the product insert, it looks a lot like him. There's also an exclusive Topps Trading Card to go along with the figurine.

The '47 Clean Up Adjustable Hat is a soft hat with an adjustable band in the back. By soft I mean there's a cardboard insert inside of it to keep its shape, otherwise it would kind of just flop in on itself. I actually just bought a new Cubs hat, and I guess I should have waited because I should have assumed a baseball cap would be sent at some time from a baseball subscription box!

The Tervis Tumbler is my favorite item in the box, aside from the upcoming BALLERS figurine. I've been meaning to get a cup like this for a while but usually end up spending my money on Cubs t-shirts or jerseys instead, so this was a nice surprise. I really love the design, especially all of the old logos on it.

• Visit Sports Crate to subscribe

Bottom Line: This month's Sports Crate was just okay to me. The hat would have been better if I hadn't just bought one, and the box felt kind of empty without the BALLERS figurine. Basically I got a box with a hat, a cup, and a trading card. I don't mean that to sound super critical though, because I really do like the cup. I'm excited to see the BALLERS figurine once it arrives, too.

Sports Crate August Crate #4 Update

I just received the below email regarding Sports Crate #4, which is supposed to be the August Crate:

So it looks like the BALLERZ figures are being redone to improve their look and articulation and the figure for Crate #4 will ship separately from the rest of the box. The figure is supposed to arrive at Sports Crate at the end of September, so we will most likely not see these until October.

While I know many are upset with Sports Crate for the constant issues (and rightfully so), I'm glad they are at least keeping us updated about shipping issues and are listening to subscriber feedback in regards to the quality of the items.

July Sports Crate Review - Chicago Cubs

Well, it looks like Sports Crate will just be delayed a month going forward. July's Crate was held up by production issues again, but the contents were well worth the wait.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love!

Sports Crate is $39.99 per month for 5-7 officially licensed, team-specific items valued at $80+ total. Crates are available for the following teams: Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, and the Texas Rangers.

I purchased the Season Pass option for $179.99 for all five boxes (May-September), but this option is no longer available given there are only two months left. If you also purchased the Season Pass, I saw on Sports Crate's Twitter that our extra action figure will be included in the September box.

As I said in the beginning of this post, this Crate was late again due to production issues. Last month I was annoyed because Sports Crate was not very communicative, but this month they did a much better job in my opinion. They sent out a few emails updating us on the progress of the Crates. While it's still annoying, at least this time I knew what was going on and when to expect the box. I also got my tracking email without having to ask for it, which hadn't happened with the previous two boxes.

I think many subscribers are upset with the shipping issues, and rightfully so, but I'm in it for the long haul since I bought the Season Pass and can't cancel. I still like the boxes a lot though so I don't mind the late shipping as long as Sports Crate continues to keep us informed.

Anyway, the July box was themed Round Tripper and had five items. I think this is the best box yet, and I'm glad that they keep getting better each month! Also, mine literally arrived right as Ian Happ hit his 17th home run versus the Blue Jays, so that's good luck, right?

• Cubs Wallet - This is a 100% genuine leather wallet that came in a nice case. I'm actually surprised that it's real leather because it felt like faux to me. It's a bi-fold with six credit card slots and a nice divider with a see-through slot on either side for your license or other card you want to display. I love the black color and simple design.

• "Hit the Road" T-Shirt - I really like this shirt! The design is much better than the first shirt we got in the May Crate. I like that it's gray because I live in neutral colors. The design is unique and exclusive to Sports Crate, and there's only a small Sports Crate logo on the left sleeve.

• Cubs Sun Shade - I don't see many people using sun shades for their cars, but I do. The one I was using prior to receiving this is a Car Full of Cats design from Archie McPhee, and it really does work to keep my car a little cooler and (more importantly) it protects your dashboard from the harmful rays of the sun. That being said, I just tried to put this in my car and it didn't work. A sun shade needs suction cups or something else to keep it attached to the windshield, otherwise it just falls down. I couldn't get this to stay up against my windshield because it has no attachments, unless there is some other way to place them that I'm unaware of. I hope I can figure something else out though because I love the design.

• Kris Bryant BALLERS Action Figure and Topps Trading Card - I knew they had to do either a KB or an Anthony Rizzo (I'm still hoping for Rizzo in one of the next boxes) BALLERS, since they're probably the two most popular players on the team. I also think this BALLERS looks the most like the real player than the past two. I also like that it's a road jersey design because I love the road grays. The Topps card is also an exclusive to Sports Crate, but the one I got is different than the one pictured on the info card.

The BALLERS figure came with a removable bat and also a glove, so you can pop one of Kris's hands off and attach the glove. He's also a little top heavy. But at least they got his dreamy blue eyes right (lol)!

• Visit Sports Crate to subscribe

Bottom Line: This was a really good Sports Crate. I'm still glad I subscribed, even though they have had some pretty disappointing shipping issues. The items are high quality and have been a lot of fun so far. I'm excited to see what the last two boxes will contain.

July Sports Crate Spoilers - Box #3 "Round Tripper"

Thanks to MetsHotCorner on YouTube for this unboxing video!



It looks like Cardinals and Mets fans have been receiving their boxes. I haven't gotten my Cubs Crate or a shipping notification email yet.

Sports Crate Shipping Update for July

I just received the following email regarding shipping for the July Sports Crate and all Crates going forward:

So it looks like July Crates won't be shipping until July 31st. This is a bit of a bummer because I was looking forward to getting my Crate at the end of this week, but I'm glad that Sports Crate is providing up-front communication this time around. I hope that they are able to iron out all of their issues so that Crates will be delivered on time going forward. I do appreciate that they're taking our feedback seriously and are trying to communicate better than last month.

June Chicago Cubs Sports Crate Review

Rejoice, my June Sports Crate is finally here! There was a lot of rigmarole related to this shipment, hence why I'm reviewing it in July. Keep reading for more on that...

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love!

Sports Crate is a part of the Loot Crate family and the MLB Edition is available for the following teams: Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals (boo), San Francisco Giants, and the Texas Rangers.

Crates are $39.99 per month for 5-7 officially licensed, team-specific items valued at $80+. They also have a Season Pass option available for $179.99. The Season Pass is only available through July 31st, so sign up quickly if you want to go that route. But you might want to read on before you decide to go that route.

Anyway, there are five Crates total (May-September) and the Season Pass will afford you 10% off the monthly price, an additional MLB Action Figure, and two entries into the Golden Ticket sweepstakes each month (instead of just one with the monthly subscription option). One subscriber for each team option will get a Golden Ticket in their box that's good for exclusive team experiences, like on field tours and more.

Okay: June Crate drama. Crates are supposed to ship the third week of the month and take about a week to arrive (the website says 1-2 weeks, but last month mine only took four days). The end of the third week of June rolled around and I had no box. No one else did, either. Everyone took to social media and was asking Sports Crate what was going on, but no answers were given at first. Very frustrating, especially since I signed up for the Season Pass option and couldn't cancel!

Sports Crate did finally release a statement via email saying that the Crates were held up because one of the items was delayed in production, thus delaying shipments. That's fine, I understand stuff happens; however, Sports Crate should have told us all this as soon as they knew. I find it hard to believe that they didn't have this information sooner than when they sent out that email.

One other thing that was bothering me was that I never received my FedEx tracking number for June's box. I just assumed they didn't send out tracking numbers, but then I learned that some people got tracking and Sports Crate also kept referencing tracking numbers on Twitter, etc. I contacted them via their Customer Service form and received a non answer first, but then when I reached out via Twitter they told me there was a glitch in the system that caused some tracking emails to not be sent out. Apparently that glitch is still not fixed because I never got an email with tracking until I contacted them (AGAIN!) via their contact form. Only then did I finally receive my tracking number.

So, like I said in the beginning of this post, rigmarole! Nonsense! Overall it's frustrating because I know Sports Crate is from Loot Crate and they've been around for a while, so I feel they should be experienced enough to have better customer service than this. I hope there are no delays with future boxes.

All that craziness aside, I really liked the June Sports Crate! I wasn't sure about the "Behind the Plate" theme when it was released as a spoiler because I was afraid it would be full of items for grilling and I don't grill. But the items were much better this month than in May and I was happy with most of them.

What item was kind of a bummer? The one pictured above. Each month's box will feature an exclusive BALLERS Collectible Figure, and this month's box featured catchers. I was really, really hoping for a Willson Contreras figure because he's so exciting to watch and one of my favorite new Cubs. Nope. We got Miguel Montero, which is especially funny now because Miggy is no longer a Cub. He was recently DFA'd and is now with the Toronto Blue Jays. Oops!

There is also a matching Topps Trading Card of Miggy to go along with the figure. I do really like these figures and they're one of the main reasons I subscribed.

• Cubs Barbecue Oven Mitt - I love this! The info card says it's great for summer barbecues and grilling, but as I said, I don't grill. I do cook things in the oven a lot, though, and this oven mitt is so much more fun than the plain black one I was using before.
• Frosted Novelty Glasses - The fact that these are called "novelty glasses" made me laugh. They're clearly shot glasses, but I understand that the other name is more PC. I also like the description in the info card: "No matter how you decide to use these glasses at your Behind the Dish party, remember that anything is worth a shot." So Sports Crate is in on the joke, too. I like the frosted glass and that they came as a set of two.
• The Home Plate Bottle Opener and Coaster - These are really unique and I like the multipurpose design. The home plate shape is fun and I like that they're made of plastic (or acrylic maybe, I don't know) and not wood or cork because then the water doesn't seep through and get all soggy all over my table. I'm currently resting my water cup on one of these as I type this review.

• Cubs Flag - This is my favorite item this month. I feel like you should always have a team flag available. I have a Cubs flag hanging up in my cubicle at work, and now I have one for home, too. I wanted to buy a W flag, but since I live in New York and the Cubs aren't as popular I didn't want my neighbors to see a white flag with a W in the middle and get the wrong idea. Also, I don't have a flag pole or anything so I have this hanging in my bedroom, so I guess my neighbors seeing anything is a moot point. I like the bear logo and shattered design. At first I didn't get why it said "Chicago Homestand" on it, but the info card says you can display this at a barbecue, like at your homestand.

Here are more up-close views of the Miggy Montero BALLERS figure. I think these are well-made and fun collectibles, especially since they're exclusive to Sports Crate. As you can see, they have lots of points of articulation (21 to be exact) so you can place them in to all different poses. Currently I have Miggy and Jon Lester from May's box on my bookshelf with their torsos turned around backwards because I'm weird like that.

• Visit Sports Crate to subscribe

Bottom Line: I am much happier with the June Sports Crate than I was with May's. I have to admit, May's was kind of underwhelming and I was starting to think I made a mistake purchasing the Season Pass, but this box gives me more hope. Plus, next month's BALLERS figure is Kris Bryant so I'm excited for that!

June Sports Crate Shipping Update

Sports Crate just sent out this email with an explanation as to why the June Crates have not shipped yet.

While I appreciate the communication, I think that they waited too long to tell us this. I saw many other subscribers trying to contact them on social media and by email and only getting vague responses, or not getting a response at all (the latter is what happened to me).

I have to assume that they knew about this delay prior to today, so in my opinion they should have emailed us as soon as they knew. I also did not receive a tracking number for my May box, but according to their website those are sent out. So I'm very curious to see if I get tracking for June, and I hope that Sports Crate provides more prompt communication in the future if there are any delays or issues.

June Sports Crate Theme Spoilers and $10 Off Coupon

SportsCrate announced the theme spoiler and item hints for June's box today, check it out:

June's theme is Behind The Dish and will feature a BALLER action figure featuring your team's catcher. I'm hoping for the Cubs box this means a Willson Contreras figure!

• Subscribe to Sports Crate
• Use coupon code SPORTSCRATE10 for $10 off

What do you think of the June Sports Crate theme? What do you think the items will be?

May Chicago Cubs Sports Crate Review

When I first found out that Sports Crate was launching I knew I had to sign up! I don't think I've ever been more excited for a subscription box. There are other sports boxes out there, but this one caught my eye because it was officially licensed by MLB. I signed up for the Chicago Cubs Season Pass and not-so-patiently awaited my first crate.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love!

Sports Crate is the newest member of the Loot Crate family and is currently available for 10 MLB teams: Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals (boo), San Francisco Giants, and the Texas Rangers.

Crates cost $39.99 per month and currently ship only to the U.S. I purchased the Season Pass (all five boxes from May to September) for $179.99. The Season Pass option is only available for May, so sign up before the end of the month if you want that option. If you sign up for a monthly subscription you'll be charged on the 10th of each month. Subscriptions do not automatically renew at the end of the season.

Each box will contain 5-7 officially licensed, team-specific items valued at $80+ that are exclusive to Sports Crate. They can be anything from gear to collectibles, and more. There will also be a different theme for each month.

I did not receive a shipment notification for this box which was a real bummer for someone has impatient as me. I was aware that Sports Crate was going to ship the first box in the third week of May, though, so I kept an eye on their social media accounts and saw that people started to receive their Crates around the end of that week. Sports Crate stated that boxes shipped on Monday the 15th and I received mine on Thursday, so that's pretty quick shipping. I just like to have a tracking number because I have had boxes not get delivered to me in the past and I prefer to be able to track the shipping.

But anyway, once I got my box I couldn't wait to tear it open! May's theme was "Bringin' the Heat" and featured pitchers. There were five items inside, plus a one month subscription to MLB.TV (this came in the May box only). I already have an MLB.TV subscription, but it's definitely a nice addition for those who don't.

The item I was most excited for was the t-shirt. I spend way too much money on Cubs clothing so I hoped that I'd get some good shirts in these boxes. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed with this Bringin' the Heat T-Shirt shirt because I don't love the design. Yes, the Cubs colors are red, white, and blue, but I would have preferred a white shirt or blue shirt instead of predominantly red. It's just a little too bright for me. The design of the shirt is a three-quarter length sleeve with moisture wicking fabric and it's cut similar to a jersey in style and length. It also has a pitcher's mitt design in the background. I will definitely wear this to the ballpark but probably not anywhere else.

Sports Crate released spoilers for each team that included which pitcher would be featured on the collectible action figure, so I knew Jon Lester was coming with this box. These action figures are the main reason I subscribed and I'm curious to see what players they include in the next boxes (if there is no Anthony Rizzo I'll be pretty sad, to be honest!).

• Bringin' the Heat Pin: I've already attached this pin to the bag I take with me to work every day. It's inspired by "flame throwing pitchers" and is an appropriate design for this month's theme.
• Jon Lester Action Figure: So apparently these action figures are called BALLERS and they have SportsFlex posable technology with 21 points of articulation. Basically, you can bend him into pretty much whatever pose you want. I think they're really nice and unique. I would have preferred Kyle Hendricks because he is my fave, but Lester is obviously the ace of the rotation so I understand why he was featured. See the photo at the end of the post to see what the figure looks like out of the box.
• Jon Lester Topps Trading Card: I'm 28 years old but I still like collecting baseball cards. Each box will feature a limited edition Topps card and I'm assuming they will be the same player as the BALLERS figure.

This isn't listed on the info card (also pictured above), but I'm assuming it's an extra item SportsCrate threw in for fun. I saw it in some other peoples' unboxing videos so I think everyone got one. At first I thought it was a fanny pack because of the way it was folded in the box, but it's a SportsCrate Cooler. There was a card inserted in the front that said it was for keeping your drinks cool during the game. I also like that the info card is designed to look like a ticket.

Last up is the Miguel Montero Cornhole Game. This is a really fun and creative item to go with the pitchers theme, since obviously the catcher is an important part of the pitcher/catcher team. I have to be pedantic and point out that Lester throws to Willson Contreras, but I'm not holding that against Sports Crate. Regardless, corn hole is a favorite with my family so I'm going to take this mini version to the next get-together and I'm sure it'll be a hit.

Jon Lester BALLERS Action Figure

Miggy Montero Corn Hole Game

One last thing I want to mention about Sports Crate is that each month someone will receive a Golden Ticket that is good for a special VIP experience (like a player meet-and-greet, on field experience, or more). Those who sign up for the Season Pass will double their chances to win a Golden Ticket, which was also another great motivator for me to pick the Season Pass. If I get a Golden Ticket I'll probably lose my mind, sob like a baby, and then need to lie supine on the floor for a bit to calm down!

• Visit Sports Crate to subscribe

Bottom Line: I think the May Chicago Cubs SportsCrate was a lot of fun and had some interesting items. The BALLERS action figure was my favorite and I like that it comes with a matching Topps card. The corn hole game was also fun and unique. I'm very excited to see what's in store for the rest of the season!

May Sports Crate Spoilers - Chicago Cubs Box

I just got my first Sports Crate and I posted an unboxing video on Instagram; watch it below to see what was inside the first Cubs box! Full review coming soon.

SPOILER ALERT! See what's inside the May SportsCrate (Cubs edition). I also forgot to include the Jon Lester Topps trading card, but that came with the box, too! . . . #unboxing #BringinTheHeat #SportsCrateSweepstakes #subscriptionboxes #subscriptionbox #subscriptionaddiction #cubs #chicagocubs #sportscrate

A post shared by Danielle (@seeshoploveblog) on May 18, 2017 at 11:19am PDT