The 2017 Topps Design Reminds Me Of 1973 Topps

For whatever reason Topps now announces their new flagship design six months before the ahead of time of the release in February. The 2017 set design has been met with at best mixed reviews after two years of what I would call generally positive reaction from the card blogging community. My main gripe with the set is that the design takes up way, way, way too much of the card. It sort of looks like a brief informational graphic ESPN would flash on the screen during the game and then quickly jump away,

Wouldn't it be nice to know where exactly Harper was standing on the field? The set and its complete waste of card space, reminds me a lot of the 1973 Topps design which squandered so much space, especially on the sets' horizontal cards.

I mean at best you are only getting 60% of the possible photograph of Terry Crowley running full steam into Thurman Munson. Wouldn't it have been nice to see the plate and get the full experience of that great moment? 

Here are a few more examples of great action photograph from the '73 set that could have been so much better with an improved design. Like, was the Mets runner safe at home in Pat Corrales' card?

Same thing with Bob Didier's card...out or safe?

The problem was rectified (a little bit) the following season as the horizontal cards in the 1974 Topps set were expanded and greatly improved. Here's another Thurman Munson play at the plate card that is a little better with the expanded photograph frame.