Panini America has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative aimed at revolutionizing the trading card industry for college athletes. The innovative platform known as Panini College is set to empower athletes from partner universities with the opportunity to have their own personalized trading cards under the Panini NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) brand. This venture provides a unique space for athletes to have their cards available for purchase by fans, while also creating lasting mementos of their collegiate sports careers.
The launch of Panini College will initially showcase football and volleyball players from three notable schools: Ohio State University, University of Nebraska, and University of Texas. As the program gains momentum, Panini plans to diversify its offerings by including more schools and sports from across the nation in the near future. This expansion will grant additional athletes the chance to exhibit their name, image, and likeness through the captivating medium of trading cards.
The official debut of the Panini College platform is scheduled for Tuesday, September 3rd, and will be accessible through college.paniniamerica.net. Fans can anticipate a continuous stream of new products and athlete cards being released throughout the academic year 2024-25, showcasing the talents and achievements of collegiate athletes in a novel and collectible format.
Jason Howarth, the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Athlete Relations at Panini America, expressed the company’s belief in providing every collegiate athlete with the opportunity to have their own trading card. He stated that Panini College is reshaping the landscape of the trading card market for athletes across various sports and schools, offering them a platform to benefit from their Name, Image, and Likeness. As Panini College expands to include more universities and sports, there is a shared excitement to provide new avenues for athletes to gain visibility and for fans to acquire enticing collectibles.
This move further cements Panini America’s strong presence in the collegiate NIL arena, building upon its successful partnerships with esteemed athletes. Notable figures such as Lexi Rodriguez, the volleyball All-American from the University of Nebraska and Panini’s first female NIL athlete, have already collaborated with Panini. Additionally, athletes like Quinn Ewers, Tre Johnson, Arch Manning, Dylan Raiola, Julian Sayin, and Zachariah Branch have been part of this engaging initiative.
In a previous stride towards supporting collegiate athletes, Panini launched the Caitlin Clark Collection earlier in 2023, dedicated to celebrating the remarkable career of the University of Iowa basketball star, Caitlin Clark. These initiatives underscore Panini America’s commitment to fostering innovation and embracing the growing collegiate NIL market, exemplifying the company’s dedication to providing athletes with avenues for recognition and fans with new ways to engage with their favorite sports personalities.
