PANINI SIGNS FIVE NBA DRAFT PROSPECTS TO EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT

[95vr4]

Blake Griffin, Tyler Hansbrough, Jordan Hill, Brandon Jennings, and Hasheem Thabeet
Become First Players to Sign with NBA’s New Exclusive Trading Card Partner

Panini America, Inc. has signed five of the NBA’s top draft prospects to exclusive trading card agreements, marking its first player endorsement deals since entering into a partnership with the NBA in January, the company announced today at the NBA Store in New York City. Blake Griffin (Oklahoma), Tyler Hansbrough (UNC), Jordan Hill (Arizona), Brandon Jennings (Lottomatica Virtus Roma,Italy), and Hasheem Thabeet (UCONN) will be featured in all 2009-10 Panini NBA card products, and on select packaging and advertisements throughout the year. In addition, exclusive autograph cards from these five players will be prominently featured in Panini America’s first line of NBA products.

Panini’s first release for 2009 will be called Prestige and will be the company’s first set of NBA rookie cards. Prestige will feature the five players in their respective NBA team uniforms* and will release in October 2009.

“Blake, Tyler, Jordan, Brandon, and Hasheem are all special players who we believe will have great careers in the NBA,” said Panini America CEO Mike Eisenstein. “Rookies are a key part of the trading card business and we’re excited that fans will have the opportunity to receive autographed cards of these great players exclusively in Panini packs. As we look forward to beginning our first year as the NBA’s exclusive trading card partner, it was important for us to build around great basketball players and great people. We feel strongly that these five will make a positive impact both on and off the court.”

In January 2009, the Panini Group announced it will become the exclusive trading card partner of the NBA beginning with the 2009-10 season. The Panini Group purchased the industry’s second-oldest trading card company Donruss in March 2009 and formed the new subsidiary, Panini America, Inc.

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

So I guess this means Topps and UD still plan to make products? Otherwise it would be kind of silly to sign exclusives if you're the only game in town.

 

[Uofo2212]

Topps and UD can't use auto'd from those five....nor can they use NBA logo, or photos of team jerseys and logo's. Basically they have a minor league type arrangement now.

 

[Card Magnet]

Topps and UD can't use auto'd from those five....nor can they use NBA logo, or photos of team jerseys and logo's. Basically they have a minor league type arrangement now.

They could go the route of unlicensed cards like Donruss did with 08 baseball. With Panini getting the exclusive, they make sure that UD or Topps can't sign the guys for unlicensed/cut/nonbasketball/etc cards, and more importantly - no merchandise.

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

If I was upper deck I would look into signing the rest of the top players out there to exclusive deals. This way Panini will have to pay UD for each star autograph they want to put in their products. Either the added cost prices Panini out of the range of common collectors or Panini refuses to pay and puts out weak products. Either way UD improves their merchandise catalog and their autograph roster, possibly makes money by selling to Panini, and potentially hurts Panini long term to hopefully get the NBA license back.