#PaniniNFL #Relationship #Rocks #WorthPoint
A nearly thirty-five-year relationship between a sport and a sports card manufacturer has come to a very abrupt end.
On Monday, August 22, news broke that NFL Players Inc.—the association representing the vast majority of NFL talent—had reached out to player agents, announcing that the group was exiting its longstanding agreement with Panini America. The deal was previously set to expire in 2026, with Fanatics set to take over the license following. That period seems to be shortened, per an email to representatives, that sports business reporter Darren Rovell shared on his Twitter account:
“NFL Players Inc. has terminated its agreement with Panini,” the leaked email stated. “Effective immediately, Fanatics has the exclusive right to make NFLPA-branded trading cards.”
The terse email comes amid legal issues between Panini and Fanatics and amid a proverbial lame-duck period before the latter gains exclusivity with several entities, including the National Football League.
Before the Fanatics entry into the card market and its purchase of Topps, Panini had exclusive agreements with the NFL and NFL Players Inc. This agreement started in 2015 and locked out Topps and Upper Deck from coveted contracts with the most prominent football league in North America. Topps has experimented with cards from the re-born XFL and the Alliance of American Football during its time away from the NFL. Upper Deck acquired the exclusive rights for Canadian Football League products and recently released a USFL product.
History Beyond Stickers
The lineage of the now seemingly shut-down relationship between Panini and NFL Players dates back a few decades and has seen a few different iterations over the years.
To start, the NFL began a relationship with Score Brands back in 1989. The landmark set included rookie cards of Troy Aikman, Barry Sanders, and others, bringing football into the boom era other sports were experiencing. Score continued to produce cards for several years, later changing its name to Pinnacle Brands and making its first acquisition, Donruss, in 1996.
A couple of years later, in 1998, Pinnacle Brands was no more, as the company went bankrupt. Its assets were picked up by Playoff Inc., which later rebranded as Donruss Playoff LP, in an ironic twist of fate.
In 2005, Donruss Playoff Inc. purchased assets once belonging to rival Pacific Trading Cards. That company, having already been stripped down to just producing NHL cards and smaller leagues like the CFL, was a victim of Upper Deck’s acquisition of an exclusive license in hockey.
The Donruss Playoff company lasted a couple more years before it was acquired by The Panini Group, the company best known in North America for producing stickers. Just before acquiring Donruss Playoff, Panini secured an exclusive agreement with the NBA, setting the stage for a deep expansion in its sports offerings.
Gaining exclusivity with the NFL and its players association was the next step in an era of dominance for the Dallas, Texas-based manufacturer. Other brands under singular agreements with the company include the NBA, NCAA, NASCAR, UFC, and WWE. Panini also carries an MLBPA license and produces a variety of soccer products.
The sheer variety of brands that sit with Panini at this point is incredible, and football collectors have enjoyed various products over the years. Some products come from the company’s creation, while others were inherited through acquisitions. Among these are Playoff Contenders (more recently known as Panini Contenders), which became known for its Rookie Ticket first-year cards. The foresight in 2000 to include a plucky, later-round pick in the set made Contenders a must-have set, autographed or not.
Panini kept a variety of price points as part of its schemata. At the low end were Score and Chronicles, among others, while high-end breakers went all-in on Immaculate Collection. Other brands like Prizm were fun chases for die-hard collectors, with various parallels that tempted hobbyists to complete the rainbow assortment of colors and designs.
The Future
At this point, it’s hard to say what happens with Panini football cards. Promotion and pre-orders have already started for a number of sets. The NFL license is also an X factor, as Panini could scale back to legend-only products, with a small allowance for current players individually signed with the company.
It is unclear if there will be a grace period for products already in production and close to release, and there is no indication of when Fanatics will release its first series or if it will obtain an NFL license beforehand. Panini is also apparently planning legal action regarding the termination of its deal with the NFLPA, some reports state.
There are a lot of questions to be answered, and collectors will have to be patient. The only thing collectors can do, at this point, is enjoy the last thirty-plus years of Score/Pinnacle/Playoff/Panini football cards and anticipate the next stage of their beloved hobby.
Jon Waldman is a Winnipeg-based writer. He has written for Beckett, Go GTS, Canadian Sports Collector, and several other hobby outlets over his two decades in the hobby. His experience also includes two books on sports cards and memorabilia. Connect with Jon on Twitter at @jonwaldman.
WorthPoint—Discover. Value. Preserve.
