Must-See Video: Two Italian Collectors Visit Panini America HQ on Trek to Texas

It's not every day that we receive correspondence from a collector based in Panini's homeland of Italy. It's rarer still when that correspondence includes the phrase "I'll be traveling with a friend for a 10-day tour of Texas."


It’s not every day that we receive correspondence from a collector based in Panini’s homeland of Italy. It’s rarer still when that correspondence includes the phrase “I’ll be traveling with a friend for a 10-day tour of Texas.”
So when Vincenzo Lucarelli’s email hit my inbox a few weeks back, it certainly grabbed my attention. It didn’t hurt that Lucarelli mentioned how much he enjoyed Panini America’s break videos, reading about our products on The Knight’s Lance or that he’d many times visited our global headquarters in Modena, Italy.

Lucarelli asked if it might be possible to drop by Panini America HQ during his sports-intensive vacation. We were happy to oblige. That visit took place Tuesday morning when Lucarelli and his collecting comrade Stefano Micolitti — all the way from Milan — hit our front door.
After a brief introduction and a quick exchange of handshakes, we embarked on a tour of the building highlighted by brief stops in Marketing, Panini Authentic, Acquisitions, Product Development and Prepress. Throughout the tour, I was repeatedly blown away by the sheer amount of NBA and international basketball knowledge coming from the minds of Lucarelli and Micolitti.
In fact, they were so impressive that we asked them to co-host a special episode of Panini Unwrapped. As you’ll see in the video, they nailed it. After their award-worthy world-premiere performance, they briefly chatted with Jason Howarth, Panini America’s Vice President of Marketing, on their way to continuing their American vacation, which included future stops at nearby Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Houston’s Minute Maid Park and the Houston TRISTAR show.
They exited Panini America HQ with a few parting gifts, some nice photos and enough memories to last a lifetime.
“We had great time with you and your colleagues,” Lucarelli wrote via email yesterday. “Maybe ‘great time’ is not enough to explain the excitement and the emotions we had. I have to check for some superlatives.”
The feeling is mutual.
 

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7 Replies to “Must-See Video: Two Italian Collectors Visit Panini America HQ on Trek to Texas”

  1. Great video, those guys really know their stuff!
    Interesting comments about Hersey Hawkins not wanting to sign anything… ‘Elusive Ink’ living up to its name.

  2. Been waiting for this one to pop up! They Come across as two very nice likeable guys with a HUGE knowledge and appreciation of NBA players both Past & Present (can tell its after 2am with puns like that). Pretty cool that they had also been to the main Panini headquarters for stuff as well. Cheers for taking the time to video that and showing us!

  3. Its great to know that theres collectors from other countries the loves American sports and has the same interests as us!!! Did they say if they have Trading card hobby shops where they are and if Italy shows alot of American sports on tv???

  4. Thats awesome being able to go to Italy’s HQ then coming over here to visit ours.
    I am also glad I am not the only one who smells the card boxes and packs. There is something about it before you start to rip into it 🙂
    Great video as always!

  5. Will I be welcome if I’m ever in Italy (or Texas)? Great hospitality! Love Panini’s stuff and keep filling those redemptions – please.

  6. I only wish I was spending some time on the northeastern side of Italy in August. I would have shown up with a Panini shirt on in Modena to say hi. Maybe by my next trip.
    But very cool video with the guys. They have some pretty cool insight coming from Italy and their love and passion for basketball is obvious with every comment about a player they pulled.

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