Panini America CEO Addresses Jersey-Card Labeling Errors in 2014 Flawless Football
Panini America CEO Mark Warsop on Tuesday addressed an error within 2014 Flawless Football that led to cards featuring pieces of event-worn jerseys being mistakenly labeled as “game-worn.” The error, an oversight that affected cards of Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick and Alshon Jeffery, was brought to Panini America’s attention on Monday.
The error only impacted the 168 patch cards (56 of each player) in the Patches (numbered to 25), Patches Ruby (numbered to 15), Patches Gold (numbered to 10), Patches Emerald (numbered to five) and Patches Platinum (numbered to one) inserts.
By comparison, all autographed versions of those three players’ cards include actual game-worn memorabilia.
“There is nothing we take more seriously here at Panini America than the ironclad authenticity of our products — and the memorabilia and autographs we use to make them,” said Panini America CEO Mark Warsop. “While this is a truly regrettable mistake, that’s all it is. There was no intent to deceive or to portray those pieces of memorabilia as anything other than what they are: Event-worn by those players.
“The error in this case occurred in the labeling of those cards, not in producing them. We pride ourselves in being true to our consumers and in standing by every product we make. We absolutely will do that in this regard.”
Collectors possessing any of the affected cards can exchange them for cards of equal or greater value by contacting the Panini America Customer Service Department via email at [email protected].
On Tuesday morning, Panini America officials from all departments met to reevaluate processes and procedures and to identify measures that will prevent these types of mistakes from occurring in the future.
“We apologize to all of our collectors for this mistake — it hurts all of us — and we vow to do everything in our power to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Warsop said.