Panini America Receiving High Marks for its First College Football Trading Card Product

Panini America, the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company, recently released 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Football, the company’s first college-only trading card product since reaching exclusive agreements with more than 400 colleges and universities earlier this year. Already, the product is being hailed as a resounding success, bolstered by autographs from more than 100 top 2015 NFL Draft Picks including Jameis Winston (Florida State University), Marcus Mariota (University of Oregon), Amari Cooper (University of Alabama), Kevin White (West Virginia University) and more.

Panini America 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Football Main BLOG

Panini America, the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company, recently released 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Football, the company’s first college-only trading card product since reaching exclusive agreements with more than 400 colleges and universities earlier this year. Already, the product is being hailed as a resounding success, bolstered by autographs from more than 100 top 2015 NFL Draft Picks including Jameis Winston (Florida State University), Marcus Mariota (University of Oregon), Amari Cooper (University of Alabama), Kevin White (West Virginia University) and more.

In conjunction with its collegiate licenses, Panini also utilizes its group player rights for rookies and active players through license agreement with NFL Players, Inc. to feature current NFL players in their collegiate uniforms, creating a wider range of product content beyond just players that are entering the NFL.

Charlie DiPietro, the owner of Sports Cards Plus in San Antonio, says the product has been overwhelmingly well received by customers at the store he’s operated for more than 20 years. “The reviews are in. San Antonio football card collectors give 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Football two huge thumbs up,” DiPietro said. “We received our initial shipment of 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Football at about 2 p.m. the day the product released. By close of business that day our customers quickly busted through 47 boxes.

“Customers like the look of Contenders and all the inserts. We had a couple of groups of people busting boxes at the same time and everyone was happy. In addition to our regular customers, we had a young lady come in with her dad to celebrate making the honor roll with a box of 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Football. Everyone said they would be back for more. In fact, I have a customer in store right now busting five boxes as we speak – and he just pulled a Marcus Mariota autograph.”

Autograph cards from the set’s biggest names are driving the early interest in the product. Key autograph cards of Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota sold on eBay in recent days for $710 and $525, respectively. An Amari Cooper autograph card sold for $350 and a Tom Brady autograph card featuring him with the Michigan Wolverines sold for $275; meanwhile, autograph cards from Baylor’s Bryce Petty ($140) and Georgia’s Todd Gurley ($140) have also performed quite well.

Although 24-pack hobby boxes of 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Football are supposed to be delivering five autographs, most boxes are delivering at least six autographs and some are delivering seven. The unannounced bonus has certainly captured the attention of fans and collectors across the country. The product also is available at mass retail in 42-card blaster boxes ($19.99 SRP) that include two autographs.

CLC is thrilled with the very positive retail and consumer feedback surrounding the launch of 2015 Contenders Draft Picks,” said Dave Kirkpatrick, Vice President of Non-Apparel Brand Development for The Collegiate Licensing Company, the licensing affiliate of IMG College which brokered Panini’s deals with 134 schools for use of their respective marks. “In a condensed time frame, Panini quickly developed a highly compelling and comprehensive first set. This immediate, robust sell-in and sell-through should bode very well for Panini’s future upcoming collegiate initiatives.”

For additional information on 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Football, visit The Knight’s Lance, the official blog of Panini America, or iCollectPanini.com.

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0 Replies to “Panini America Receiving High Marks for its First College Football Trading Card Product”

  1. Some of our “frequent box busters” came in yesterday and went through two more cases of 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Football. One of our other regular customers doesn’t “bust” too much but is a big collector of autographed singles. He was here watching all the action and making offers.

  2. I’ve been tracking some of the singles online and they’re pretty impressive, excellent application of the license to a long-standing program like Contenders. Thanks Tracy!

  3. I broke some packs as the LHS I frequent had sold through their cases. I pulled a trio of autos from my 8 packs. While my autos didn’t number amongst the big product hits, the depth and breadth of the auto rookie class ensures some sneaky-good investment cards. I.E Bryce Petty, should he emerge as a starter.
    Further buoying this product? Veteran signers such as Manning and Brady. I’d “plotz” (crap myself in Yiddish) if I pulled a Peyton Manning auto (Tenn. Volunteers), what a brilliant parallel set!
    going to try and score a box this weekend!

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