BACKPANINI AMERICA SIGNS UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON WIDE RECEIVER ROME ODUNZE TO EXCLUSIVE TRADING CARD AGREEMENT
Irving, TX – Sept. 22, 2023 – Panini America, the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company, has announced an exclusive, multi-year partnership with preseason first team All-America Wide Receiver and 2024 top NFL Draft prospect Rome Odunze of the University of Washington.
Panini’s partnership with Odunze, who led the Pac-12 in receiving and was a third-team All-America selection in 2022, includes exclusive autographed trading cards. Odunze will also be featured in Panini’s Collegiate and NIL products this fall, as well as select Panini marketing activations.
Odunze, who has already had NIL cards launch on Panini’s Instant platform that celebrates real-time performances, will have his next Panini Instant NIL card go live after a career game against Michigan State where he had eight receptions for 180 yards in the Huskies’ 41-7 win. Odunze ranks second in the nation with 419 total receiving yards. The card will be available at Panini’s website until Wednesday, Sept. 28th.
“We were excited to work with Rome over the summer and even more excited for Rome to step on the field this season,” said Jason Howarth, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Athlete Relations for Panini America. “Rome has all the things we look for in a Panini exclusive athlete and we are excited to see what he does the rest of the season. We know fans will be excited to see him in our Panini products.”
Odunze joins his teammate, Huskies Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., as the latest Panini exclusive NIL athlete. University of Texas quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning, USC wide receiver Zachariah Branch, top MLB prospects Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes, 2023 NBA Draft Picks Amen and Ausar Thompson, 2024 NBA prospects Matas Buzelis and Ja’Kobe Walter and 2025 NBA prospect Tre Johnson have also recently joined the Panini family.
About Panini America
Panini America is a subsidiary of The Panini Group, established over 60 years ago in Modena, Italy with subsidiaries throughout Europe, Latin America and the United States. Panini is the world leader in officially licensed collectibles and is the most significant publisher of collectibles in the U.S., with official licenses for NFL, NFLPA, NBA, NBPA, NASCAR, FIFA, UFC, WWE, College, Disney and other key properties from many other licensors. Panini is also the exclusive trading card and sticker partner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Elite 11 and Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.
Panini has distribution channels in more than 150 countries and employs a staff of over 1,200. For more information visit us at www.paniniamerica.net, www.paninigroup.com or
http://blog.paniniamerica.net/. You can also follow Panini America on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
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