BACKPANINI AND OHIO STATE ALL-AMERICAN CALEB DOWNS TEAM UP FOR EXCLUSIVE AUTOGRAPH TRADING CARD DEAL
Irving, TX – January 16, 2025 – Panini America, the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company announced today an exclusive NIL agreement with Ohio State University safety Caleb Downs for autographed trading cards. Downs becomes the first defensive player in college football to sign exclusively with Panini.
In his first season with Ohio State after transferring from the University of Alabama, Downs was named a first team All-American by the Associated Press, and was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive back in the country. Downs helps anchor a Buckeye defense that leads the nation in both points (12.2) and yards (251.5) allowed per game. Ohio State is 13-2 on the season and will play the University of Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff Championship Game on Monday, January 20th in Atlanta. Downs recorded five tackles and an interception in the Buckeyes’ 28-14 semifinal win over the University of Texas on January 10th.
Downs will be featured across Panini’s collegiate products, including Panini’s Instant Card platform, which celebrates the top players and performances each week of the college football season. He will also be included in Panini marketing activations.
“We’ve had a chance to get know Caleb over the last few years and are excited to welcome Caleb to the family as the first exclusive defensive NIL player,” said Jason Howarth, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Athlete Relations for Panini America. “Caleb is one of those special playmakers on the field and that’s something we noticed going into this season, more importantly he’s an even greater guy off the field.”
Ohio State is an inaugural partner school in Panini College, a dedicated NIL platform that allows all athletes at a partner university to have their own Panini trading card under the Panini NIL brand. The platform launched initially with football and volleyball athletes at Ohio State, the University of Nebraska, and the University of Texas, with plans to expand to additional partner schools and sports over the coming months.
“I’m excited to join the Panini Family through this exclusive partnership and look forward to sharing my journey through trading cards,” said Caleb Downs. “As a kid you always dream of getting your own card, and seeing the detail Panini puts into the collection makes this moment even more special.”
In addition to Downs, current Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and top high school quarterback Tavien St. Clair, who recently signed with the Buckeyes, are also Panini exclusive athletes. That trio joins collegiate and high school football standouts that include Alabama QB and NFL Draft prospect Jalen Milroe, Texas QB Quinn Ewers, Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola, Texas QB Arch Manning, Georgia WR Zachariah Branch and Florida WR commit Vernell Brown III as collegiate and high school football standouts who have exclusive partnerships with Panini.
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, LIV Golf, the Professional Fighters League, 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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