WNBPA and Panini America Extend Partnership with Most Lucrative Licensing Deal in Women’s Sports History

Precedent-setting agreement with the Players Association via OneTeam expands Panini’s exclusive rights across physical, digital, and on-demand trading card platforms, delivers record royalties to WNBA players

NEW YORK and IRVING, Texas, November 20, 2025 — Amid surging demand for women’s basketball in the collectibles market, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and Panini America, the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company, announced a historic multi-year renewal that celebrates the players’ growing cultural and commercial influence both on and off the court. The new agreement marks the most lucrative licensing partnership ever for women athletes, continuing a collaboration driven by the rising popularity of WNBA players among collectors and fans.

Since reclaiming its group licensing rights from the league in 2018 and partnering exclusively with Panini for trading cards in 2019, the partnership has transformed the trading card market for women’s basketball, driving sales up more than one hundredfold. The new agreement builds on that success and is expected to generate record revenue and player royalties in the years ahead. The record-setting agreement was facilitated by OneTeam Partners, the WNBPA’s exclusive group licensing partner.

“Panini gets our athletes and the value they bring to basketball and sports culture,” said Terri Carmichael Jackson, Executive Director, WNBPA. “They have been invested partners every step of the way, and now we’re ready to deliver even more of the moments and products fans are demanding from the women who drive this sport.”

“Collaborating with the WNBPA has shown how strong this market can be, and we are excited to keep innovating and expanding our product offerings for fans and collectors everywhere,” said Mark Warsop, CEO, Panini America.

“This renewal is about the players and the power of what we’ve built together,” said Nneka Ogwumike, WNBPA President. “Panini has been with us as we’ve pushed the women’s game forward, and their products show the reach and impact of our players in ways that feel real.”

In this next phase, Panini will continue as the exclusive licensee for WNBA player trading cards across its leading brands including Prizm, Donruss, Select, and National Treasures, along with Panini Instant and its digital collectibles platform. Panini will also expand its investment in player marketing, product innovation, autograph deals, and sponsorship of events, including WNBPA Rookie Premiere, a business showcase for the league’s marketable new talents.

“The WNBPA’s foresight in reclaiming its rights and building its own licensing strategy with OneTeam has been a catalyst for change across sports,” said Frank Arthofer, President, OneTeam Partners. “This historic new agreement shows what’s possible when athletes unite around a shared vision and when partners like Panini invest in that power.”

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About the WNBPA
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association is the union for current women’s professional basketball players in the WNBA. The WNBPA is the first labor union for professional women athletes. It was created in 1998 to protect the rights of players and assist them in achieving their full potential on and off the court. The WNBPA handles the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, filing grievances on their behalf, and counseling players on benefits and post-WNBA career opportunities. The WNBPA also serves as a resource for current players, while they are competing internationally during the offseason.

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, WNBA, WNBPA, 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.

About OneTeam Partners
OneTeam is a global leader in sports licensing, marketing, sponsorship, and media, specializing in commercializing group licensing rights for professional athletes. Established in 2019, OneTeam is a joint venture between the NFLPA, MLBPA, WNBPA, MLSPA, USWNTPA, and NWSLPA, with backing from HPS, General Atlantic, and Morgan Stanley Tactical. OneTeam represents the exclusive group rights for thousands of professional and collegiate athletes worldwide.

Media Contacts:
WNBPA – David Cooper / [email protected]