Latest news with #PaniniAmerica
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Big Paige Bueckers News Released on Monday
Big Paige Bueckers News Released on Monday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Paige Bueckers is currently working through her rookie season with the Dallas Wings. The former UConn Huskies star was drafted by the Wings with the No. 1 overall pick. After four years at UConn, Bueckers was set to make an immediate impact on the struggling WNBA team. Advertisement During her rookie season with the Wings, Bueckers suffered a head injury, keeping her sidelined and currently on concussion protocol. As Bueckers works her way back into the lineup, looking to get clear from the WNBA's protocol and return to action, she was involved in some big news outside of the white lines. On Monday, Wings reporter Joey Mistretta revealed that Panini America is honoring Paige Bueckers with a basketball card. The rookie card is available for a limited time, seemingly urging fans to make a move and purchase a piece of memorabilia from the Wings star. The "instant card" released by Panini America, "the world's largest sports and entertainment collectibles company," officially dropped after the Dallas Wings rookie scored 21 points in a 109-87 victory over the Connecticut Sun. Advertisement According to an official release, "The Panini Instant collection exists to commemorate milestones and achievements in real time, so fans don't have to wait months (or even seasons) to capture their favorite moments." Throughout her rookie season with the Wings, Paige Bueckers has posted 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5). Jerome Miron-Imagn Images As explained by Panini America, the card which will be available in limited time and limited quantity will range from $9.99 and up, depending on the type of product chosen by fans online. Related: Angel Reese Had No Words for Chicago Sky Announcement on Sunday Related: Angel Reese Receives Punishment for Actions in Chicago Sky Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Demand for Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A'ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers WNBA cards continues to grow
The WNBA season is underway, and fans and card collectors are excited for what's to come. With the likes of Caitlin Clark, A'Ja Wilson and newcomer Paige Bueckers, collectors are waiting for the first cards of the season to drop. The good news is with Panini Instant, fans can grab cards of big moments as they happen. Panini's on-demand offering features highlights and big moments from throughout the season, which started with the WNBA Draft. Panini America saw big success with Instant last season, Clark's first year in the league. Not only was it a popular card release, but a Draft Night Clark 1-of-1 autographed parallel sold for $84,000 in September. The Panini Instant cards are important for WNBA — maybe even more so than in other sports. In women's basketball, the players go from college into the WNBA without much of a break in between. This doesn't give Panini a lot of time to get new products on the shelves because of the time needed to create a new card release. 'Panini Instant was so important because for us, it gave us the ability to get consumers into collecting 'W' products and getting excited for the W product,' said Jason Howarth, Panini's senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations. 'When we finally released that first product in August last year, people were ready to go for it.' Top of their class ☝️2025 #PaniniInstant WNBA Draft Night Trading Cards, including Autographs and Numbered Parallels, will be available for a limited time beginning tomorrow, Thursday April 17 at 2pm CT here: — Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) April 17, 2025 This season, collectors won't have to wait as long for the first WNBA card product. There are five WNBA sets scheduled for this season — an all-time high for the league. The newest entry will be Donruss WNBA, which is scheduled for July. Donruss has made a name for itself in the modern collecting space, especially in football, where the popular Downtown inserts can be found. Downtown inserts will soon feature WNBA stars with this summer's release. 'Donruss will be awesome from a Downtown point of view,' Howarth said. Panini has built WNBA collecting since it took over the card license in 2019. Before that, there may have been one product a year and it often came as a complete factory set with a chance of autographs. That product made about $50,000 in sales a year, according to Howarth. Panini has revamped the WNBA card collecting space by making more traditional pack products, giving collectors a chase with parallels, rare inserts and autographs. As the WNBA has grown in popularity, so has the demand for cards, especially over the last year with Clark becoming the face of the league. 'I think you think there was a point in time where WNBA Prizm costs more on the secondary market than NBA Prizm,' Howarth said. 'I think that probably tells you the story about demand more than anything else. I think it always had a place in the category, but I think you saw a lot more migration and transition from other collectors of other core sports into the 'W,' and it is now viewed in that group of core sports. You've got the NFL, NBA, MLB, and now you've got the WNBA.' This year's offerings will look different again. There are five WNBA products scheduled, up from three last season, which was also up from two the year before. WNBA stars shine brightest in #PaniniPrizm WNBA White Sparkle ⚪ ✨ Available Monday April 7 at 11am CT here: — Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) April 7, 2025 Last year saw the release of Panini Prizm (and the Monopoly version), Origins and Select. Previously, Panini also put out Revolutions. The release calendar is always a work in progress as the brand team finds the right pieces for the season. One thing they knew they needed for Clark's rookie season was Prizm to make its way to the WNBA. Prizm has become a staple for Panini and one of the most highly sought-after rookie cards. 'To have the class that we had last year and not have Prizm would have been a complete miss for us and collectors,' Howarth said. 'It would be one of those things that you look back on and wonder why Caitlin [Clark] doesn't have a rookie Prizm card or Angel [Reese] doesn't have a rookie Prizm card.' As the WNBA continues to grow, creating household names and superstars, the league continues to leave its mark. From the NCAA tournament, right into the WNBA Draft and then the start of the WNBA season. While big names like Clark and Reese created a buzz last season, there is no slowing down. 'This class is equally as exciting,' Howarth said. 'We've seen that both from a collectible point of view just off of the Draft Night cards that we released here a few weeks ago. Lots of excitement around the product and lots of excitement and anticipation for more 'W' products.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Demand for Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A'ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers WNBA cards continues to grow
The WNBA season is underway, and fans and card collectors are excited for what's to come. With the likes of Caitlin Clark, A'Ja Wilson and newcomer Paige Bueckers, collectors are waiting for the first cards of the season to drop. The good news is with Panini Instant, fans can grab cards of big moments as they happen. Panini's on-demand offering features highlights and big moments from throughout the season, which started with the WNBA Draft. Panini America saw big success with Instant last season, Clark's first year in the league. Not only was it a popular card release, but a Draft Night Clark 1-of-1 autographed parallel sold for $84,000 in September. The Panini Instant cards are important for WNBA — maybe even more so than in other sports. In women's basketball, the players go from college into the WNBA without much of a break in between. This doesn't give Panini a lot of time to get new products on the shelves because of the time needed to create a new card release. 'Panini Instant was so important because for us, it gave us the ability to get consumers into collecting 'W' products and getting excited for the W product,' said Jason Howarth, Panini's senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations. 'When we finally released that first product in August last year, people were ready to go for it.' Top of their class ☝️2025 #PaniniInstant WNBA Draft Night Trading Cards, including Autographs and Numbered Parallels, will be available for a limited time beginning tomorrow, Thursday April 17 at 2pm CT here: — Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) April 17, 2025 This season, collectors won't have to wait as long for the first WNBA card product. There are five WNBA sets scheduled for this season — an all-time high for the league. The newest entry will be Donruss WNBA, which is scheduled for July. Donruss has made a name for itself in the modern collecting space, especially in football, where the popular Downtown inserts can be found. Downtown inserts will soon feature WNBA stars with this summer's release. 'Donruss will be awesome from a Downtown point of view,' Howarth said. Panini has built WNBA collecting since it took over the card license in 2019. Before that, there may have been one product a year and it often came as a complete factory set with a chance of autographs. That product made about $50,000 in sales a year, according to Howarth. Panini has revamped the WNBA card collecting space by making more traditional pack products, giving collectors a chase with parallels, rare inserts and autographs. As the WNBA has grown in popularity, so has the demand for cards, especially over the last year with Clark becoming the face of the league. 'I think you think there was a point in time where WNBA Prizm costs more on the secondary market than NBA Prizm,' Howarth said. 'I think that probably tells you the story about demand more than anything else. I think it always had a place in the category, but I think you saw a lot more migration and transition from other collectors of other core sports into the 'W,' and it is now viewed in that group of core sports. You've got the NFL, NBA, MLB, and now you've got the WNBA.' This year's offerings will look different again. There are five WNBA products scheduled, up from three last season, which was also up from two the year before. WNBA stars shine brightest in #PaniniPrizm WNBA White Sparkle ⚪ ✨ Available Monday April 7 at 11am CT here: — Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) April 7, 2025 Last year saw the release of Panini Prizm (and the Monopoly version), Origins and Select. Previously, Panini also put out Revolutions. The release calendar is always a work in progress as the brand team finds the right pieces for the season. One thing they knew they needed for Clark's rookie season was Prizm to make its way to the WNBA. Prizm has become a staple for Panini and one of the most highly sought-after rookie cards. 'To have the class that we had last year and not have Prizm would have been a complete miss for us and collectors,' Howarth said. 'It would be one of those things that you look back on and wonder why Caitlin [Clark] doesn't have a rookie Prizm card or Angel [Reese] doesn't have a rookie Prizm card.' As the WNBA continues to grow, creating household names and superstars, the league continues to leave its mark. From the NCAA tournament, right into the WNBA Draft and then the start of the WNBA season. While big names like Clark and Reese created a buzz last season, there is no slowing down. 'This class is equally as exciting,' Howarth said. 'We've seen that both from a collectible point of view just off of the Draft Night cards that we released here a few weeks ago. Lots of excitement around the product and lots of excitement and anticipation for more 'W' products.'
Fox News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Draftees get crash course in being an NFL player at NFLPA Rookie Premiere
LOS ANGELES — Tyler Shough always wanted a Joe Montana jersey. Growing up in Chandler, Ariz., Shough eyed the legendary NFL quarterback's No. 16 hanging over his uncle's mantle. To his surprise, the New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback received a video message from Montana during a Fanatics branding photo shoot at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event over the weekend. Then he found a signed Montana jersey hiding underneath his seat. "That was a surreal moment," Shough told FOX Sports. "I heard about it beforehand because I was in one of the later groups. They give you a jersey from someone in the league, and I was like, 'That's going to be sweet.' "So I was expecting a current player or whoever. But then Joe Montana, oh my gosh." Shough was one of 42 players invited to the NFLPA's Rookie Premiere this year. What started as a trading card photo shoot in 1994 has grown into the NFL Players Association hosting an annual event for the top marketable rookies, connecting them with business opportunities and partners created by the league's union. The 2025 event included interactions with brand sponsors such as trading card company Panini America, Fanatics, Nike, EA Sports and EXOS training facility. Fanatics hosted a jersey reveal on the rooftop floor of the InterContinental hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The players also participated in a photo shoot in full uniform at Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. To open the weekend, current and former NFL players — including Torry Holt, Sam Acho, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Equanimeous St. Brown and George Hegamin — mentored the rookies on the pitfalls to avoid entering the league and how to get the most out of their experience. Holt, a five-time Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist and brand ambassador for Panini, kept it simple. "Obviously No. 1, take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of you, for sure," Holt told FOX Sports. "But also make sure you keep football first, because that's going to generate opportunities off the field with the Paninis and others by doing what you're supposed to do on the field. "And then know your assignment. That's part of doing your job. That's part of creating opportunities like this. And then have fun. Really, enjoy being in your environment so that you can be a good teammate. Enjoy being around your teammates, and then everything else will take care of itself." Because these players are from one of the first classes to arrive in the NIL era, many have already made millions in endorsements and sponsorships, so they have a head start in understanding the financial aspects of the game and how to build their brand. "What's different is they've already engaged with sponsors before," said Matt Curtin, president of NFL Players Inc., a for-profit marketing and licensing arm of the NFLPA. "A lot of them have done it in the context of a collective. They've already received royalties from the sale of their jerseys in most cases. Increasingly, because of the return of the college game, they have appeared in a video game already. "Those things used to happen for the first time once they arrived here. Another thing that has changed is … this [used to be] the first time they got paid. So everything was new, and the economics of it were much more compelling and exciting. What's not different is you're only a rookie once. And for a lot of these products, the rookies generate a lot of excitement. Rookie jerseys sell more on average than other jerseys because it's the first time you can go buy it, and people are excited to buy it." Shough spent six years in college at three schools — Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville — so he has plenty of experience in the NIL world. But for the 25-year-old, the NFLPA event provided an opportunity to network and get to know other players in his draft class. "I think for me, the best part is just seeing everybody," Shough said. "Seeing all these new faces, rekindling with old, familiar faces. Getting to meet new brands. It's been non-stop action. It's kind of been like a theme park almost. It's been really fun to hang out with everybody." Fanatics held content shoots over the weekend, including a locker room scene where rookies discussed their journey to the league and received those surprise video messages from NFL legends they looked up to as kids. The concept is the brainchild of Adam Lock, vice president and creative director for Fanatics. Lock said he wanted to show that players are fans too, just like everyone else. New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo got teary-eyed after receiving some words of wisdom and a signed jersey from one of his idols, former Tennessee Titans star running back Eddie George. At the jersey reveal, players anxiously waited behind ropes in front of a black curtain, with hip-hop beats bumping in the background. Once the curtain dropped, players and their families hurriedly moved in to see the jerseys for the first time, like enthusiastic kids unwrapping presents from under the Christmas tree. "It's just special to recognize all those who helped me get here," Giants first-round pick Jaxson Dart told FOX Sports. "I got my family, got my parents here. It's a surreal feeling to see [my jersey] for the first time. It's super sick." Curtin previously worked on Wall Street for 26 years, where he developed a relationship with NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell Jr. For the union, the weekend is an opportunity to give players an inside look at how the business works. "We want the players to have a good experience," Curtin told FOX Sports. "Ultimately, though, we have $350 million in player revenue in Players Inc. Most of that goes back to the players, and some of it funds the union. "But why we ultimately exist is the league does over $20 billion in revenue. Through the collective bargaining efforts of our predecessors, the players get 48.4% of that. … But one of the things I've impressed upon them is, 'Look, this collection of 42 guys will never be in the same room again. So get to know one another — the camaraderie and brotherhood of that — and spending time together." For Shough and other rookies, they've already got a jump start on branding themselves. Now it's just building on that process. "There's more of a base knowledge in terms of what to expect, which helps," Shough said. "You've had interactions with people already. It's really prepared guys for what it looks like at the next level." And for the 42 players who attended the Rookie Premiere event, the next level is here. Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shedeur Sanders makes major personal announcement about future with Browns
Shedeur Sanders landed with the Cleveland Browns after a long wait in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he's making up for lost time. Whether it was arriving in Cleveland ten days ahead of schedule, getting in the community early, looking good on the field, saying all the right things with the press, Shedeur is keeping the spotlight on him. Browns fans have much to be excited about almost every day since he arrived and today is no different. Sanders was at an autograph signing event for Panini America. In a video of the event, he said very little, but it was huge Nike news. 'We got the Browns Edition DT 96s, they'll be here in August,' Sanders said. Shedeur's time at Colorado allowed for this moment. The amount of Diamond Turf 3 or DT Max 96 drip that Shedeur brings to gameday is massive. Every single game for two years has been the same process with a multitude of variations. Advertisement Prior to the 2023 College Football season, Deion Sanders hinted that some of his players will be wearing his famous signature Nike Air DT Max '96 shoes in games at Colorado. The majority of Buffs ran out of the tunnel during his Power Five debut against TCU with them on. It was an instant classic swagger move for Coach Prime and Nike. That began a tradition with Shedeur Sanders that does not appear to be changing any time soon. Related: Five-star recruit sends clear message to Deion Sanders after Colorado visit Shedeur became relatively famous within the sneaker community for his dedication to his pregame routine and teasing '1-of-1 heat' on a weekly basis. Each and every game, home or away, Shedeur has a routine that never changes. The pregame routine always included Nike Diamond Turf 3s (or DT Max 96s), the catch being that no one ever knew which colorway would be next, from week to week. In most games he wears the Diamond Turf 3 cleat that best matches the uniform chosen for that game. However, in the pregame warm up, it was a different colorway each week. From the 'New Money' green and white, the fuchsia and black, the 'Heisman Leather', the 'Giants' pair at the Alamo Bowl or the jewel encrusted Pro Day pair. Shedeur rolls out each week with a different pair of the iconic cleat. Advertisement Related: Real reason why Steelers refused to draft Shedeur Sanders revealed Browns fans and sneakerheads along with everyone who pre-ordered their new Sanders' jersey have likely been wondering if the Diamond Turf 3 routine would extend to Orange and Brown. As of today, fans can rest knowing it's in the works. Browns Edition Diamond Turf 3s are on their way. Shedeur did not specify an exact release date, but did specify August. Just in time for fans to add these Diamond Turf 3s to their 'getting ready for the season' push. Based on Nike's turnaround time on delivery, orders should be received before the first NFL game of the season if they release by August 22nd. Related: Deion Sanders' daughter sparks buzz with candid life update The Browns Edition DT Max 96 could be the prelude to a signature shoe for Shedeur Sanders that both Nike and Shedeur have previously teased. The idea being it would likely pay tribute to the original Diamond Turf 3 from 1996 while being a unique shoe to Shedeur. Like many signature athletes, sneaker companies typically will allow them to wear something from the Nike catalogue they like, in preferred colorways, until such a time as Nike's design team can create the signature shoe for that athlete typically in year two or three. No official word on a Shedeur signature shoe yet. For now, fans from multiple origin points should get excited at the prospect of a Shedeur specific DT Max 96.
