Panini America Launches NIL Program for College Athletes
By Colin Lyle
Last Updated on August 29, 2024
Panini America is starting a name, image, and likeness platform named Panini College that will feature cards of star college athletes from prominent universities as a way to support players.
Panini College will launch on Sept. 3, showcasing football and volleyball athletes at the University of Nebraska, the University of Texas, and Ohio State University. Additional schools and sports are planned to be added to this program over the next few months.
Fans will be able to purchase cards to support the players, while athletes receive their own as a personal memento. Athletes will receive NIL compensation based on card sales, with some players receiving select autograph editions. Player-specific cards will be added as different sports seasons begin.
“We believe that every collegiate athlete, no matter their school, sport or position, should have the ability to have their own trading card,” Panini senior vice president of marketing Jason Howarth said in a statement. “Panini College does exactly that, changing the trading card game for all athletes in all sports and allowing them to capitalize on their name, image, and likeness.”
The trading card and memorabilia company has links to college athletes at the schools chosen for the launch. Nebraska’s All-American volleyball player Lexi Rodriguez was the brand’s first female NIL athlete. Texas quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola are a few with Panini-exclusive deals in place.
Panini’s current collegiate offerings include football, basketball, and baseball products. Caitlin Clark partnered with the brand in July to offer a “Caitlin Clark Collection” to commemorate her career at the University of Iowa. Panini College products will “continue to evolve” throughout the 2024-25 school year as more schools and sports are added.
“As we expand our roster of partner schools and onboard additional sports, we look forward to providing even more opportunities to both recognize and reward athletes, while offering compelling products to fans across the country,” Haworth said.
