Panini America has signed an exclusive deal with three major D-I colleges -- Georgia, Kentucky and Miami. UK and UM are represented by Atlanta-based licensing agency Fermata Partners. UGA, which has signed a licensing agreement with Fermata starting in '15, is still represented by CLC. These deals mark the first time since '09 that Panini will include college-branded cards within its NBA, NFL and MLBPA products. Those cards with the college images will be available in spring '15. Panini is in the process of securing rights to additional colleges so that it can expand its college business. Panini America CEO Mark Warsop said the exclusive licenses with these schools will enable the company to produce cards of players who went to school there. He expects past/present cards, which for example would feature G John Wall in both his UK and Wizards uniforms, to be especially popular. Panini has an exclusive trading card rights with the NBA Players, and a new deal provides Panini with exclusive rights to the NFLPA beginning in '16. “These exclusive deals give us the opportunity to create some really compelling product,” Warsop said. Panini additionally will look to produce card sets featuring former college teams and perhaps even celebrities from those schools. “We think there will be a national demand for this product,” said Warsop. He emphasized that no players will be featured until their eligibility has expired. See the full sports business portfolio for 
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