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Panini now has rights to legendary
players in their college uniforms |
With the CFP National Championship just days away, Panini America is taking the wraps off a new venture aimed at the college trading-card market through an exclusive license with CLC that will grant access to around 200 colleges -- including Alabama, Florida State, Michigan and Texas A&M. Panini starting in April will pair those rights with the names and likenesses of pro athletes, both current and retired. Panini will now have rights to feature current and retired pro athletes in their college uniforms for baseball, basketball and football. In the case of hot rookies, who drive the trading card business, this will allow Panini to issue cards of them in their college uniforms before the NFL Draft. Panini America VP/Marketing Jason Howarth said, “This should jump start us to market in those cases. Typically, our early NFL cards are released two to three weeks after the Draft." There also will be card sets highlighting legendary players from college teams -- both retired and deceased.
