Panini America’s run as the exclusive maker of licensed WNBA trading cards will continue following a multi-year partnership renewal with the WNBPA.
The renewal is described as the most lucrative licensing partnership ever for women athletes. Terms, including the contract length, weren’t immediately made public.
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According to Panini, the company will continue to deploy brands such as Prizm, Donruss, Select, National Treasures and Panini Instant for WNBA cards. Panini will also continue to make digital collectibles through the Panini Blockchain platform.
The expanded deal will include additional investment in player marketing, product innovation, autograph deals and sponsored events, including the WNBPA Rookie Premiere.
OneTeam Partners, the WNBPA’s group licensing partner, facilitated the deal.
Thursday’s renewal arrives as the league continues to work toward a new collective bargaining agreement with the players union. According to the Associated Press, the latest proposal includes revenue sharing with a new maximum salary of more than $1.1 million to more than one player per team.
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Panini has served as the exclusive card maker for the WNBA since 2018 and has recently delivered a number of record-breaking card releases, including the 2024 Rookie Royalty WNBA set, which contained key cards for Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink and others.
Released as part of Rookie Royalty, Clark’s 2024 Flawless Logowoman 1/1 sold for $660,000 at Fanatics Collect in July to become the most expensive card for both the WNBA and any female athlete.
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Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the collectibles editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.
