Panini signs exclusive multi-year deal with Pro Football Hall of Fame

Panini America announced Monday an exclusive, multi-year marketing and licensing agreement with the Pro Football Hall of Fame that names Panini as its exclusive trading card partner.

Panini will present three autograph sessions that will take place during the 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinements later this month.

The sessions will include signings by the 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of Enshrinees – Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Dick LeBeau, Floyd Little, John Randle, Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith.  In addition there will be a separate individual session featuring Rice and Smith as well as a third session that will include members of the 2010 class as well as other Hall of Famers like Steve Young, Warren Moon, Bruce Smith, Bob Griese, Roger Staubach, Eric Dickerson, Joe Greene, Tony Dorsett and Dick Butkus. A limited number of tickets are currently on sale for these sessions by calling 800-913-9788.

“We are pleased to announce our exclusive partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame in advance of a great Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival,” said Mark Warsop, CEO of Panini America.  “We look forward to working with the Pro Football Hall of Fame and establishing links to the NFL players of the past that made the popularity of the NFL what it is today.”

A special Pro Football Hall of Fame trading card set will also be available for purchase. It will include limited edition, autographed cards featuring Grimm, Jackson, LeBeau, Little, Randle, Rice and Smith.

Additional highlights of the Pro Football Hall of Fame agreement include:

— Panini becomes the “Official Marketing and Licensing Partner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame” as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s exclusive trading-card partner
— Panini gains the rights to produce Pro Football Hall of Fame-specific products (memorabilia, trading cards, trading card games and sticker album collections) and to use the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s logo in advertising and marketing materials

“We are very excited to partner with Panini to help fulfill our mission to honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions to professional football and promote the positive values of the sport,” said Steve Strawbridge, Vice President of Licensing and Merchandising at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “We look forward to working with Panini to produce trading cards which will help educate the public regarding the origin, development and growth of professional football, while focusing on the very exclusive group of Pro Football Hall of Famers”.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame relationship is Panini’s second exclusive relationship with a Hall of Fame; the first was established with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September of 2009.