Breast Cancer Awareness comes to packs of Panini football cards
By Chris Olds | Beckett Sports Card Monthly Editor
Athletes wearing pink sports equipment to promote breast cancer awareness has been relatively common at times in the last few years.
But now, thanks to Panini America, it’s coming to football cards.
Thinking pink on cardboard will begin with 2011 Panini Gridiron Gear, which arrives on Nov. 23 and will include 64 “A Crucial Catch” cards inserted into packs — two cards per NFL team.
However, observant collectors might see the cards on the secondary market before then, though, as the cards also will be distributed at NFL games in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Equipment used by pro athletes during such awareness initiatives often makes its way onto the auction block to benefit charity and the NFL is no exception. While Sept. 11 game commemorative memorabilia has been grabbing plenty of attention via NFL.com auctions, there also is a Breast Cancer Awareness auction section active right now, too.
Panini will be the first manufacturer to include trading cards specifically noting the programs into packs, though Topps did include pink manufactured bat barrel cards into a past MLB product and it’s hard to miss the action photos from past games that feature players with pink gloves, cleats or other gear in the photos.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
its great to see industries of all types worldwide getting behind cancer awareness. Tempted to pick some up just on principle