Basketball Hall of Fame, Panini Make Deal |
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Wednesday, 16 September 2009 |
 The NBA's exclusive basketball card partner has signed a marketing agreement with the hoops hall.
Panini America, Inc has announced an exclusive, multi-year marketing and licensing agreement with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Panini signed a deal to become the exclusive trading card licensee for the NBA last January. Company officials say the new relationship with the Hall of Fame expands its global basketball presence.
“We’re excited to have the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame join the Panini family,” Panini America CEO Michael Eisenstein said. “This partnership is yet another building block within Panini’s strategy to encompass all aspects of basketball. It’s an honor to have this opportunity.”
The partnership was made official late last week in conjunction with the induction of the 50th anniversary Hall of Fame Class of 2009, featuring Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Jerry Sloan, John Stockton and C. Vivian Stringer. Panini representatives were at last weekend’s events in Springfield, Mass.
 Highlights of the agreement include:
- Panini becomes the “Official Marketing and Licensing Partner of the Basketball Hall of Fame,” as well as the Hall of Fame’s exclusive trading card partner.
- Panini gains the rights to produce Hall of Fame-specific products (memorabilia, trading cards, trading-card games and sticker album collections) and to use the Hall of Fame’s brand and logo in advertising and marketing materials.
- A cooperative effort between Panini and the Hall of Fame on such key events as the annual class announcement, college basketball’s Hall of Fame Showcase and the Spalding Basketball Hall of Fame Hoophall Classic.
"We are pleased Panini has partnered with the Basketball Hall of Fame to showcase an extraordinary collection of trading cards and the unique and exclusive items of historical significance for the sport of basketball, the world's most popular and storied game," said John Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Panini Group purchased Donruss in March and formed the new subsidiary, Panini America, Inc.
“This is another step toward Panini enhancing its reach around the world, one that already includes offices and or partners in more than 100 countries," said Peter Warsop, Panini’s Group Licensing Director said. "We are already in the process of taking basketball into many of those markets which will now potentially include Hall of Fame content. Given this and other, shortly to be announced, initiatives Panini are significantly on course to make a significant enhancement to Basketball Trading Card content, marketing and sales development.” |
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