Sports Media Report
USA Baseball and Panini America, the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company, today jointly announced a second long-term extension of their exclusive licensing agreement which began in 2012. The extension continues Panini America’s status as the Official Baseball Card of USA Baseball and grants Panini America exclusive trading card category rights to all USA Baseball marks, as well as the annual Collegiate, 18U, and 15U National Teams, and the organization’s national team development programs.
The sixth edition of Stars & Stripes USA Baseball will be the first product launched under the new extension. 2022 Stars & Stripes USA Baseball will arrive April 6 and incorporates more than 40 members of the 2021 Collegiate National Team, as well as members of the 18U and 15U National Teams, the 16U/17U National Team Development Program, and the 13U/14U Athlete Development Program. Hobby boxes will deliver unique autographs and game-worn memorabilia cards from current national teams and alumni.
Continuing under the details of the latest extension, Panini America logo patches will remain on USA Baseball uniforms and Panini America will manufacture at least one standalone product devoted exclusively to USA Baseball annually. Additionally, USA Baseball content will be featured throughout its complete line of baseball products.
“Our relationship with USA Baseball has given us the ability to showcase tomorrow’s stars first as they make their way through the USA Baseball program,” said Mark Warsop, CEO of Panini America. “We look forward to continuing the partnership and featuring the top prospects in the game.”
“USA Baseball is excited to continue our partnership with Panini America through which collectors and fans can continue to find the first baseball cards of the game’s top prospects,” said USA Baseball Chief Operating Officer David Perkins. “Our national teams and national team development programs are comprised of new players each year and those changing rosters make USA Baseball content truly unique in the baseball card industry.”
Since this partnership began in 2012, 156 national team alumni have been taken in the first round of the MLB Draft, including eight top overall picks: Mark Appel (2013), Brady Aiken (2014), Dansby Swanson (2015), Mickey Moniak (2016), Royce Lewis (2017), Casey Mize (2018), Adley Rutschman (2019), and Spencer Torkelson (2020). In total, USA Baseball boasts 33 No. 1 picks and 530 first round selections since 1972.
