News

Panini America, renowned as the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company, has recently entered into a strategic partnership with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), which is recognized as the fastest-growing and most innovative sports league globally. This multi-year agreement signifies a major development in the MMA sports trading card arena.

Under this new alliance, Panini and PFL will collaborate to introduce exciting and fresh products to the market. The collaboration is set to kick off with the launch of Panini Instant, a real-time, direct-to-consumer platform designed to offer timely and relevant collectibles to MMA fans. This initiative will soon be followed by the release of PFL Prizm later in the year, anticipated to be a key product in the trading card category.

Jason Howarth, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Athlete Relations at Panini America, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership. He highlighted the significant growth and global reach of the PFL and its potential to further energize the MMA trading card category, which is already a vibrant part of Panini's portfolio. This partnership aims to enable fans to engage more deeply with the sport by collecting exclusive Panini products featuring PFL athletes and events.

Bryan Calka, CCO of the PFL, mirrored this excitement, noting Panini America's industry leadership in collectibles. He emphasized the PFL's commitment to providing MMA fans worldwide with high-value and premium experiences, both of which are expected to be enhanced through this partnership with Panini.

An innovative aspect of this partnership will be the introduction of digital trading card collectibles, including NFTs. This move is set to cater to the evolving preferences of collectors who are increasingly embracing digital formats alongside traditional physical cards.

The collaboration comes at a pivotal time as the PFL is set to commence the second half of its 2024 Global Season on June 13 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The season will continue with events in Salt Lake City and South Dakota, where athletes from six weight classes will compete for playoff berths and the ultimate title of PFL World Champion, along with a $1 million purse.

PFL stands out in the MMA landscape by adopting a sports-season format similar to major league sports, with fighters competing in a regular season, playoffs, and championship. The league is not only enhancing the sport's visibility through its innovative SmartCage technology, which supports advanced fight analytics and a next-generation viewing experience but is also expanding globally with initiatives like PFL Europe and PFL MENA.

Panini America, a subsidiary of the Italy-based Panini Group, brings over six decades of experience in the collectibles industry and holds significant partnerships across a wide array of sports and entertainment entities. The company’s global presence and robust distribution network ensure that PFL trading cards will reach a wide audience, enhancing the visibility and appeal of both brands in the collectibles market.

This partnership between Panini America and the Professional Fighters League is set to redefine the landscape of sports memorabilia, combining innovation with the thrilling world of MMA. Fans can look forward to a diverse range of collectibles that celebrate the sport's dynamic nature and its athletes.