Panini May Pull a Different Card

As the sports collectible industry booms, sticker and trading card brand Panini is looking to take advantage.

Panini is reportedly weighing a potential sale and attracting interest from private equity firms.

The family-owned Italian brand is known for its FIFA World Cup stickers. The stickers have become some of the most popular sports collectibles globally since first being printed in 1970.

Stickers and an inventory of rare single-card items helped Panini surpass $1 billion in sales in 2018. It’s unclear whether Panini will go through with a formal sale, but the resurgence of the sports collectibles industry makes it a promising venture. 

Earlier this month, Goldin Auctions announced a $40 million fundraise that attracted big-name investors like Mark Cuban, Kevin Durant, Dwayne Wade and Bill Simmons. The auction house grossed over $100 million from trading cards and other collectibles in 2020. 

Panini made David Beckham a global brand ambassador back in January.

It will continue to be the exclusive trading card manufacturer of the NFL, NBA, NASCAR and collegiate athletics.