Which is the final season of Panini licensed cards

[newcollector22]

So I have gathered that Panini losses its license in 2026, but I can't seem to find out if it means their last product is 2024-25, 2025-26 or 2026-27. Anyone know the final season for licensed panini products?

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[Nomad]

probably panini is in negotiations with fanatics to keep some flagships going.

[newcollector22]

Do you mean that Panini will sub lease Fanatics license so that they can keep producing licensed flagship Panini products? Or do you mean Panini will lease their flagship products so Fanatics can continue producing those flagship Panini products under license?
Personally, I would like to see Panini and all their products cease to be produced and the earlier the better so that we can end this junk wax era.

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[Nomad]

I imagine since they use the same printing facility they have figured out, on some level. to coexist. I think that having two different teams working independently and competitively is a model a lot of companies strive to emulate.

Not saying it is gonna happen, just that it would be beneficial to the hobby.

There will not be less sets, though print runs may moderate. After all breakers need new and varied product on a weekly basis.

They've got a nice hype flow going recently, from TC, to Deca, to Hoops Premium, to Phoenix, back to Mercury. More interesting than the old Chronicles to Recon to Optic to Draft Picks paradigm.

[wickedliquids]

2025-26 should be the last of the licensed product.

[Archangel1775]

Fanatics would like to devalue Panini as much as possible. There is no peaceful coexistence. Panini is just in the way at this point.

[msink28]

I do think it's a little bit funny that Panini will get to milk the whole Cooper Flagg experience before they lose their license.

[dunkindutchmen]

Originally Posted by wickedliquids

2025-26 should be the last of the licensed product.

They lose the NBA license October, 2025. So tell me how they plan on printing both 2024/25 and 2025/26 classes in 1 year.

[jfan2024]

Originally Posted by msink28

I do think it's a little bit funny that Panini will get to milk the whole Cooper Flagg experience before they lose their license.

I wouldn't assume that. I'd expect Fanatics to try and get Flagg as well as even the other top guys like Bailey, Harper, etc. to sign exclusives with them on autographs.

[msink28]

for sure, but they'll be producing unlicensed cards.

Originally Posted by jfan2024

I wouldn't assume that. I'd expect Fanatics to try and get Flagg as well as even the other top guys like Bailey, Harper, etc. to sign exclusives with them on autographs.

[nothinbefore]

Cooper flagg will be Panini's way of going out with a Bang!!

[hwc]

Originally Posted by dunkindutchmen

They lose the NBA license October, 2025. So tell me how they plan on printing both 2024/25 and 2025/26 classes in 1 year.

Where did you see Oct 2025 as when Panini loses their license. I've only ever just seen 2026.

As for printing both 2024-25 and 2025-26, Panini can do one of two things. They can still make 2024-25 full product lines and then do a separate 2025-26 until they lose their license. The NBA Draft is in July so Panini woud still have 3 months until Oct. The other way is if they don't want to make another whole set of products is to make XRC's with the 2025-26 draft for some of the products in 2024-25, like with Topps Finest in 2002. Back then Topps Finest had XRC's of Lebron and his class with Yao's class.

[dunkindutchmen]

Originally Posted by hwc

Where did you see Oct 2025 as when Panini loses their license. I've only ever just seen 2026.

As for printing both 2024-25 and 2025-26, Panini can do one of two things. They can still make 2024-25 full product lines and then do a separate 2025-26 until they lose their license. The NBA Draft is in July so Panini woud still have 3 months until Oct. The other way is if they don't want to make another whole set of products is to make XRC's with the 2025-26 draft for some of the products in 2024-25, like with Topps Finest in 2002. Back then Topps Finest had XRC's of Lebron and his class with Yao's class.

Forbes. I have read 2026 as well but I'm wondering if someone misinterpreted the NFL date and it's just being regurgitated.


Topps has long been invested in sports beyond baseball. It has a licensing deal with Formula 1 and has agreements to produce collectibles with the NBA, from October 2025, and NFL, from April 2026.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertk...-collectibles/

But they are still printing Wemby cards right now, so it's a few months from beginning 2024-25 production, I'd assume. How many XRC rookie cards can they cram in 3 months of backed-up production?

I think Flagg will have a licensed Topps Chrome RC in early 2026.

[hwc]

Thanks for the link.

In terms of production, Panini could choose to shorten their production line up from 30 or so product down to 20 to accomodate that 3 month window to produce the 2025-26 products. Topps and Upper Deck was in this predicament back in 2009. Topps had to include Topps Chrome within their Topps product and not as a stand alone product in 2009.

If the license changes in Oct 2025 then yeah Flagg will have Topps Chrome RC. We will have to see just how petty Panini actually is if they exclusively sign Flagg for their autos instead of Fanatics.

[dunkindutchmen]

Originally Posted by hwc

Thanks for the link.

In terms of production, Panini could choose to shorten their production line up from 30 or so product down to 20 to accomodate that 3 month window to produce the 2025-26 products. Topps and Upper Deck was in this predicament back in 2009. Topps had to include Topps Chrome within their Topps product and not as a stand alone product in 2009.

If the license changes in Oct 2025 then yeah Flagg will have Topps Chrome RC. We will have to see just how petty Panini actually is if they exclusively sign Flagg for their autos instead of Fanatics.

Thanks for the history and context. There's no exclusivity tied to the draft class, though, right? So, Panini could make Hoops and Prizm Flagg rookies next fall and Topps could make Chrome ones in the spring once they had the license?

[hwc]

Originally Posted by dunkindutchmen

Thanks for the history and context. There's no exclusivity tied to the draft class, though, right? So, Panini could make Hoops and Prizm Flagg rookies next fall and Topps could make Chrome ones in the spring once they had the license?

Yeah, there's no exclusivity for the draft just for the dates. So Panini could make a Hoops, Prizm, and whatever else they wanted as long as it got sold prior to the end date of their license expiration, and Topps could make Topps Chrome of Flagg.

[codered]

Originally Posted by hwc

Thanks for the link.

In terms of production, Panini could choose to shorten their production line up from 30 or so product down to 20 to accomodate that 3 month window to produce the 2025-26 products. Topps and Upper Deck was in this predicament back in 2009. Topps had to include Topps Chrome within their Topps product and not as a stand alone product in 2009.

If the license changes in Oct 2025 then yeah Flagg will have Topps Chrome RC. We will have to see just how petty Panini actually is if they exclusively sign Flagg for their autos instead of Fanatics.

If i remember correctly from when panini took over from topps/UD, they could technically make 2025-26 products until October but rookies from the 2025 draft class would either have to be airbrushed uniforms or college jerseys (if they have those team licenses). Something about new players not officially being part of the PA until the official season starts. That’s why curry UD rookies are in Davidson jerseys and the topps stuff is plain. Plus they might have to sign individual agreements with the new rookies as well to get them into their 2025-26 products? I’m not 100% sure on that. I’d say zero percent chance you see 2025 drafted in uniform panini rookies even if you see 2025-26 panini products

[Nomad]

hope they create a true deca set of Prizm spanning all years, specific to the player's rookie season.

[phdbeckett]

It wasn't that long ago that there was the infamous dump of Jersey auto tag patch and logo that was 2009-10 Topps, SP game used, Exquisite, and Upper Deck.. all were released before October 1st if I recall correctly and none of the rookies had NBA jerseys which does not seem to slow down the value of these cards. Just be ready for Logomen numbered to 200 or something crazy like that based on all of the player-worn, event worn, Factory found jerseys.

[Asian62150]

Originally Posted by phdbeckett

It wasn't that long ago that there was the infamous dump of Jersey auto tag patch and logo that was 2009-10 Topps, SP game used, Exquisite, and Upper Deck.. all were released before October 1st if I recall correctly and none of the rookies had NBA jerseys which does not seem to slow down the value of these cards. Just be ready for Logomen numbered to 200 or something crazy like that based on all of the player-worn, event worn, Factory found jerseys.

Would it be better to have Fanatics buy all the left over memorabilia to use for future products or to have Panini produce/water them down like you described?

[mfisher27]

Originally Posted by Asian62150

Would it be better to have Fanatics buy all the left over memorabilia to use for future products or to have Panini produce/water them down like you described?

Depends on the viewpoint but I'd bet Panini would get more money from dumping excess in their own products than selling those items to Fanatics.

[thenatural23]

Originally Posted by phdbeckett

It wasn't that long ago that there was the infamous dump of Jersey auto tag patch and logo that was 2009-10 Topps, SP game used, Exquisite, and Upper Deck.. all were released before October 1st if I recall correctly and none of the rookies had NBA jerseys which does not seem to slow down the value of these cards. Just be ready for Logomen numbered to 200 or something crazy like that based on all of the player-worn, event worn, Factory found jerseys.

this. for those who were in the hobby circa 09-10 during the end of topps/ud and the start of panini - it was a pure cash grab and liquidation of sticker autos in tons of 'single release' products. the downside were products like upper deck radiance and an absolutely garbage sp game used release but there were gems like 09-10 topps jumbo which not only included chrome but also logomen (unheard of in a low end product). i also recall a lot of logomen cards being numbered to /7 and above, which was odd but clearly a way to clear inventory.

[BoSoxFan1999]

Originally Posted by nothinbefore

Cooper flagg will be Panini's way of going out with a Bang!!

Speaking of Flagg, anyone know when the McD's All American set comes out for this year?

[Beavers98]

It'll be interesting to see what Panini can do. I mean they can't even get their products out anywhere near within a season's time. Now the thought is they could do multi-year releases. Yeah idk..

[SCPoland1796]

I have seen one listing up for 2025-2026 NBA Hoops hobby boxes. Not a pre-sale up yet, but you can enter your email for updates.

Easily found if you google it.

I know Panini has been so far behind for a while now, but one would think Hoops and/or Donruss would be achievable by the expiration (unless the contract spells out 2024-25 year cards as the end, but that those can be produced through October).

I am not a huge fan of Panini - they are OK - but I would have loved to see Topps back in the game if it wasn’t simply a Fanatics label as it is today.