Panini Redemptions

[tnvolfan16]

I know this will get all kinds of "smart a" remarks from the peanut gallery, so i am hoping to weed them out and get some serious opinions on this question: With Panini looking to be on their way out of the NFL business in a few years, at what point would you feel Iffy about buying a redemption card of even a player that seems to be reliable in signing their stuff. after seeing how topps and upper deck handled their exit regarding redemtions, i would think there will come a point in time that any redemption would lose value based soley on the fact that you would think panini would just give up trying to get signatures and would end up just sticking you with points or doing something like the kobe packs. once again, i know a lot of people hate redemptions, but they are a part of life in this hobby and a lot of people have money tied up in them so i am afraid when the time comes for panini to make decisions, a lot of people are really going to be disappointed with how it works out for them

***EDIT*** Let me also pose this to you as you answer, hypothetically, if prizm comes out later this year and panini has not gotten autographs back from say, trevor lawrence, davonta smith, and justin fields to put in the packs, how should they handle it? should they put in redemptions, use them for points redemptions, or scrap those three players altogether in prizm. i know some of you think they should drive to jacksonville, chicago and philly and hold them at gunpoint until they sign, but i dont think that is an legitimate option. what is seriously the best option to handle this situation.

the reason i ask this is that i see in 21 donruss, Peyton Manning is a redemption. he has never been a redemption in panini products, and was not in immaculate draft, but is in donruss. i am not interested in one of these, but it came up in my ebay search. it just really makes me wander if it was something i was wanting if it was worth the risk of buying a redemption with what we know now about their future. i know he had some in the 2014 upper deck products that i was sweating whether i would get or not, but finally did. i figured when they lost their license they would just give up, and i think that is exactly what topps did. i believe there is going to be a roller coaster ride coming the closer to the end of panini NFL we get. and as some have said, i would not depend on their customer service to be much help

[salthill]

I’m sitting on multiple redemptions - including one from 2016 NT Football that they’ve had five years to make. I literally wouldn’t buy one now.

[49erRCCollector]

I believe I have 3 outstanding - don’t expect they’ll ever be signed now. But they are important enough to me I’ll just let ‘em ride.

[IndySportsCards]

I have redemptions going back to 2013 they still haven't honored, can't get a human on the phone or anyone to respond via email.

I don't open any Panini products outside of Soccer anymore for the most part, and there are rarely redemptions in those products thank god!

Panini customer service bites.

[sethc1020]

Im done with redemptions myself. I have a Burrow Contenders that was supposed to be shipped out on July 1st but tracking shows it was never picked up by Fed-Ex. Ive called, left messages, email daily and not a single response in over a month of doing so. I also have a Mac Jones XRC that isn't even an auto that they still haven't "made" yet. Crazy! Still not sure exactly how their CS gets away with not responding to anyone. Based on this alone I would be VERY VERY afraid to buy redemptions as is let alone as they get closer and closer to the end of their licenses.

[JeremyNick]

I am not buying any redemptions at this point.

If it gets filled I can always buy the actual single in the future.

To your hypothetical, I don’t think redemptions should be put in any product that cost $1k+ per box (or sticker autos for that matter) so I think the ethical thing would be to leave those autos out of the product. However for those big name players that would rank the value and hurt Panini’s bottom line - and we know they won’t do that.

[Grid]

We have been here before. Both UD and Topps lost the NFL license prior, and both still gave you something for their outstanding redemptions.

A lot of people never got what they should have gotten, but most everyone got something in return. It wasnt always the same player, or even the same sport. And in some cases, like Topps, people got a bonus card, which was normally a garbage jersey card or something.

3 things will happen.

Panini, who already lost the license, will be sitting on a stockpile of cards either held back, are currently in their store for the redemption program, or would still be in the middle of being returned by the players that owed them autos.

All of those cards would, could and should be used to plug any IOU's out there. Just because they cant continue making sports cards like they once did, doesn't absolve them from fulfilling their obligations.

The other thing that could happen, is that Fanatics buys out some, or all, of Panini. And Fanatics would be left holding both the license to make new cards, to continue the Panini redemption process. As well as the IOU's that "old" Panini left behind. Much like UD did when they took control of the Fleer brands.

And #3, Panini declares bankruptcy. Panini sheds the entirety of Panini America, which would put them in default to any companies and players they owe money to. Those entities would be first in line for any money due. Leaving next to nothing for all the collectors with redemptions.