One of the greatest college basketball players of all-time has inked an exclusive deal with Panini. Iowa Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark has agreed to a multi-year partnership with the collectibles company.
A transcendent icon who will define and inspire the future.@CaitlinClark22 is a true 1-of-1, who we are honored to officially welcome to the Panini Family.
Read more about our game-changing exclusive partnership here: https://t.co/Cx8FpdnTq1Shop Caitlin’s record breaking… pic.twitter.com/kaH74vsWA3
— Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) March 6, 2024
It’s the first exclusive partnership Panini has had with a female athlete that includes trading cards and autographed memorabilia. Clark’s memorabilia exclusivity begins immediately as Panini is already selling Instant Cards of Clark breaking the women’s NCAA Division I scoring record.
Topps had previously been selling Clark cards. Clark’s 2022 Bowman University Superfractor 1/1 autograph sold for $78,000 during an auction through PWCC Marketplace in January — setting the record for most expensive women’s basketball card.
Sportico reports Clark will make more than $1 million in the first year of the deal. However, future payments will be based on the amount of product Panini creates.
“Caitlin is a generational talent, and it is natural that she should be our first multi-year exclusive female athlete,” says Jason Howarth, senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations at Panini, in a media release. “We’ll have a range of products and memorabilia featuring Caitlin that we believe fans will love.”
Panini will also be releasing a dedicated Clark trading card that will be available for pre-order next month.
“It’s an honor to partner with Panini America as their first multi-year exclusive female athlete, and I’m excited to collaborate with them on my own collection,” says Clark.
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) February 29, 2024
The deal comes after Clark, the reigning National Player of the Year, announced she will be entering the WNBA after this season. She will be leaving Iowa as not only the top women’s scorer of all-time in college basketball, but as the top scorer in NCAA Division I history.
Clark is expected to be the first overall pick by the Indiana Fever in the upcoming WNBA Draft.