For most of the last month, Panini America NBA acquisitions maven Ivory Tabb has been on the road in one NBA city or another tracking down as many on-card autographs as possible for the upcoming 2011 Preferred Basketball. Along the way, the road-weary Tabb has regaled us with entertaining behind-the-scenes insight from some of the top stars in the game.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Tabb is traveling again this weekend — along with several other members of the Panini America — to the 2012 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando. But before she left, Tabb, , a former star on VH1′s “I Want to Work for Diddy,” provided one final batch of anecdotes and images from her just-completed cross-country Preferred tour.
New Autos for National Treasures Football, Elite Hockey Spark Panini America Mail Day
The influx of on-card autographs hitting Panini America headquarters these days is staggering not just in terms of volume but especially in terms of sheer, unadulterated collecting beauty. And for proof, I present the following assortment of images featuring new arrivals from just the last few days alone.
What you’re about to see — including key inclusions from the upcoming 2011 National Treasures Football, 2011 Totally Certified Football, 2011 Prime Signatures Football, 2011-12 Donruss Elite Hockey and 2011 Preferred Basketball — was enough to leave me weak-kneed and enamored.
February Marks 20th Anniversary of Central Texas Hobby Shop “Card Traders of Austin”
Not long after Walt Case retired from IBM in the late 1980s, he returned to the childhood closet of his Texas home to find that the treasure trove of sports cards he’d amassed in his youth had appreciated quite nicely. And just like that, the next chapter in Case’s life — and a proud chapter in the history of card collecting in Central Texas — began.
Case started selling cards on the side at first, through listings in trade publications, phone auctions and at weekend shows. That led to a stint covering weekends at a local card shop, where he met eventual business partner Craig Vernier. Twenty years later, the two men have transformed Card Traders of Austin into a second home for the area’s most passionate collectors.
A Memo to Readers of “The Knight’s Lance:” Your 2011-12 NBA Hoops Insert Set is Ready
It started way back in April, almost 10 months ago, with a simple post: “Collectors’ Choice: You Make the Call for a Special Insert in 2011-12 Hoops Basketball.” It was a post spurred by Panini America NBA Brand Manager David Porter, who asked whether or not readers of “The Knight’s Lance” might be interested in selecting an insert set for the product.
My response, quicker than electricity, was an adamant, over-the-top “absolutely.” In fact, I contended that you would be so interested that we should give you — the collective “Knight’s Lance” audience — complete autonomy over the set. And from there, “A Night to Remember” took on a life of its own.
“Linsanity” Effect Brings 2010-11 Prestige Basketball Printing Error Back to Light
The sudden onset of Linsanity has sent fans and collectors all over the globe scurrying back to last season’s NBA-licensed products from Panini America looking for Jeremy Lin gems that as recently as last month were little more than hobby afterthoughts.
And that international hunt has brought back to the surface a printing error that occurred in 2010-11 Prestige Basketball, the first product from Panini America’s second season as the exclusive NBA trading card manufacturer.
The Panini America QC Gallery: 2011 Playoff Contenders Baseball (40 Must-See Images)
Most passionate baseball fans would have a difficult time determining exactly which of the following developments is more exciting: Pitchers and catchers from around the majors reporting to spring training or the release of 2011 Playoff Contenders Baseball.
The former happened over the weekend. The latter arrives later this week. Both, however, are sure to be met with open arms by baseball fans and collectors across the country. We got our first intimate look at 2011 Playoff Contenders Baseball this morning — and we liked what we saw.
Video & Gallery: Panini America Production Line Confidential with 2011-12 NBA Hoops
Last Friday we tipped the weekend off right with a smashing sneak peek at 2011-12 NBA Hoops Basketball and promised an expanded examination of the first NBA card set since last September’s release of 2010-11 Elite Black Box. Today we make good on that promise.
Above you’ll find a splendid and revealing video shot Friday at the Panini America printing facility that includes exclusive footage straight from the production line and from the quality control room, where Panini America NBA brand developers Keith Hower and Wes Elliott provide more insight on 2011-12 NBA Hoops. Below, you’ll find 34 additional images that we didn’t show you on Friday.
Panini Peek: 2011-12 Titanium Hockey
Through an informal Facebook and Twitter poll Saturday night, we asked Panini America fans what they would rather see today: A behind-the-scenes video and additional images from 2011-12 NBA Hoops packout or a sneak peek of the upcoming 2011-12 Panini Titanium Hockey.
Although voting was close as hoops and hockey fans weighed in feverishly, it appears that additional NBA Hoops coverage will have to wait until Monday. This Sunday will be devoted to exclusive glimpses of the first Titanium Hockey release in seven years.
For those countless passionate collectors out there who’ve waited way too long for some new NBA trading cards to consume, we’ve got terrific news: Panini America’s 2011-12 NBA Hoops Basketball is coming — and it is spectacular.
That’s my quick assessment of the product after spending most of the morning with Keith Hower and Wes Elliott – two of Panini America’s NBA Product Development folks — at the company printing facility across town packing out the throwback juggernaut and quality controlling it.
Panini Authentic Sits Down for First Signing with Cavaliers Rookie Star Kyrie Irving
All this talk about Jeremy Lin (which we absolutely love, by the way) has served to swipe some of the spotlight away from another young player enjoying a spectacular season in his own right: Cleveland Cavaliers No. 1 overall pick Kyrie Irving.
Panini America signed Irving — a player Dime Magazine recently called Cleveland’s “New King” — to an exclusive agreement in late June. And earlier this week, Panini Authentic point man Brian Bayne traveled to Cleveland to conduct the company’s first signing with the NBA’s leading rookie scorer (18.2 ppg).
