Panini America’s Action-Packed Saturday at the 2012 NFLPA Rookie Premiere (Gallery)
LOS ANGELES — Simply, there’s no other day on the trading card calendar quite like Saturday at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere. It’s a star-studded dress rehearsal with the NFL’s top rookies donning their uniforms for the first time to take pictures, sign autographs and generate the exclusive content that will drive Panini America’s football card season well into next year.
But as you’re about to see, the 2012 edition may have been the most spectacular Premiere yet, what with 35 headliners from one of the most exciting top-to-bottom draft classes in recent memory . . . the new Nike uniforms . . . the instant gratification of social media . . . and a whole lot of fun.
Panini America essentially had five different stations set up — one dedicated to autograph and memorabilia acquisition, three dedicated to capturing photography and one, the Marketing station, dedicated to fun. It was at that station where we had the rookies create their one-of-a-kind masterpieces known as Sketch Cards, conducted video interviews with every last young superstar and gave them all complete control over the Panini America Twitter account for the day.
The massive gallery that follows details all of that activity, and provides a sneak peek at the 2012 Score Football Rookie Card design we used as a template to create the 35 Rookie Cards that will accompany our video news release of the day’s events that will be distributed later today.
But just because the 2012 NFLPA Rookie Premiere is officially over, that doesn’t mean the Panini America fun is. Check back with The Knight’s Lance tomorrow to find out how you can win one of 15 Personal Edition Rookie Inscriptions autographed cards.
Until then, enjoy this exhaustive look back at how Panini America spent Saturday at the 2012 NFLPA Rookie Premiere.
Trackbacks
- Panini Peek: 2012 Rookies & Stars Football « The Official Panini America Blog
- How You Can Win During Panini America’s Recap of the 2012 NFLPA Rookie Premiere « The Official Panini America Blog
- Artistic Impressions: Top NFL Rookies Get Creative for Unique Panini America Cards « The Official Panini America Blog
The Knight's Lance 
So much on-card goodness! The rookies must have a blast at this event. Can’t wait for the 12 football product to be on my shelves…
Fantastic gallery, love the new Score rookie design too. Wish I could have been there, any chance that could be a future golden ticket style giveaway? Thanks for bringing it to us Tracy!
Thanks for tuning in, Tom. Great idea on the Golden Ticket giveaway. Seems like that would be pretty easy to pull off. Consider on the ideas to discuss for 2013!
Ok now im pumped!!! That Luck and RG3 autographed card looks flawless! I cant wait to see what Panini has up their sleeve this year for football collectors! Thanks Tracy for all that you do and the info that u give us!!! Cant wait for a chance at the 15 personal Edition Rookie Inscriptions!!!
Great gallery! Hey Tracy, did RGIII have you a lyric to write down for one of the cards? It looks like we have some decent artists with some of those sketch cards. Yesterday had to be a lot of fun for you all!
You know, that’s a good question. I need to go back and look at his sketch cards to find out. It was so crazy all day yesterday that I completely forgot to follow up with him on that. Yeah, the Premiere is one of the single most enjoyable days of our year. Crazy amount of work, but so much fun. Thanks for stopping by.
I want that luck U with the double auto.
Good eye, man.
Ya who ever pulls that is gonna have a 1 of 1 !!! Lol
I’m ready for 2012 National Treasures. Hey Tracy I redeemed a Shaq auto over 17 months ago. I was Hopeing you could help me out with a replacement? Thanks Scott
Looks like fun indeed….some pretty decent sketches as well ….Golden ticket idea sounds like a great one …thanks for taking us one step closer…
Tracy,
I saw it looked like those draft hats were on the tables to be signed. Any way those of us that don’t have a lot to spend on boxes or can make it to the conventions can get an opportunity to win a signed draft hat, I love that Tannehill hat.
Also, the sketch cards look so creative this year!
Great work this week and get some rest.
T
Absolutely! These hats will be incorporated into future promotions. Stay tuned.
Great stuff all around Tracy, an appetizer to the upcoming season.
Appreciate that, Tim. It was a labor of love in the truest sense.
Great to see these pics! Its good fun to follow along on the blog as well as via other social media every year to see the awesome stuff you guys get to see and do be it at conventions or events such as the Rookie Premiere. Really brings us fans closer than otherwise possible especially us far far away who will never get to see some of these guys up close. And I say it every time but DAMN these boys are huge!
Amazing stuff as always. Love the three part sketch cards of Giants rb Wilson. Would love to get my hands on those!! Are those being inserted into packs???!!!
Also, great looking Luck and RG3 autos. Would be sick to land one of those. And the Double U signed patch of Luck. Wow! Is that going to be inserted as a 1/1?
love the pics. Wished I was there. What an incredible experience it must be. Meeting tomorrows stars of the NFL.
Can’t wait for 2012 Panini football products!! Counting down to Prestige already!
I also like how there is a good amount of Bronco pics on here..is there any reason for this 😉
Time to review Panini’s footage of NFLPA Rookie Premiere:
Photos: 5 stars- Great photo’s. Action shots of them on the field, signing our favorite cards, and the players shining personalities.
Writeup- 5 stars- As always, this blog provides the best information. The best contests. And the best write-ups. Incredible work.
Cards- 5 stars-The cards are incredible. Acetate signatures, Score Rookies that are award winning (hoping for variations on those), NFL Draft Tix autos and Pen Pals. The lookout for 2012 Panini NFL products is way up.
Overall the obvious consensus leads us to five stars. Great coverage for those of us who are not there and with the pictures we feel like we are sitting with these players. And you can really capture their personalities from this as well. Great write up makes you wanting to click and read these posts over and over. And finally the cards. Best NFL cards out there. Obvious from the pictures above.
If you want great behind the scenes, great cards, and the best information. Come right here to the Knights Lance for that and more!
Great job again ! Amazing! cant wait to get my hands on some of those Cards! Thnaks again Tracy!
Can’t wait to see 2012 Panini football products hitting shelves soon. Everything looks great from the posts this past weekend.
Such an awesome event and I can’t wait to see this hit the shelves and land a Luck or RG3…. or 8. Great job!