College athletes score big with sports cards 💵

Rise and shine, card enthusiasts! This is Penny Sleeve, the sports card newsletter that’s sharper than the edges of a gem mint rookie card.

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• College athletes score big with sports cards 💵

• 2022-23 Panini Flawless Basketball dropping next week 💎

• People to follow in the hobby 👥

• Meme of the day 🃏

COLLEGE ATHLETES SCORE BIG WITH SPORTS CARDS 💵

The sports card industry has become a lucrative avenue for collegiate athletes to profit from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights, as demonstrated by a recent partnership between Baylor University’s basketball team and ONIT. The partnership allows for the production and sale of licensed sports cards featuring student-athletes, with 60% of the revenue generated flowing directly back to the athletes.

ONIT has made significant strides in the collegiate sports card market, with 33 school partnerships and over $1.6 million in NIL royalty payments to student-athletes nationwide, primarily from football products. Their goal is to onboard 10,000 athletes and distribute more than $7 million in NIL payments by the end of the year.

It’s great to see new opportunities for student-athletes to earn income while also connecting with their fanbase. The direct revenue incentive for athletes hopefully means they’re more excited by the product and will promote directly to their audience, something that’s sorely missing in professional sports.

2022-23 PANINI FLAWLESS BASKETBALL DROPPING NEXT WEEK 💎

Panini is gearing up to to launch the much-awaited 2022-23 Flawless Basketball set, arriving just as the 2023-24 NBA season hits its final stretch. Inside the signature metal briefcase, there’s a singular pack containing ten cards, with at least eight having autographs and an average of one memorabilia card per pack.

Here are some highlights of the release:

• Base cards numbered /20 or less with a diamond embedded in the card

• Autographed memorabilia cards (Flawless Patch Autographs, Star Swatch Signatures, Signature Prime Materials, and more)

• Game-worn jersey cards for 2022 rookies

• 1/1 Logoman, Laundry Tag, Championship, and new “The Finals“ cards adorned with multiple diamonds

• Bill Russell Tribute patch cards, containing the number 6 patch worn by players to honor Russell

Presales on eBay have been going for a pretty penny.

PEOPLE TO FOLLOW IN THE HOBBY 👥

• @CardsOzark: Baseball buy/sell/trade

• @LogansLeague: Active dealmaker in the hobby

• @CardboardMrktng: Up-and-coming content creator

MEME OF THE DAY 🃏