If you’ve driven by Staples Center and LA Live today, you would have probably seen a big fat tour bus with the image of Kobe Bryant plastered on the sides of it. Well, that bus is owned by the Panini Adrenalyn Trading Card company and they want you to stop by before the game tonight against the Sacramento Kings.
Most of you probably don’t know of Panini Adrenalyn Trading Cards, but I’m sure you’ve heard of Donruss, Score and Leaf from back in the day, right? Well, Panini Adrenalyn bought them all up and is now the official trading card for the NBA.
With that kind of savvy business sense, they also went after and signed one of the best players in the NBA to be their spokesman – Kobe Bryant.
The agreement reportedly is for a multi-year deal that will include autographed memorabilia, and is a landmark deal for the trading card company. The popularity of trading cards has decreased over the past few years, but this looks like the type of deal that could bring it back into the public spotlight. Bryant seemed excited to announce the deal;
“I am honored to join the Panini family. Panini and I are really excited about embracing the challenge of re-igniting the collecting of basketball trading cards and sticker collections … and everyone knows I like challenges!”
Panini’s first NBA trading card collection was released on October 7, and features the first authentic autographs from Bryant on an NBA trading card. Check out the video of Kobe doing his first “Box Break”
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfGN6AI_a4M
Guess who just got one of those trading cards? That’s right . . . Lakers Nation and you know how we do it – look out for the giveaway of this prize sometime during the playoffs.
We also got some special All-Star Edition Kobe cards with All-Star patches sewn right into the card.
Make sure to check out the bus in front of Staples before the game to get some cards, play some hoops and meet the guys.
Tell them you found them through LakersNation.com and they might hook you up with something nice!
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