Vernell Brown III signs exclusive card deal with Panini
Panini America, the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company announced today an exclusive, multi-year agreement with high school football standout Vernell Brown lll for both autographed trading cards and memorabilia.
“VB3,” one of the nation’s top wide receiver prospects, hails from Jones High School in Orlando. He posted 70 receptions for 1,363 yards and 10 touchdowns last season and so far in 2024, he has 51 catches for 664 yards and another four touchdowns.
Brown III committed to play for the University of Florida earlier this year. He will be featured across Panini’s line of collegiate products, including autographed trading cards and memorabilia, and will also be included in Panini marketing activations.
Brown III joins the ranks of Jalen Milroe, Quinn Ewers, Dylan Raiola, Arch Manning, Julian Sayin, and Zachariah Branch as collegiate and high school football standouts who have exclusive partnerships with Panini.
“VB3 is well on his way to becoming an impactful player at the collegiate level, joining our current roster of playmakers,” said Jason Howarth, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Athlete Relations at Panini America. “We’re sure that he will be a fantastic addition to our collegiate products and programs in the coming years.”
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This partnership with Brown III is the latest extension of Panini’s leadership in the NIL space. Panini recently introduced Panini College, a dedicated NIL platform that allows all athletes at a partner university to have their own Panini trading card under the Panini NIL brand. The platform – www.college.paniniamerica.net – launched initially with football and volleyball athletes at Ohio State University, the University of Nebraska, and the University of Texas, with plans to expand to additional partner schools and sports over the coming months.
“I’m excited to partner with a premium brand like Panini America. When I was younger, I always dreamed what it would be like to have my own trading card – so to have this become a reality is really special,” said Vernell Brown III.
The Florida High School Athletic Association became the 36th state organization to allow NIL for high school athletes in June 2024. The new policy passed by a unanimous vote by the FHSAA Board of Directors, and the measure takes effect in time for the 2024-25 high school season. In many ways, the new Florida High School Athletic Association NIL bylaw mirrors what is now acceptable for other high schoolers nationwide. The new rules also aim to protect against recruiting and high-school-oriented collectives focused on retaining talent at the high school level.
