Panini alleges Fanatics used confidential data for NBA and NFL rights

Panini has escalated its ongoing antitrust litigation against Fanatics by alleging that the rival company used confidential information to secure exclusive trading card rights with the NFL, NBA, and their respective players’ associations. Panini claims Fanatics improperly accessed commercially sensitive details regarding its licensing arrangements in violation of confidentiality provisions. Fanatics has denied these allegations, characterizing them as an attempt to prolong the legal battle.

Despite losing its official NBA license, Panini is continuing its presence in the basketball card market with the release of the 2025-26 Panini Noir Basketball collection. Because the product is unlicensed, it will not feature official NBA team logos or branding. However, the release remains a high-end option for collectors due to Panini-exclusive autographs, such as those from 2025 NBA Draft prospect VJ Edgecombe. The Noir product is expected to hit major hobby retailers around August 28, 2026.