Panini welcomes in new group of NFL Rookies at Photo Shoot

NFL Players and Panini pulled out all of the stops this year to ensure that the NFL Rookie Premiere – held from May 20-22 in Los Angeles - was fun for NFL Rookies, valuable for NFL trading card collectors and a powerful marketing tool for Panini. The rookie contingent was loaded with 30 of most collectible rookies of 2010 including: Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, Jimmy Claussen Colt McCoy, Ryan Matthews, CJ Spiller, Dez Bryant, Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy.

From the minute the 30 NFL rookies arrived in L.A. to the last click of the camera and the last drop of ink in the Sharpies, NFL Rookies and the NFL trading card companies had two whirlwind days of photos, autographs, football and fun.

After checking into their hotels on Thursday night, the players headed up to the Panini suite to be photographed. Those photos were turned into cards for the players to sign – ensuring that collectors can collect on-card rookie autographs. Having all of the players in one place also allowed Panini to create very unique on-card multi-player signed card such as one of the top four QB’s - Bradford, Tebow, Claussen and McCoy and another with the four top RB’s – Spiller, Toby Gerhard, Matthews and Javhid Best.

On Friday, Panini hosted the players at a local Wal-Mart. Here the players conducted interviews via satellite with ESPN and also worked at various Wal-Mart stations such as the McDonald’s, the cash register and even serving as Wal-Mart greeters. Thousands of NFL fans and collectors turned up at the Wal-Mart to meet the future NFL stars.

On Saturday the players headed off bright and early to the L.A. Coliseum and got to put on their full NFL uniforms for the first time. Despite all of the success these players have had, this was the moment they all realized that they had become NFL players.

Panini moved the players through a variety of stations on the field and in the locker room to acquire portrait photography, tandem photos and action photography. In the signing station, players signed cards, stickers, team logo patches and NFL shield patches. They even handed over their event-worn jerseys for Panini to include on memorabilia cards this season. The event also offered Panini the opportunity to get up-close and personal with the players conducting interviews that will be featured on the Panini website and in a video news release. Panini also had the players complete questionnaires for additional bio information.

Here’s a look at some of the video highlights:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d818483c1/Rookies-get-carded

Colt McCoy talks about his time in LA with Panini:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5208945 <http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5208945>

Notre Dame star and Seattle Seahawk receiver Golden Tate belting out Taylor Swift's "Romeo and Juliet":
<http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5208940> http://www.q13fox.com/videobeta/88b14212-8bdc-47ef-b969-8f3dd935eb76/Sports/Hawks-WR-Golden-Tate-Sings