Playbook Is How National Treasures Should Look

When it comes to high-end football products, Panini has a pretty high standard to meet after you see something like Topps Five Star.  Yesterday Panini released images of a new product called Playbook.  Panini was one of the last manufacturers to join the exclusive group of companies that make booklet cards.  They don’t have as many on the market right now, but that’s quickly going to change.  Panini is going booklet crazy when you look at National Treasures and Playbook.  Personally, I’ve never pulled a booklet card.  Perhaps this time I’ll have a shot.

Panini knows that collectors want to see more high-end football products to look like Five Star.  Topps has truly set a standard for everyone else to live up to.  Playbook’s design is getting closer to Five Star.  This is what their National Treasures set should look like.  Take a look at the Cam Newton booklet above.  On the left you have three clear photographs on a nice white background.  Moving over to the right you can see a larger area for the signature and the relic window contains a large patch that ironically looks like something you would see in Five Star.  I believe Panini is trying hard and moving in the right direction here.  I’m not sure why they didn’t decide to use this design for National Treasures.  National Treasures is suppose to compete against Five Star and is around the same price range.  Using Playbook’s design would have made perfect sense instead of creating an entirely new product.

Playbook’s design + National Treasures name = Five Star competitor

Playbook is all about booklets and will include the following in every pack:

• (1) on-card signed, prime-memorabilia-piece Rookie Premiere Booklet
• (1) one rookie autograph
• (1) memorabilia card
• (1) additional autograph, prime-piece memorabilia, or booklet card

Collectors can look for it in early April.