Panini America Joins As Founding Partner of the Polynesian Bowl, One Of High School Football’s Premier All-Star Games
Irving, TX – September 28, 2023 – Panini America, the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company, announced today that it will become a Founding Partner of the Polynesian Bowl in a comprehensive, multi-year partnership with the annual all-star game featuring 100 of the top senior high school football players in the country. The 2024 Polynesian Bowl will be played on January 19, 2024, at Kūnuiākea Stadium in Honolulu and broadcast live on NFL Network at 9:00 p.m. ET.
Panini will activate its partnership across multiple channels. The brand will also serve as the exclusive announcement partner for the Polynesian Bowl and players will be provided with special digital cards to share on social media to announce their participation in the 2024 game.
Additional Panini touchpoints will include producing cards commemorating Polynesian Football Hall of Fame inductees, integrated social and broadcast elements, and an on-site presence featuring fan activations.
“We are very proud and excited to be partnering with the Polynesian Bowl,” said Jason Howarth, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Athlete Relations for Panini America. “In addition to celebrating the Polynesian culture, the Polynesian Bowl consistently features some of the very best players in the country, and we can’t wait to be a part of this great game and fesitivities.”
First played in 2017, the Polynesian Bowl has multiple NFL alumni, including Tua Tagovailoa, Talanoa Hufanga and Penei Sewell as well as rookie sensations Bijan Robinson and Puka Nacua (2019 MVP). Other past participants include Travis Hunter (2022 MVP) and Zachariah Branch (2023). In August, the Polynesian Bowl announced that former NFL head coaches Marvin Lewis and Mike Zimmer had been selected as head coaches for the 2024 game.
“We are honored to enter into this meaningful partnership with Panini,” said Jesse Sapolu, 4x Super Bowl Champion & Chairman of the Polyensian Football Hall of Fame. “The Polynesian Bowl is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that celebrates culture and football. As the world leader in officially licensed collectibles, Panini will only enhance this.”
ABOUT PANINI AMERICA
Panini America is a subsidiary of The
Panini Group, established over 60 years ago in Modena, Italy with subsidiaries
throughout Europe, Latin America and the United States. Panini is the
world leader in officially licensed collectibles and is the most significant
publisher of collectibles in the U.S., with official licenses for NFL, NFLPA, NBA, NBPA, NASCAR, FIFA,
UFC, WWE, College, Disney and other key properties from many other licensors.
Panini is also the exclusive trading card and sticker partner of the Pro
Football Hall of Fame, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Elite 11 and
Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.
Panini has distribution channels in more than
150 countries and employs a staff of over 1,200. For more information visit us
at www.paniniamerica.net, www.paninigroup.com or http://blog.paniniamerica.net/. You can also follow Panini America on social
media platforms Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
ABOUT POLYNESIAN BOWL
The Polynesian Bowl, present by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame is a premier all-star game played annually in Honolulu, Hawai’i, and features 100 of the nation’s top ranked high school seniors of Polynesian and non-Polynesian ancestry alike – many who have gone on to star play in the NFL and college. The game has become the most sought-after all-star football invitation – a rapid rise from the inaugural game in 2017. For more information, visit www.PolynesianBowl.com.
ABOUT POLYNESIAN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
Established in 2013, the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame honors Polynesia’s greatest football players, coaches, and contributors. Its permanent home is located at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawai’i. Over $300,000 in college scholarships have been awarded to Polynesian youth to date. For more information, visit PolynesianFootballHOF.org.
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