WWE has ended its relationship with Panini.
Per sports business reporter Darren Rovell, WWE terminated its deal with Panini two weeks ago due to breach of contract.
While specifics were not revealed in Rovell’s post on Twitter/X, it was noted that Panini is still selling WWE products, and now the latter is seeking an injunction for the violation.
The two sides signed a multi-year deal for trading cards in 2021, which took effect in early 2022. Fanatics, WWE’s current merchandise partner, is expected to get the trading card rights immediately as opposed to 2026 when the Panini deal was supposed to expire.
Update: Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics reports that both sides filed court motions over the matter. Panini is suing for breaching of contract, as they claimed that they had performed and fulfilled their obligations before the deal was terminated with no warning.
WrestleZone will provide more information as it becomes available.
