WWE gets digital Donruss Elite cards on Panini blockchain

Here’s hoping John Cena’s digital Donruss Elite does better than his NFTs did.

Panini, an Italian trading card, comics, and collectibles company, recently announced the launch of a series of 100 World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Superstars in a digital Donruss Elite card set on the Panini Blockchain.

The set will include some of the most noteworthy WWE Superstars including John Cena, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Roman Reigns, Finn Bálor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, and Lyra Valkyria, Undertaker, Chyna, Chelsea Green, and Kiana James,

Get ready for the WWE debut on #PaniniBlockchain!

Wednesday, Feb 14 at 10am CT, Panini #DonrussElite WWE packs will be available on Panini Blockchain and feature the debuts of more than 100 legendary and current Superstars!

More info: https://t.co/x0AyqICbeX#WhoDoYouCollect pic.twitter.com/EhnHSMTyAB

— Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) February 14, 2024

According to a press release from Panini and WWE, those who purchase the digital packs will be able to virtually rip them open to the limited-edition digital assets with further opportunities to participate in collector events and contests:

“In addition, collectors can participate in exciting collection challenges, to win cards not available in packs and digital crafting events, where collectors can turn common cards into numbered exclusive cards.”

WWE NFTs

This isn’t WWE’s first foray into digital collectibles. The company has dabbled in NFTs for the past few years. As Cointelegraph reported back in 2021, WWE and John Cena released a series of NFTs featuring the famous wrestler/actor.

THIS FRIDAY

Just in time for #SummerSlam, @WWE drops a unique 1-of-1 @JohnCena Platinum NFT!

Join the 24-hour auction this Friday at 8pm ET. Go to https://t.co/gtMs8R5oCy for more details. pic.twitter.com/xT6J0l90RG

— WWE (@WWE) August 17, 2021

Unfortunately for Cena and WWE, those NFTs essentially bombed, selling only a few dozen of the mid-tier offering.

Related: John Cena calls his own NFT sales a ‘catastrophic failure’

Digital collectibles

The wrestling world has embraced NFTs and digital collectibles over the past year. While WWE remains the most popular “sports entertainment” company in the world, its closest competitors in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Impact! Wrestling both launched their own NFTs in 2023.

The WWE also has its own NFT marketplace running on Eluv.io’s Content Fabric blockchain called “Moonsault.” However, sales in 2023 were reportedly slow.

Panini and the WWE will be looking for the the newly launched Donruss Elite blockchain cards to perform better.

Panini senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations Jason Howarth, in a statement, cited the WWE’s “rabid audience and deep history” as being in line with the blockchain collectible community’s expectations. Whether this translates into championship gold for the two companies remains to be seen.