Ah yes, one of those sets that has been relegated to the back of the line over the last few years. Prestige has been around for literally ages, but like many of Panini’s brands, is only brought back year after year because they did it the year prior. It literally has existed just to exist, and last year was a perfect example of what that notion is all about.

2015 Panini Prestige Jameis Winston Same Day Autograph – This was literally the only on card set in the entire product, and it was a joke with these goofy ass pictures.

2015 Panini Prestige Amari Cooper NFL Uniform Variation – They had the opportunity to get NFL uniform cards in the product but all autographs were college for some reason.

2015 Panini Prestige Todd Gurley Auto /25 – Even the shortest print versions of the autos dont sell for much.

2015 Panini Prestige Marcus Mariota Relic – Cant have a Panini product without the goofy ass posed player photos!

Here is what I dont get. In 2012 through 2014, Panini used the rookie premiere as an opportunity to get hard signed content for Prestige, but last year it was gone. In fact, the on card content was taken out of Elite and 10 other sets before something hard signed really came along en masse around the time Immaculate hit. In the years where on card content was part of prestige, I bought a few boxes just hoping I wouldnt hit the rest of the ugly content that was all over this set. Now? I see absolutely no point.

Although I do like the design this year, the new format of the boxes, combined with more sticker autographs of the players in college jerseys just take my interest out of the whole situation. Prestige used to be a box that had a lot of packs, a lot of base, and a lot of inserts. It was practically Panini’s base set. Now, it has switched to a hit per pack set that offers 5 autographs per box, including 1 non-rookie.

If past years of the set are any indicator, the autograph checklist will be pretty weak, so that really makes me question the point of switching the format. The overall design of the base is actually nice with full bleed game photos. Hell, all but the Draft autograph set looks pretty good. Just about every one of these format changes make me scratch my head. Although the jumbo packs of 40 cards should still have a lot of base, Panini is basically forcing all those low end set collectors who may have bought packs in the past to pony up the dough for 25% of the box price every time.

Either way, this isnt a product I am running to my LCS to open, especially with a weak draft class that is already struggling to sell well in the on card Leaf products. I have a feeling we are in for a long and lonely road with Panini this year.