With last week's shake-up in the basketball market still generating quite a buzz, the folks at Panini are reportedly at it again. Rumors have been circulating within the hobby for months that Donruss would be sold and the latest industry talk has Panini setting its sights on a possible partnership or perhaps even purchasing Donruss. While the folks at Donruss are declining to comment on the possibility of a future sale, they did issue the following statement on Feb. 4.

"Donruss has worked extremely hard to build a well respected and prestigious pre-press department and we periodically inquire with other companies (including trading card companies) about doing their pre-press work."

If the sale or partnership ultimately comes to fruition, it seems like it would be a win-win situation for both parties. It would give Panini instant credibility in the sports card market, aid in U.S. distribution of its new line of basketball products and would allow the financially challenged Donruss company to break into the basketball card market and continue to exist in the sports card market, albeit under the Panini umbrella.

Last week's announcement that Panini would be the sole licensee in the basketball card market was not received well by the collecting community with many collectors vowing to leave the market altogether so anything the Panini group can do to put a hault to the possible mass exiodus will be wise.

To let us know what you think of the possible partnership between the two companies, click here.

Look for more on this story as details become available at www.tuffstuff.com and Tuff Stuff's Sports Collectors Monthly.