The Italian Volleyball League (Lega Pallavolo Serie A) included Bulgarian international Aleksandar Nikolov in a curious marketing initiative inspired by popular collectible card games. The star of Cucine Lube Civitanova appeared on a specially designed card with fictional in-game abilities resembling those in Pokémon TCG.
The campaign invites fans to choose which volleyball player they would like to have in their collection or in their deck if an official SuperLega collectible game existed.
Nikolov's card features the fictitious abilities "Grinta" (Grit/Fighting Spirit) and "Colpo Supremo" (Supreme Strike), which use a coin-flip mechanic - a nod to the classic rules of Pokémon TCG.
In addition to Aleksandar Nikolov, the Lega Pallavolo Serie A special card series also featured other stars of the Italian championship: Alessandro Michieletto (Trentino Volley), Luca Porro (Modena Volley), Alessandro Bovolenta (Gas Sales Piacenza), Noumory Keita (Rana Verona), and the captain of world champion Italy, Simone Giannelli (Sir Susa Vim Perugia).

The initiative is part of the Italian league's efforts to present the championship's stars in an attractive way and has already sparked interest among fans on social media.