It's impossible to be a sports fan without seeing one Fanatics product. After all, the company is a licensed sportswear retailer for just about every league you can imagine: MLB, MLS, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, NASCAR, Formula 1, WWE and more.
Now, in an effort to give fans a comprehensive experience in the industry it dominates, Fanatics announced Thursday that it will host “Festival of Fanatics“, a three-day ticketed event filled with activations, athletes and more at the Javits Center in Manhattan from August 16 to 18.
Fans can meet and mingle with their favorite current and former athletes, including Tom Brady, Derek Jeter and Peyton Manning. According to one company release.
Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin. Photo provided by Fanatics
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Fanatics began as a sporting goods retailer in 1995 and has since become a global sports giant featuring merchandise, trading cards, online sports betting, live trading, live events and more, thanks to serial entrepreneur and CEO Michael Ruby.
In 2011, Rubin bought Fanatics and merged it with its e-commerce platform, GSI Commerce, before selling the two together to eBay for $2.4 billion.
EBay, however, only wanted the trading operations and agreed to sell Fanatics back to Rubin for $330 million.
Now, the company counts an appreciated one $31 billion as of December 2023.
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“Sports fans deserve a place to gather, celebrate their passions and spark new ones, and Fanatics Fest NYC aims to do just that,” said Fanatics Events CEO Lance Fensterman. “Unlike any other event in the world of sports fandom, Fanatics Fest NYC will stand at the intersection of sports, culture, entertainment and collectibles, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome fans to a part of what to become a one-year calendar. of premium live experiences.”
Fanatics Fest will also hold an on-site “trading pit” for sports card collecting, trading and coaching, and will feature some of the world's rarest, most coveted cards and memorabilia.
Tickets are on sale through the event the official websitewith prices ranging from $30 for one-day tickets for children, $50 for one-day tickets for adults, $65 for a three-day pass for children, $130 for a three-day pass for adults and $400 for a three-day VIP pass.