The Chicago Sun-Times sponsorship may be in the past, but there’s still a large fall sports card and memorabilia show in the Chicago area. On the weekend of November 21, Fanatics Authentic is taking over the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center to give collectors and fans the chance to get autographs from over 60 athletes with its Sports Spectacular. Fanatics made its Chicago debut last spring.
The lineup features headliners Jose Abreu, Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, and Scottie 
Pippen. World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner will sign on Saturday with Frank Thomas, Johnny Bench, Bob Gibson, Carlton Fisk, Lou Brock, Al Kaline, Ozzie Smith, Ryne Sandberg, Reggie Jackson, Dominique Wilkins, and Mike Modano among the others slated to attend during the three-day event. Dodgers’ star Yasiel Puig was scheduled to sign but canceled last week because of a prior commitment.
The Chicago show is also offering discount autographs on Friday with its roll-back pricing that features what they call “Today’s Players at Yesterday’s Prices.” Instead of charging sports fans and collectors an athlete’s current signature price, Fanatics Authentic is selling autograph tickets for 15 athletes, including Chris Chelios and Johnny Bench, for discounted prices.
In addition to autograph signings and photo opportunities, the show set up a Box Break Pavilion, in which different companies will host live box breaks that collectors of current issues can buy into, much like the Case Break Pavilion at this year’s National Sports Collectors Convention.
Fanatics is offering a VIP package at $99 which includes early admission to access the show 30 minutes early each day, an express line bracelet to cut all autograph lines, two Darryl Talley autograph tickets for Saturday, one random autograph ticket for an athlete in the ‘Super Star’ lineup, and raffle tickets to win prizes. Autograph tickets for every athlete scheduled to attend are also available for purchase at assorted prices, as are vouchers for inscriptions and photo-ops All sports collectibles signed at the Fanatics Authentic Chicago show are fully certified authentic and can be backed by the Fanatics Authentic tamper evident hologram sticker for a $10 fee per autograph.
Admission tickets, autograph vouchers, and VIP packages ($99) are available at http://www.FanaticsAuthenticShows.com and can also be purchased at the show. General admission is $10 for adults with kids 10 and under free.
Show hours are:
Friday
General
VIP
Saturday
General
VIP
Sunday
General
VIP
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