If you weren’t able to chase them around during the season or visit Ben Zobrist’s house, your best bet for 2016 Cubs autographs at this point is online.
The demand for autographed baseballs, jerseys and other items along with game-used memorabilia, display pieces, baseball cards, World Series programs and just about anything else has been unprecedented. No one alive today has ever had the chance to buy Cubs World Series championship memorabilia—until now. With the holidays approaching, that business shouldn’t tail off as families search for unique gifts for Cubs fans.
“The Cubs’ win will be three to four times larger than any champions collectibles market in Fanatics history,” Taylor Lang of Fanatics.com told Sports Collectors Daily.
Fanatics, a fast growing giant in sports 
memorabilia and apparel, landed autograph deals with several young Cubs players as they arrived in the major leagues. Those arrangements are now paying off in the form of massive online sales from Cubs fans across the country—and collectors who appreciate the historic nature of the team’s first World Series victory since 1908. Rounding up thousands of autographs from key players before they scatter for the off-season has kept the company’s staff busy.
“Along with our Cubs Exclusive Athletes, Bryant, Rizzo, Baez and Hendricks, our whole athlete relationships team is in Chicago to facilitate signings with 18+ Cubs players,” Taylor Lang of Fanatics told Sports Collectors Daily.
Chasing down that many players and getting them to sit down for signing sessions isn’t easy–or cheap– but collectors and success-starved Cubs fans apparently appreciate the effort. Cubs team signed World Series baseballs, bearing at least 18 autographs, are the company’s biggest selling item—at $2999.99.
Lang said the autographed team ball and single-signed Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo baseballs are the best sellers thus far.
“Most of our products are currently pre-selling and because of our great relationships with the Cubs, our team is starting athlete signings and look forward to meeting the demand.”
David Ross enjoying his #YearLongRetirementParty by signing new @Cubs #WorldSeries collectibles. Available @Fanatics! #GrandpaRossy pic.twitter.com/TLVpaCqvcP
— Fanatics Authentic (@FansAuthentic) November 7, 2016
More autographs will be added when the company holds its next card and autograph show at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont November 18-20 with Kyle Schwarber, Dexter Fowler, Justin Grimm, Mike Montgomery and Matt Szczur among those slated to attend.
The company already had a big supply of Cubs memorabilia on its websites but has created dozens of others for the team’s post-season run. A built-in manufacturing on demand facility enables Fanatics to handle the huge volume of unsigned products.
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