Fanatics’ first self-produced sports collecting event now has a date and location. The company’s Fanatics Events division has announced plans for a three-day gathering at New York City’s Javits Center from August 16-18.
The company is describing Fanatics Fest NYC as “the nexus of sports fandom, culture and collecting.”
It certainly isn’t the kind of card show we’re used to.
Fanatics says the event will include “interactive features, multiple stages and theaters, product drops, exclusive merchandise, major announcements, live podcasts and more to celebrate and elevate modern sports fandom in all its forms.”
Fanatics Fest appears to be a much larger version of the IMG produced Mint Collective that was held in Las Vegas in 2022 and ’23.
There will be a 2,500-seat main stage and a show floor encompassing more than 400,000 square-feet. Fanatics indicated it would have the support of the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, UFC and WWE. Fanatics owned companies Topps and PWCC will join PSA and other corporate entities at the show.
Admission prices will range from $20 to $400. General Adult admission will cost $50 per day.
Among those slated to attend: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Derek Jeter, Kevin Durant, Sabrina Ionescu and Hulk Hogan, with more athletes expected to be added. It wasn’t immediately clear who’d be signing, but autographs were part of the recent WWE World Festival, which was also produced by Fanatics.
Attractions for collectors include an all-day “trading pit” for card collectors, “Collecting 101” content for novice collectors and what the company calls “a museum display of some of the world’s rarest cards and sports memorabilia.” Topps will offer trading card products that are exclusive to the show.
Last summer, Fanatics announced plans to operate a series of collecting oriented events to be held at various locations across the country and the New York event will be the genesis of the company’s plan.
“Sports fans deserve a place to gather, celebrate their passions and foster new ones, and Fanatics Fest NYC aims to do just that,” stated Lance Fensterman, CEO of Fanatics Events. “Unlike any other events in the world of sports fandom, Fanatics Fest NYC will reside at the intersection of sports, culture, entertainment and collecting, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome fans into part of what will become a yearlong calendar of premium live experiences.”
Fensterman, who joined Fanatics Events at its inception in July 2023, comes from a background of collecting events including New York Comic Con, Complex Con, and Star Wars Celebration.
Fanatics Events – which counts the Endeavor-owned global sports, events and representation company IMG as a minority partner – just wrapped up its first large-scale activation, WWE World at WrestleMania, a five-day event in Philadelphia. Fanatics says it became the highest-grossing and most-attended fan event in WWE history.
Fanatics Events will release details on additional in-market fan and collector events later this year.
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