- Sports merch giant Fanatics has announced the debut of Fanatics Fest NYC.
- Fanatics Fest will be a ‘celebration of sports culture and collecting’.
- The event will be held August16-18 at the Javits Center in New York City.
Today, Fanatics Events, the event-focused division of the renowned digital sports platform Fanatics, unveiled its inaugural flagship event, Fanatics Fest NYC. This highly anticipated gathering is set to transform the Javits Center in New York City into a hub of sports fandom from August 16-18. Fans of all sports are invited to immerse themselves in a celebration of sports culture and collecting, featuring interactive experiences, exclusive merchandise, and live entertainment.
Fanatics Fest NYC promises a lineup of prominent sports figures and cultural icons, including seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, NBA star Kevin Durant, NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning, Baseball Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, WNBA superstar Sabrina Ionescu, WWE legend Hulk Hogan, and serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk. The event will host a vast array of activities across a 400,000 square foot show floor, with booths from major leagues and brands like the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, UFC, WWE, and many others.
The centerpiece of the festival will be a 2,500-seat main stage, which will host a variety of custom content throughout the event, ranging from live podcasts to major announcements. Additional attractions include an all-day trading pit for card collectors, a museum display of rare cards and sports memorabilia, live-streamed collectible breaks, and a retail superstore offering products from hundreds of teams and leagues. There will also be exclusive collaborations, athlete meet-and-greets, and special trading card drops.
Lance Fensterman, CEO of Fanatics Events, emphasized the unique nature of Fanatics Fest NYC, noting its role at the intersection of sports, culture, entertainment, and collecting. “Sports fans deserve a place to gather, celebrate their passions, and foster new ones,” said Fensterman. “Fanatics Fest NYC aims to provide just that, setting the stage for what will become a yearlong calendar of premium live experiences.”
Tickets for the event are now available at www.fanaticsfest.com, with prices ranging from $20 to $400. General admission tickets are priced at $50 per day.
Fensterman, who has nearly two decades of experience in organizing premier pop culture events like New York Comic Con and Complex Con, joined Fanatics Events at its inception in July 2023. The successful launch of this division was recently highlighted by the operation of WWE World at WrestleMania in Philadelphia, which set records as the highest-grossing and most-attended fan event in WWE history.
Further details about upcoming fan and collector events will be released by Fanatics Events later this year.
