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NFL, MLB and other sports leagues and players invest $1.5 billion in Fanatics
The NFL, MLB and other sports leagues and players associations have each invested in Fanatics, with the latest round of funding totaling $1.5 billion.
The NFL is making the largest commitment, investing $320 million, according to reports Wednesday by Sportico and CNBC.
Among the other investors are the NFL Players Association, the MLB Players Association and the National Hockey League. Other investors include
Brooklyn Nets co-owner Joseph Tsai and the Qatar Investment Authority, owner of the Paris Saint-Germain soccer team.
Fanatics, which was founded in 2011 by Michael Rubin, owns exclusive licensing deals to produce officially licensed apparel and team merchandise for the NFL, MLB, NBA, MLB and NCAA. The company, valued at $27 billion, announced last year that it had acquired the rights to produce trading cards for MLB, NFL and the NBA.
While the NFL and NBA deals don’t begin until 2026, Fanaatics accelerated its MLB license last year by purchasing Topps for $500 million.
The new Fanatics Trading Card Co. is valued at $10 billion following a $350 million round of funding last September.
The nation’s top three professional sports leagues and its respective players associations and team owners now own approximately 10 percent of Fanatics, CNBC reported.
“This investment not only reflects our experience having worked with Michael and the team at Fanatics for a number of years but our belief that the future is very bright for this company,” an NFL spokesperson told CNBC regarding the latest investment round.
