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Fanatics to host first big Fanatics Fest in NYC for hobbyists, sports fans
Three weeks after the 44th annual National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland July 24-28, some of the biggest names in sports will highlight Fanatics own big hobby show in New York City.
Fanatics Events, the company’s live and special event division, announced Tuesday its first big flagship event—Fanatics Fest NYC.
The three-day show, featuring more than 400,000 square feet of show-floor space, will be held Aug. 16-18 at New York City’s Javits Center and is designed to bring together sports fans and collectors in a pop culture event similar to Comic-Con. The show will feature interactive activities, multiple stages and theaters, exclusive merchandise, product drops, major announcements, and more to celebrate sports fans and collectors.
The event will be headlined by such big names as: seven-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady; two-time NBA Champion Kevin Durant; NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning; two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning; MLB Hall of Famer Derek Jeter; WNBA superstar Sabrina Ionescu; WWE Legend Hulk Hogan; and such hobby entrepreneurs and celebrities as Gary Vaynerchuk.
Along with a 2,500-seat main stage that will serve as a backdrop for numerous activities and content programs, Fanatics Fest NYC will feature more than 400,000 square feet of show floor space for vendors and corporate booths for such prominent sports leagues and brands as the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, UFC, WWE, Fanatics, Topps, Mitchell & Ness, Lids, PWCC Marketplace, Fanatics Sportsbook and Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), with many more to be added.
Collector activities will include an all-day “trading pit” for card collectors of all ages, as well as a museum display of some of the world’s rarest cards and sports memorabilia.
Other fan activities will include live-streamed card breaks through Fanatics Live; a retail superstore offering an assortment of products from hundreds of teams and leagues; exclusive apparel; athlete meet-and-greets; exclusive Topps trading card drops; and more.
“Sports fans deserve a place to gather, celebrate their passions and foster new ones, and Fanatics Fest NYC aims to do just that,” said 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 in July 2023, brings nearly two decades of experience of producing pop culture events like New York Comic Con, Complex Con, and Star Wars Celebration. Fanatics Events just wrapped up its first large-scale show, WWE World at WrestleMania, a five-day festival in Philadelphia that became the highest-grossing and most-attended fan event in WWE history.
Tickets are on sale now at fanaticsfest.com with prices ranging between $20 and $400. General Admission adult tickets will be $50 for each day.
Fanatics Events will release details on additional fan and collector events later this year.
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