In January 2026, Fanatics announced the launch of Fanatics Studios, its entertainment and content-production division in partnership with OBB Media. It also introduced the Fanatics Advertising Network (FAN) and Fanatics real cash casino games Sports Video Network (SVN), which provide digital-video and connected-TV advertising alongside sports content. "At its core, what has happened here is that Nike was innovating something that didn’t need to be innovated."
The first wave of the deal closed in August 2023 in eight U.S. states and started the brand transition from PointsBet to Fanatics Sportsbook. In April 2022, Fanatics announced a $1.5 billion fundraising round, followed by another $700 million in December 2022, which was reported to value the company at $31 billion. As part of the acquisition, approximately 350 Topps employees joined Fanatics Collectibles. A month later, Fanatics Collectibles, the company’s trading cards and collectibles division, raised $350 million in a Series A round, giving the company a $10.4 billion valuation. Later that year, Candy Digital secured a $100 million financing round, valuing the company at $1.5 billion.
As part of the evolution of Fanatics Games, for the first time, fans will have an in-person qualifier option by visiting select DICK’S House of Sport locations across the country, including, Knoxville, TN, on May 9; Kennesaw, GA, on May 30; Houston, TX, on June 13; and Boston, MA, on June 28, where they have the chance to compete in a sport-specific challenge tied directly to the 2026 format. The weekend’s marquee attraction was the Fanatics Games, a multi-sport “Pros vs. Joes” competition that featured 50 fans competing alongside 50 celebrities across eight challenges for a $1 million grand prize. The Fanatics Games is a competition that has professional athletes and celebrities facing off against regular fans in a series of skill-based challenges for prizes and cash.
Fanatics Sports & Casino brings the full Fanatics gaming and prediction markets experience together in one place. As the weekend came to a close, Rubin thanked the fans for helping make the event another success. For his runner-up finish, Beal drove away in a 2025 Ferrari 12Cilindri, while Brady finished behind him and earned a 2022 Topps Dynasty UEFA Champions League Lionel Messi Patch Autograph card, serial-numbered 10/10. When asked what it was like defeating Tom Brady in one of the events, Beal delivered one of the weekend’s most memorable lines. Beating Tom Brady and all the other athletes,” said Bieber in a video message to the fans in attendance at the closing ceremony.
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The 2026 NFL season has officially kicked off, and for Fanatics, it’s yet another football campaign to impact and enhance the fan experience. His best moment came during his WWE entrance, rocking a Tom Brady jersey to start, then following it up with two thumbs down — ripping his competitor’s jersey off for a shirt that said “Fans are athletes too.” after an impressive performance throughout the competition. New Yorker Liam Beal finished in second place, taking the competition by storm in dominating fashion. It wasn’t the greatest football player of all time or the greatest wrestler; instead, it was a Grammy-winning music star. In one of the weekend’s biggest surprises, Justin Bieber captured the $1 million grand prize. The best six scores will make up the final total with the lowest two dropped from consideration.
fanatics games returns.
Fanatics, Inc. is an American sports platform that consists of several businesses, including licensed sports merchandise, trading cards and collectibles, sports betting, special events, and live commerce. Major sports leagues, hands-on activations, autographs and picture sessions, panel discussions with athletes and card retailers make for an unforgettable weekend. Enhancements include simplified scoring and increased fan involvement designed to elevate both the live competition and broadcast experience.
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Fanatics Betting & Gaming is the sportsbook and online casino division of Fanatics, and is led by CEO Matt King, formerly of FanDuel. In April 2025, Fanatics Collectibles launched Fanatics Live in the UK following its success in the U.S. The live shopping app, led by CEO Nick Bell, who joined the division in February 2023, allows users to participate in real-time shopping events. In April 2026, it was announced that Fanatics would begin producing fully licensed NFL cards for the first time since 2016. Fanatics had previously worked with the NHL, making replica jerseys for fans after a deal signed in 2017.
- In July 2023, Fanatics launched Fanatics Live, a live-commerce platform offering trading-card breaks, merchandise releases, and creator-hosted content.
- A perfect performance delivers the maximum score of 15 points.
- A total of 50 athletes and celebrities are expected to face off against fans.
- Fanatics Betting & Gaming is the sportsbook and online casino division of Fanatics, and is led by CEO Matt King, formerly of FanDuel.
- Each successful standard kick earns 2 points, while the bonus Money Ball kick is worth 5 points.
In 1998, Rubin created an apparel and logistics company, Global Sports Incorporated, which would later turn into GSI Commerce, a multibillion-dollar e-commerce company. They initially started with a brick-and-mortar store in Orange Park Mall in 1995, focusing on local team merchandise, particularly Jacksonville Jaguars apparel. After a licensing deal signed with FIFA, Fanatics will become the exclusive licensor of collectible cards, stickers, and card games for the World Cup and other FIFA events.
What are the prizes?
Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 will be held this weekend at the Javits Center, and the biggest draw will likely be the all-new Fanatics Games competition. The event featured the inaugural Fanatics Games, a series of competitions in which professional athletes and celebrities competed against fans for prizes and charitable donations. Fanatics Collectibles was launched in 2021, following reports that the company obtained exclusive licensing agreements to produce trading cards for several sports properties, including MLB, MLBPA, NBA, NBPA, and NFLPA. In December 2020, Fanatics acquired WinCraft, a licensed hard goods and promotional products company, which increased the company’s presence with non-apparel merchandise.
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The 2025 event of shooting a puck into a dryer proved a challenge for many. For instance, the NFL passing competition from last year will be a field goal kick this year. Second prize is a 2025 Ferrari, and third place receives a Lionel Messi Patch autograph (worth $250,000). There were more than 10 times the number of applicants this year than last. “In 2026, we’re expanding that competition and giving more fans across the country a direct path to earn their spot.
Shoot & Score
The company also debuted its patch program for the first time, which takes patches from players’ jerseys that were worn in their first regular-season game and inserts them into one-of-one-numbered, autographed card. Also in 2023 the company also signed agreements with J-League football teams to be their exclusive kit uniform supplier. The Fanatics Commerce division, led by CEO Andrew Low Ah Kee, who joined Fanatics in September 2023, designs and manufactures licensed fan apparel, jerseys, headwear, and related merchandise. Later in July 2025, it was announced that the same judge dismissed the federal lawsuit brought by Casey’s against Fanatics and the NFL that insisted a league policy requiring approval to sell NFL-licensed products online violates the Sherman Act. Fanatics made international acquisitions for its Commerce division, including Italian sports merchandise company Epi in April 2023, and Latin American sports wholesaler Fex Pro in June 2023. In the following two years, Fanatics announced 10-year deals with Nike, the National Football League and Major League Baseball that granted Fanatics the rights to design, manufacture and distribute all Nike fan gear sold at retail for both leagues.
The next era of competition.
A panel of judges scores each performance, with the final score determined by the average of three judges. This challenge isn’t about athletic performance, it’s about creating a moment. The challenge concludes with a bonus Money Ball shot worth 5 points.