NEW YORK—The first-ever Fanatics Fest took over New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Center Aug. 16-18, bringing together more than 70,000 sports fans and collectors. The turnout was a staggering 20,000 more attendees than the “Comic-Con of sports” initially anticipated.
The event was the brainchild of Michael Rubin, the founder and CEO of Fanatics—a digital sports merchandise and collectibles company valued at $31 billion—who ensured that there was something for every sports fan. He tapped event agency Freeman to execute his vision, which included opportunities to get autographs and take photos with the likes of Tom Brady, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Hulk Hogan. There were also live podcast and radio show recordings, as well as onstage education sessions featuring both sporting legends and nonsports celebs such as Lil Wayne, actor Ben Stiller, and TikTok star Alix Earle.
“Freeman’s goal was to turn the vision of Fanatics Fest NYC into reality through unforgettable fan experiences,” Martin Moggre, Freeman’s chief client officer, told BizBash. “We designed and built an event where sports fans could connect with athletes, participate in activations that made them feel like they’re part of the games, and discover an exciting world of collectibles—all in one place. The result was a truly immersive celebration that brought fans closer to the sports they love.”
Here were the five most notable elements of the Fanatics Fest that amplified what the inaugural immersive sports festival was all about: the fans…
1. Experiential moments at every corner
Impressively, Fanatics Fest spanned more than 400,000 square feet within the 3 million-square-foot Javits Center, with the lion’s share dedicated to experiential moments for attendees to enjoy. For reference, 15 of the activations alone were by Freeman and its subsidiaries, including Sparks and BaAM Productions. It marked the first time since acquiring Sparks last August that the two firms worked as one collaborative venture.
Fifteen of the activations were by Freeman and its subsidiaries, including Sparks and BaAM Productions. And with each major sporting organization in attendance, guests were able to step onto the court, train on the ice, try their hand on the field, or enter the ring thanks to these experiential moments.Photo: Courtesy of Fanatics Fest
With each major sporting organization in attendance, guests were able to step onto the court, train on the ice, try their hand on the field, or enter the ring. The NFL, for example, boasted a digital 40-yard dash for fans to show off their athleticism. Those not wanting to break a sweat could peruse an elevated exhibit displaying all 58 Super Bowl rings, get a close-up look at the Vince Lombardi Trophy, or take a photo with oversize football helmets of New York’s two home teams, the Jets and the Giants.
Naturally, the NBA constructed basketball courts on the exhibition floor that challenged guests’ dunking and three-point shooting skills. Even star football quarterback Tom Brady tried his hand on the court, joking that he hadn’t dunked a basketball since he was in high school.
The WNBA also activated with the WNBA Academy, which honored the organization’s record-breaking 2023 season (it was the most-watched WNBA regular season in 21 years). Inside the classroom-themed activation, fans could peruse nostalgic paraphernalia from memorable player moments or win prizes by acing a pop quiz about the WNBA. A “graduation photo studio” encouraged fans to snap a photo and post it to social media with the hashtag #WelcometotheW.
For an additional fee, attendees could get an autograph or photo op with their favorite athletes. Pro wrestler Hulk Hogan (pictured) was on hand.Photo: Courtesy of Fanatics Fest
Endeavor-owned marketing agency 160over90 activated on behalf of the UFC, whose space was anchored by a replica Octagon. Here, iconic UFC Lightweight contender Michael Chandler and Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira made appearances, and an oversize championship belt drew the attention of many fans and phone cameras. Surrounding the ring was a Sticking Challenge punching machine to test attendees’ knockout power. In all, the UFC activation attracted upward of 70,000 fans over the course of Fanatics Fest’s three-day extravaganza, according to 160over90.
The NHL’s immersive target practice and accuracy challenges had fans lining up to try to hit a hockey puck in the opening of a washer/dryer—the method Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby infamously used in his childhood home to hone his own skills. Legendary NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski was among the few to make a shot.
Marketing agency 160over90 activated on behalf of the UFC, whose space was anchored by a replica Octagon, where UFC Lightweight contender Michael Chandler and Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira made appearances.Photo: Courtesy of 160over90
2. A high-profile guest lineup
Fanatics Fest was teeming with A-listers who both participated in on-site activations and spoke on panels. The first panel of the three-day weekend, dubbed “Character Counts,” for example, featured Derek Jeter and David Ortiz, while another with Tom Brady and Stephen A. Smith drew more fans than the theater could hold.
Another panel on day two, called “Athletes to Icons: Women Transforming Sports and Media,” welcomed college gymnast Livvy Dunne; actress La La Anthony, Carmelo Anthony’s ex-wife; professional golfer Paige Spiranac; Shelley Zalis, a gender equity advocate and founder of The Female Quotient; and Allison Kuch, the wife of football defensive end Isaac Rochell.
Tom Brady and Stephen A. Smith drew more fans to their onstage session than the theater could hold.Photo: Courtesy of Fanatics Fest
Many other stars were spotted entering the replica of JAY-Z’s 40/40 Club that popped up at Fanatics Fest. The actual nightclub closed its Manhattan digs in 2023, but there are reports that the 40/40 Club will reopen in a different location come 2025. Until then, the chandeliers, bilevel design, and sports bar-meets-club atmosphere from the original spot were temporarily at the Javits Center. Among the celebs in attendance were JAY-Z himself, Rubin (of course), Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, DJ Khaled, Tiffany Haddish, and Quavo, just to name a few.
Not just anyone could get into the 40/40 Club pop-up, though, as entry wasn’t included in the pass price, which ranged from $50 for general admission adults to $400. Only athletes, celebs, and select VIP customers in attendance at the festival got in, though many attendees waited near the blue carpet in hopes of seeing stars.
Broadcaster Taylor Rooks and social media star Alix Earle co-hosted a session called “Athletes to Icons: Women Transforming Sports and Media.”Photo: Courtesy of Fanatics Fest
3. In-app interaction
Fanatics Fest had an app compatible with iOS and Android devices that housed important information about daily schedules, programming updates, and exhibitors on the show floor.
Fanatics tapped Komo Technologies to further outfit the app with games, polls, and other user-generated content that provided even more fan engagement during the event. Joel Steel, co-founder and CEO of Komo, told BizBash on site that the app was all about “attention retention.” One example: games with competitions, and activations with leaderboards, badges, and personalized rewards to win and keep customer attention, Steel said.
A hologram in Major League Soccer's section of the exhibition floor allowed fans to share the stage with the sport's top athletes.Photo: Courtesy of Fanatics Fest
During onstage sessions, Komo’s technology allowed for trivia games and Q&A sessions to take place in real time, Steel said of one of his favorite uses of Komo at the fest. The Fanatics team was then able to screen submissions on the back end before projecting them on the theater’s screen to 1,500 fans in attendance. Such interactive moments during the sessions made for some notable candid moments, Steel said, noting that Komo can use similar technology at B2B conferences and trade shows that incorporate onstage programming.
4. A hall for trading-card hobbyists
The exhibition floor featured the “Topps Hobby Hall,” which played host to 350-plus booths with collectible card and memorabilia dealers from across the U.S. The most valuable card on offer: one of the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic from the 2018-19 season, on offer for a whopping $499,999.94. The next most valuable card was $300,000 featuring Michael Jordan in 1998.
Freeman also erected a stage in the Hobby Hall complete with sports stadium-style screens where even more celebs, such as UFC President and CEO Dana White, were “card breaking.” The activity has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years as people will spend thousands of dollars on a mystery box of cards, then film themselves opening multiple boxes at once to reveal the cards inside—of course, in hopes that one is extremely rare and valuable.
More than 70,000 sports fans and collectors attended the three-day Fanatics Fest.Photo: Courtesy of Freeman
5. Exclusive merchandise
There was no shortage of exclusive merch on offer at Fanatics Fest. And in the spirit of the card-breaking culture, Fanatics-owned collectible company Topps launched the Lids X Topps Player Chase Series 1 Mystery Box at the event before releasing it to the wider public days later. The mystery box retails for $250 and contains three exclusive hats. Only some of the boxes include tickets to the 2025 MLB World Series, signed merchandise, or opportunities to privately meet and greet with an MLB player.
An on-site shop called the Fanatics Superstore was also selling a wide selection of gear—as well as exclusive apparel collaborations—from numerous leagues, including the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, WNBA, WWE, and UFC.
Aside from selling exclusive merch, even more exclusive paraphernalia was on display at the Sports Illustrated museum. The space featured 50 years of sports history through more than $100 million worth of memorabilia.
Passes to the three-day Fanatics Fest ranged from $50 for general admission adults to $400.Photo: Courtesy of Freeman
