As Fanatics advances into media, entertainment and experiences, the sports-focused company led by Michael Rubin has begun signing major sponsorship deals.
The company, which officially entered the space last year (former Netflix and Snap advertising head Jeremy Gorman heads the division), said Wednesday that it has signed a large-scale sponsorship deal with AT&T.
This will include integrating branding and messaging into programming from Fanatics’ emerging media and entertainment business (the company recently produced the inaugural Flag Football Classic last month), and seeing the communications giant serve as an official partner of Fanatics Fest in New York. The two companies will also collaborate to host viewing parties for major sporting events, and to provide enhanced loyalty points to AT&T customers through Fanatics’ FanCash offering.
Fanatics seek sports advertising dollars as the genre remains resilient even as other types of advertising remain under pressure. Although Fanatics is not a broadcaster, it has exposure to the larger sports market, which could be attractive to marketers.
Fanatics was founded as an apparel company, but now includes fashion apparel and accessories, on-field uniforms and equipment, the Topps trading card empire, sports betting and predictions markets, and those emerging entertainment and experiential businesses.
“Today, the primary screen for many fans is the one in their hands. That’s why bringing AT&T and Fanatics together is a natural fit,” said Erin Scarborough, AT&T’s senior vice president of revenue and marketing. “Sports has always been about communication, and Fanatics is a strong partner because they understand the modern sports fan. By combining their insights with our communication expertise, we can bring people closer to what they love and deliver meaningful value to both brands.”
“At Fanatics, everything we do starts with the fans,” added Tucker Kane, chief strategy officer at Fanatics. “AT&T shares our belief in the power of connection, bringing fans closer to the teams, athletes and sports moments they love, and to each other. This partnership provides an important way to help us deliver exclusive access, meaningful rewards and memorable moments to more fans.”
