Fanatics launches the most-comprehensive fan loyalty program to date

Fanatics just keeps getting deeper into fan antics: The three-time CNBC Disruptor 50 company with partnerships with nearly every major sports league this week unveiled what it says is the most comprehensive loyalty program available in sports, an industry where perks and benefits have traditionally been siloed by league and/or team.

Fanatics One, as the new program is called, will reward users for activity across the company’s array of products, with tiered benefits that include:

• Discounted hotel stays
• Limited-edition, personalized athlete and celebrity memorabilia
• Custom experiences with Fanatics athletes like LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani, Tom Brady, and Victor Wembanyama
• Invites to the company’s events, such as its flagship Fanatics Fest or exclusive Super Bowl party
• “Epic sports experiences” like an all-expenses-paid trip to an upcoming NFL Game in London

Don’t miss the connection

Fanatics is leveraging its partnerships and own events to provide the perks. The Michael Rubin-led company hopes this approach will better link its three business units together to diversify revenue and boost customer spending, given its revenue skew is more lopsided than a seesaw with a sumo wrestler on one end.

• Out of Fanatics’ $8.1B in sales in 2024, $6.2B came from its merch division (~77%), followed by trading cards and collectibles at $1.6B (~20%) and betting at $300M (~3%). 
• Fanatics One is aimed at pumping the rookie numbers up by converting more of the 100M+ people that have purchased from the company into multi-vertical spenders.

That’s not all: The program is also expected to serve as a launching pad for future business verticals, such as media and ticketing, according to analysts.