Michael Rubin may rub shoulders with celebrities and pro athletes, but his true obsession is with Fanatics, the global sports platform he’s spent more than a decade building, writes Yahoo Sports! He spoke with Boardroom’s Rich Kleiman about the historic rise of the enterprise.
The Bryn Mawr native has transformed what began as an e-commerce spin-off into a multibillion-dollar powerhouse. Fanatics sports merchandising, collectibles, betting, ticketing, and live events.
Fanatics’ momentum accelerated in 2018 after locking down a massive merchandising deal with the NFL. While many companies treaded water during the pandemic, Michael Rubin’s firm raised billions and absorbed setbacks with speed and transparency, including a quick exit from the NFT space.
Today Fanatics boasts over 100 million customers and exclusive deals with every major sports league. Fanatics Fest, billed as the ultimate fan experience, drew 70,000 attendees in its debut year. This year’s event is expected to be even bigger. Rubin calls the event a marketing play, not a revenue engine.
Despite the accolades, Rubin insists his work is just beginning. He describes Fanatics as a ‘22,000-person startup’, and remains focused on constant improvement.
The competitive spirit that piloted his early Montco ambitions continues to drive his pursuits in building one of the most influential brands in sports.
Read more about Michael Rubin’s billion-dollar mindset in Yahoo! Sports.
