As the summer sun blazes across the United States, sports merchandise titan Fanatics is bringing something more exciting than SPF 50 to the nation’s sports fans and collectors. The company announced a robust revamping of its event lineup, sprinkling a new range of event formats across the continent, on par with its fan fest scheduled in New York City. Similarly, the legendary name in collector circles, Topps, is planning to stimulate collecting passion with revamped promotions.
It seems like Fanatics is preparing itself to throw the mother of all sports fandom parties at New York’s Javits Center. The premier ‘FanaticsFest’, set for August 16-18, promises a tantalizing fusion of fandom, culture, and collecting. Imagine a colossal melting pot where sports passion simmers, meshes with culture, and finally solidifies into collectibles.
The Fanatics’ event calendar doesn’t run out of steam post the New York rendezvous. Orlando, Florida will witness a collector-focused extravaganza from November 1-3, where the magic of Disney will mesh with the magic of collecting. If that’s not enough, the company offers an up, close, and personal date with local athletes at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, scheduled for September 28-29. This one’s projected to feature signing sessions, giving collectors a tangible connection to their sports heroes.
This mosaic of events forms part of Fanatics’ broader game plan. The company is keen on an eclectic mix of large-scale gatherings, regional show-stoppers, stadium specials, and collaborations with sports leagues during high-octane events like drafts. More details will surface in time, keeping the fans and collectors on their toes.
While Fanatics is busy revamping its event lineup, Topps isn’t sitting on its hands either. The collector’s paradise has several activities lined up to make the hearts of collectors race. The Trading Card Day, scheduled for August 3, will give the collectors yet another reason to stop by at hobby shops – free exclusive packs.
Not limiting to physical gatherings, Topps is marrying tradition with technology, conducting an online event called the Hobby Break Night on December 14, where fans can experience the thrill of live case, box, and pack openings, with celebrity guest appearances and giveaways. Moreover, bringing back nostalgic joy, the MVP Buyback program will return this fall, enabling collectors to swap cards of recent MLB MVPs for sweet store credit.
Capitalizing on the success of the inaugural Hobby Rip Night, which pulled a rabbit out of the hat with record sales for 18% of the participating 409 stores, Topps is getting ready for its second edition. The date is locked: September 14. The stage is set for another night of frenzied activity, where collectors and enthusiasts tear into packages in a unified revelry.
Both Fanatics and Topps are clearly gearing up to nurture an undiluted passion for sports and collecting. Their individual strategies, although differing in approach, share a common aim – to create a vibrant confluence of fandom and collecting. It’s an open invitation to sports lovers and collectors to come over, have a ball, and create memories around their collecting passion. Each event, each promotion is drafting a chapter of the larger narrative – the love of sports, and the joy of collecting. It’s simply a perfect match, like a home run and the roar of the crowd. Embark on this journey to build memories, one collectible at a time!
