This weekend was the first of many Fanatics Fests. I had the chance to attend the show on Saturday and Sunday to see the vision of the “Sports Comic-Con” that Fanatics had in mind. As a collector who started as a sports fan, I wanted to give my perspective on both sides and how this festival has the opportunity to grow not only the sports fandom but also the sports card hobby.
The Fan in Fanatics Fan Fest
All the major sports leagues pulled out all the stunts as part of the first Fanatics Fest. From shooting 3 point shots with the NBA to batting practice at the MLB, and of course, the most popular of them all, doing your own WWE entrance. The activations from each league drew a lot of attention from fans. As a fan, I found it fun, even though we didn’t get to do everything.
Many groups outside the major sports leagues were also part of the event. The largest Baseball Media group, JomBoy Media, had an activation at the show, and we met their founder, Jimmy. Lids and Mitchell & Ness had products for sale and event exclusives. And, of course, Fanatics had a major superstore with exclusive products, popular team/player items, and all of the best NY team apparel.
The Fan in Fanatics Fan Fest was genuinely present. They did all they could and encouraged groups to create a fun fan atmosphere. The athlete, celebrity, and influencer appearances did help draw some attention for them on social media, too, and at times engaged with the fans. But was there more they could do? Of course, but for the first run of the event. However, from the feedback I received, many enjoyed the experience. You’ll also notice from social posts that many young families were in attendance despite kids having to pay to attend.
The Hobby’s Presence at the Event
The hobby was in full force at Fanatics Fest, where many of the primary dealers, breakers, and companies in the hobby made their presence known. As for foot traffic, there was a lot in the “Topps Hobby Hall.” People were always sitting and watching the panels on the stage. And, of course, some of the major businesses in the hobby had a strong presence. All the vendors and dealers I spoke with were thrilled with the show attendance and the deals they were making.
A few things differed from shows like the National and other card shows. First, Topps could sell its products at the show. They had an exclusive Topps Chome Fanatics Fest NYC box and the Travis Scott/Cactus Jack Box. The breaking presence was not as significant as the National. Fanatics Live was there with a unique breaking area for special shows, and there were tables of the biggest Fanatics Live Breakers, but they were all spread out throughout the show. Dealer booths were also set up nicely with skirting, and each table received a display case, making it all look cohesive. Of those dealers, it was mainly ultra-modern sports cards and wax, though a few vintage dealers were present.
As I said earlier, the hobby was in full force at the show. But did this truly help grow the hobby? From conversations I had with dealers, they said people were coming up and asking questions about the dealers and cards. Are there areas they can improve on to help grow the hobby? Of course, I have some feedback on how to improve the show, improve customer experience, and help grow the hobby.
How can Fanatics Fest grow and help the Hobby?
I took away a few things from the show that Fanatics Events will consider for future shows to help grow the show, such as customer experience and the hobby.
The Improving VIP Experience: For around $400, you receive three days of admission, 30 minutes of early entry, and skip-the-line for exclusive Topps products, swag, and other things.
From what I saw, the swag bag contained little: a pin, magnet, PSA Magazine, retail packs, and skip-the-line passes. Not that value matters, but people value what they get in their bags. Many vendors agreed they would have put something in the bag if given the opportunity.
Would a VIP room like the National help? It could allow another sponsorship or exclusive tables/experiences for VIP guests.
Being mindful of time and finances, especially for families: There were more young families than I have seen at a card show or the National. If the plan is to grow this show and the hobby, time and money must be considered.
This version of the show plans to move around the country, which is excellent. If the goal is to continue bringing young families, the location must be sound financially. NYC was inconvenient for some, but I know many made it work. LA is on the block next. But if a place like Las Vegas is considered in the future, would families attend?
Fanatics Fest NYC was announced only a few months before the show. We had to leave our family vacation early to attend. Many more will participate if the next show is announced well in advance, like the National, because you can plan it for vacation or a family trip.
Encourage the Vendors to Change It Up: Many groups like the NFL and NBA had similar setups as they do for their all-star and championship activations.
Though many will attend for the first time since it will be a traveling show, those who plan to participate yearly will get tired of the same thing.
Encouraging groups to test out or run different activities will encourage many to attend year after year to see what each group will have to do.
Bring the Hobby Into the Show: From the show layout, the Hobby was entirely on the right side of the show. Here are a few ideas that dealers shared with me at the show.
The hobby is large enough to be in the middle of the floor. Yes, that is a prime area, but if you want to grow the hobby, you must make people walk through and notice it.
Another idea shared was putting vendors near the corporate sponsors. If you sell football, be near the NFL activation. This could get messy for the dealer's traffic or trying to find cards later on, but it could help get people who enjoy a sport to collect those cards.
In the end, Fanatics is taking every opportunity to 10x the hobby with shows like this. But as my friend Sam (@thesportzcardcoltr) would say, we also want to 10x the community. They do this by hearing our feedback as collectors, sports fans, and dealers at their shows. I will be excited to see what Fanatics Events can do, and we (Joey & I) look forward to attending/participating more in the future!
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein.
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