Fanatics Partners With Ticketmaster, Uniting Unpopular Companies
No one would accuse Fanatics or Ticketmaster of being among the most beloved companies in the United States. And now they're joining forces, launching a partnership that will allow for cross-promotion between the two platforms.
On the Fanatics side, the merchandise company will now use Ticketmaster to allow for resale tickets to sporting events. And on the Ticketmaster side, Fanatics merchandise will now be available for purchase on their website.
Top Fanatics executive Tucker Kain told Sportico that this is just the start of a "bigger partnership" between the two sides.
"Having Ticketmaster/Live Nation as a potential partner across a number of things, like distributing our merchandise [through them], there’s an opportunity to start here and build a bigger partnership over time."
Well, that's certainly interesting!
PARIS - Michael Rubin looks on in the first half in the men's basketball gold medal game between France and the United States during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena on Aug. 10, 2024. Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Fanatics Just Keeps Expanding
Fanatics has continued to grow in recent years, expanding into new businesses, including live events, collectibles, and of course, sports betting.
This is apparently part of its next strategy; become a one-stop shop for sports fans. In theory, fans will now be able to buy merchandise, bet on the game, find trading cards, and then ultimately get tickets for an upcoming game. All in one place.
What's next?
Well, Fanatics is now the manufacturing partner for the NHL, and the first year of that partnership has seemed to go much better than its disastrous, Nike-directed MLB uniform rollout in 2024.
Could Fanatics even move into streaming platforms, becoming a broadcast partner, especially for baseball? It sounds far-fetched, and yet FanDuel now has branded networks for live sports. Most importantly, though, there's been no indication whether Fanatics will match their new Ticketmaster partners and start adding exorbitant service fees to each purchase. Don't put it past them.