Fanatics, Inc. is a leading sports merchandise manufacturer, seller, and sports collectibles company. Over the past few years, the company has been moving closer to an Initial Public Offering (IPO).
If you’ve been anticipating Fanatics’ IPO and waiting for the company to go public, we have prepared a quick guide about it. We’ll go over how to prepare for its IPO while we wait for the news about the move and answers to other important questions about Fanatics stock.
What is Fanatics and What Do They Do?
Fanatics is a sports merchandise company founded in 1995 and acquired by the current CEO, Michael Rubin, in 2011. They produce and sell certified apparel and collectibles for MLB, MLS, NBA, NCAA, NFL, and other famous sports leagues. After the recent acquisition of Topps, the trading cards company, for $500 million, Fanatics has also become a trading card and collectibles business.
Due to its great success and growth in the past few years, the company has been moving towards an IPO to start selling its shares publicly, allowing anyone to become a shareholder. As of now, Fanatics plans to go public within 12 to 24 months. However, the company hasn’t set a clear date for its IPO. So, stay tuned for more Fanatics news!
Fanatics’ Business Model and Revenue Streams
Fanatics is a multifaceted company with multiple business models and revenue streams. As of now, Fanatics is valued at $31 billion. The company is funded by 27 investors, including SoftBank Vision Fund, LionTree, Blackstone, and famous music producer Jay-Z.
Their main revenue comes from:
- E-commerce and retail – They have online and physical stores with over 2,000 retail locations across the world where they sell sports apparel and other merchandise.
- Manufacturing and licensing – Fanatics also produces and sells licensed sports apparel for brands like NFL, NHL, NASCAR, Formula 1, and NBA.
- Manufacturing on demand – The company makes sports apparel for special events on demand, such as sports championships or tournaments.
- Sports betting and iGaming – They have online and physical casinos and iGaming platforms where people can bet on real sports events.
- Trading cards – After acquiring Topps, Fanatics now also sells physical and digital trading cards.
NFTs – The company creates and sells digital sports collectibles and NFTs.
Who Owns Fanatics?
Fanatics is a privately held and funded company. The main stakeholders are:
- Michael Rubin, the founder, CEO, and largest shareholder of Fanatics.
- SoftBank Group is a Japanese conglomerate and a major investor in Fanatics.
- Silver Lake Partners, a private equity firm and another big investor in Fanatics.
- Alibaba Group, the Chinese e-commerce giant, which has invested in Fanatics and has a strategic partnership with the company.
- Sports leagues and organizations, such as the NFL, MLB, and NBA have stakes in Fanatics as part of their licensing deals.
Future Prospects for Fanatics as a Public Company
By 2032, the licensed sports merchandise market is expected to reach $53.91 billion, while the iGaming market is expected to surpass $115.13 billion by 2026. It’s difficult to predict what will happen to Fanatics once the company goes public, but the future for the Fanatics stock looks positive.
Fanatics’ founder and CEO, Michael Rubin, and other experts believe that going public will increase the company’s profits and further consolidate its place in the market.
FAQ
When is Fanatics’ IPO date?
As of now, the company hasn’t set a clear date for its IPO, but it should happen within 12-24 months. To prepare for the IPO, you should start looking for a reliable stockbroker. On top of that, to improve your trading experience, you can try a Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting service like Forex VPS to avoid any network latency issues or interruptions.
What will be the Fanatics stock symbol?
As a private company, Fanatics doesn’t have a stock symbol yet. It’ll have one once it goes public.
Who started Fanatics?
Fanatics was started by brothers Alan Trager and Mitch Trager and later acquired by the current CEO Michael G. Rubin in 2011.
