A couple weeks ago, a hobby changing event took place! I am talking about Fanatics Fest NYC. The first go-around at “sports x comic con”, an event that brought together sports fans, collectors, and athletes. It was experiential, and can’t truly be explained and expressed by one's perspective; so I bring to you, Fanatics Fest: The Collective.
I personally got to experience Fanatics Fest and all that came along with that, but I am just one person. I can only share so much insight on my own, and there are more cogs in the machine of the hobby ecosystem than I offer. So I hope this article can bring together four different perspectives from members of the hobby community, each speaking to contrasting participation in Fanatics Fest NYC. Heading into FFNYC, there were so many unknowns, creating an uneasy feeling but post show, it seems that the general consensus was a great all around experience. Personally, I saw perspectives shift as the show went on, and I want to capture that essence in entirety.
*The four perspectives shared in this article: Jaysen Moslehi, aka Mojo Sports, will be speaking from the perspective of the content creator. Mike Frey, the founder and CEO of 528 Collectibles, will be speaking from the perspective of a show dealer. Ethan, aka QTrainSports on Instagram, will be speaking from the perspective of a collector/fan. Susan Lulgjuraj “Sooz”, the marketing manager at CGC Cards, will be speaking from the perspective of a corporate member.
What were your thoughts heading into the show?
JM (Content Creator): I was excited for the show and for the hobby community. I wanted to see how the fans could coexist with the collectors . The goal was to enjoy the new experience, and lean into the new show.
SJ (Corporate Member): I wasn't sure what to expect with Fanatics Fest. Given that it was a first show of its kind, I kept an open mind. The one thing I knew was that there were going to be a lot of sports fan(s) there, not necessarily collectors. I kept that in mind with everything that we worked on with the CGC Cards booth. How do we talk to people about grading that aren't collectors? We kept the messaging simple and clear, and it was a pretty successful tactic.
We also wanted to make sure we had activities for sports fans and not only collectors. So, we had a trivia competition that included sports and collectibles questions, a signing with Yankees favorite Joe Girardi and a great swag that anyone can get behind the messaging.
MF (Dealer): I went into Fanatics Fest with no expectations from a dealer side. We were just trying to grow our community and get the 528 brand out there since the show was in our backyard. I knew that it was going to be a massive show based on the advertisements I was seeing and hearing. Also everything Fanatics does they do big.
E (Collector): Going into Fanatics Fest, I expected three things: high-end/rare cards, lots of people, and athlete panels. My main goal was to try to see some of my favorite athletes on their panels -- including David Ortiz, Tom Brady, and Sabrina Ionescu -- while also picking up some pieces for my PC (personal collection). Given that I have not made it to The National before, this was the biggest sports card event of the year for me. I watched a preview video, but I tried to not take in too much coverage beyond what was on the event’s website because I wanted to experience it as a brand new event.
How did your perspective of the show change throughout the three days?
JM (Content Creator): The show was magical. It felt like disneyland. It had a profound impact on me as a collector, and content creator. Fanatics Fest was one of a kind event that kept me wanting more. I still wish we were back there. Meeting the new collectors, and being a part of the Topps Hobby Hall as a host was a very fulfilling experience.
SJ (Corporate Member): I went from being unsure to really enjoying what the sports side of Fanatics Fest had to offer. The activities the other booths had were super fun. It was great event to take the kids to. I loved how there were so many locals there and so many families. I went from thinking it was a card-type show to thinking it was a sports festival with a card component, showing the full scope of what Fanatics has to offer in sports.
MF (Dealer): My perspective changed everyday starting with the set up on Thursday. Once I saw what was being set up I definitely got more excited. When I showed up Friday morning and saw the line at will call I knew this was going to be something special. The energy never really changed throughout the whole weekend until around 12pm Sunday.
E (Collector): Over the course of the three days, the show continued to wow me. The first day started with Gronk and Brady spending time in "Hobby Hall", and it was hard to imagine how the rest of the weekend would continue to impress me. However, the second day I attended my first panel (featuring Kevin Durant and Anthony Edwards), ran the 40-yd dash, and was lucky enough to win a game-used jersey from the MLS!! The events were staffed with friendly people and awesome free merchandise. On the final day, I spent a majority of my time in Hobby Hall. I found some diamonds in the rough and some additions for my PC in value bins, and I watched Michael Rubin and Peyton Manning open packs.
Will you be attending any future “Fanatics Fest”?
JM (Content Creator): 100% will attend all of them. Lance, EJ x2, Rubin, and the entire team at fanatics fest have given us a unique experience going bigger than the sports cards themselves.
SJ (Corporate Member): Most likely. CGC Cards will definitely be in Orlando.
MF (Dealer): Absolutely.
E (Collector): I definitely would like to!! Just depends on where, when, and how much it'll cost as travel and accommodations can get expensive.
Which group (collector/fan, content creator, dealer, corporate) do you think could best experience all that Fanatics Fest brought?
JM (Content Creator): The WWE fan experience was electric. I am not a wrestling fan, but they came out with a bang. Most passionate fans I've ever seen. I thought the hobby hall segments were electric as well with a good education tactic to them.
SJ (Corporate Member): I think Fanatics Fest offered something great for every group. But the fan is going to get the most out of it. Here's a chance to immerse yourself in something you love (sports), getting to take part in different events like hitting a baseball in a small stadium or walking out to your favorite WWE wrestlers' music.
MF (Dealer): I think the collector/fans definitely had the best experience. This was a great opportunity for people to meet their sports heroes and experience live productions. The only thing I’ve been apart of that rivaled this kind of atmosphere is Super Bowl week. That being said, most of us dealers, content creators and corporate are all collectors and fans.
E (Collector): While no group loses out by attending an event like Fanatics Fest, I think that fans can best experience Fanatics Fest. Every second of the event was filled with exciting opportunities for you to experience professional athletes and celebrities up close. It was inevitable that you would miss someone or something because so much was going on, so having the least obligations would allow for the most flexibility to enjoy the various offerings.
Whether it was an athlete walking through the floor, attending an athlete panel, doing a sports challenge with friends, buying cards of a favorite player, or listening in on a hobby panel, I feel like any sports fan or collector would've had an amazing time as you didn't need to pay extra or have enhanced access to see celebrities like Tom Brady and DJ Khaled.
If you had to experience it all again, how would you change your experience?
JM (Content Creator): I wish I had 1 more day at the show. It went by too fast. I would have liked to participate more in the activations.
SJ (Corporate Member): I'd love to spend the day as a fan to be able to enjoy all the different experiences the show had to offer.
MF (Dealer): I would have gone a little bigger on our display and set up. We also were not prepared with enough cards ready to sell. We went into the show with our normal card show inventory, but after the first day we were cleaned out.
E (Collector): It's hard to say, since there are tradeoffs for the decisions I made throughout the weekend. For example, I would've liked to have seen the panel with Derek Jeter and David Ortiz, but then I would've missed seeing Gronk and Tom Brady.
Overall, though, I would've planned ahead better. The lines for the sports activities seemed like they got longer as the weekend went on, so I would’ve done them on Friday. I also would’ve brought a pin every day for the trade wall as the options were really awesome!
This show created a lot of conversation about how to further elevate the hobby, what do you think made this show a “game changer”?
JM (Content Creator): Fanatics Fest is here to complement the hobby, it's not designed to take over or replace any show or experience. It's a unique experience that will continue to thrive and grow the hobby.
SJ (Corporate Member): I think the inaugural Fanatics Fest was a step in the right direction in bringing a lot of sports fans into the world of collectibles, who may not otherwise participate. That was a priority for CGC Cards. We gave out free slabbed cards, which people loved. I watched fans digging through the piles to find cards of their favorite player. I’d like to see more value boxes or inexpensive ways to get cards into those sports fans' hands so they can get that experience that all us collectors know well.
MF (Dealer): This show was a game changer because it targeted sports fans who may not have been card collectors. Once they were in the building it offered a great introduction to the world of card collecting and how big the hobby is/has become.
E (Collector): This show was invigorating and great for growing the hobby. It took athletes from the cardboard and “brought them to life”, and they even joined into the hobby as collectors. In addition, the classes helped educate new and old hobby folk alike and allowed for people to ask questions to established, knowledgeable people in the hobby. Lastly, the sports stations offered an additional activity to the standard buying, selling, and trading cards, and offered kids and adults the opportunity to live out their dream of things like a WWE entrance, entering the Octagon, and testing their speed at the NFL Combine.
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