Michael Rubin said Fanatics could become "the most valuable company in sports" as it approaches $14 billion in revenue this year and expands beyond merchandise, collectibles, and betting.
Fanatics is positioning itself as a broad sports platform rather than a single-line business, with founder and CEO Michael Rubin saying the company could become "the most valuable company in sports" while explicitly steering clear of ticketing and live sports broadcasting. Speaking at the CNBC Sport x Boardroom Game Plan Summit in New York City, held alongside Fanatics Fest, Rubin said the company expects to approach $14 billion in revenue this year, up from about $8 billion in 2024, and now counts more than 150 million customers across merchandise, collectibles, sports betting, and prediction markets. He said Fanatics sees room to build additional businesses over the next decade, though he did not specify which ones, and argued the company should focus only on areas that "relentlessly enhance the fan experience." Rubin said ticketing is too complex and competitive and that content owners keep the economics, while sports broadcasting is dominated by large incumbents. His comments also framed recent jersey controversies involving the NHL and MLB as a turning point in sharpening Fanatics' brand purpose around improving the fan experience.