Former Nike executive Trevor Edwards has been named to the board of Fanatics.
Edwards served as president of Nike Inc. from 2013 until March of 2018, when he resigned from the company following a Wall Street Journal report that an internal memo revealed Nike was conducting an investigation into misconduct in the workplace, a review of human resources practices and its system of reporting complaints. (Nike said there had been no misconduct allegations against Edwards.) A string of executive departures followed and Nike acknowledged it had fallen short in promoting women and people of color.
Before he was elevated to the president’s role, Edwards held a series of executive leadership positions at Nike, including executive vice president of global category and brand management, corporate vice president and chief marketing officer, vice president of Nike USA brand management, and vice president of marketing of Nike Europe, Middle East and Africa. Edwards also serves as a director at Funko Inc., a collectibles, accessories and toy company, as well as VF Corp.
Edwards was chosen for the role due to his extensive knowledge and expertise within the sports industry and direct-to-consumer channels, his ability to grow and further enhance a company’s brand, and his proven track record in expanding and growing market share internationally, Fanatics said.
“I couldn’t think of a better person to join our board right now than Trevor Edwards,” said Michael Rubin, founder and chief executive officer of Fanatics. “Trevor has incredible experience in building brands and expanding businesses globally, while never losing focus on the importance of the fan experience.”
“I am thrilled to join the Fanatics Board at this transformative time,” said Edwards. “Michael and the Fanatics team have a compelling vision to reshape the landscape by innovating the fan experience and better serving fans around the world, and I am excited to be a part of this journey.”
The addition of Edwards comes as Fanatics expands beyond its core business of selling officially licensed merchandise. While that remains its largest business, the company has expanded into trading cards, sports memorabilia sales, sports betting and most recently, events. Although the company had reportedly been exploring a potential initial public offering a few years ago, that move is no longer front and center. Fanatics was valued at $31 billion after its most recent funding round.
