Fanatics is getting into the customer loyalty space.
The digital sports platform on Tuesday launched Fanatics One, its first cross-business loyalty program that will offer rewards and experiences encompassing everything from fan apparel and trading cards to online betting and access to special events.
Fanatics is expecting the program to launch with around 10 million members in the U.S., said Tucker Kain, chief strategy and growth officer, a number that is expected to grow exponentially in the future. Fanatics has a global database of over 100 million.
A key component of the program will be FanCash, a virtual reward for purchases, that can be spent on merchandise, tickets, trading cards and other products offered on the Fanatics site.
Anyone with an existing Fanatics account will automatically be enrolled in the Fanatics One program. An entry-level member will receive 5 percent FanCash back on all purchases on the app and up to 10 percent on all bets placed within the Fanatics Sportsbook — win or lose. This tier of membership also offers free shipping and returns and access to special product drops along with the ability to participate in games, contests and sweepstakes such as a chance to win a trip to an upcoming NFL game in London.
But as their spending and interaction on the site increases, so will the perks. There will be five tiers of membership ranging from Onemember to Onemember pro, Onegold, Oneplatinum and Oneblack. At the top tier, members may be offered access to special memorabilia, VIP events, private shopping opportunities, exclusive collectibles and other services.
The logo for Fanatics One.
Courtesy of Fanatics
“As Fanatics has grown as a sports platform, we’ve been methodically building a loyalty program that rightfully rewards fans for their passion across our full suite of experiences,” said Kain. “We listened to what fans wanted — more unique rewards and more ways to spend their FanCash — and built a program that only Fanatics could deliver. Fanatics One reflects the strength of our platform, which includes more than 900 global partners, access to thousands of athletes and celebrity fans, innovative trading card products, our fast-growing Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, highly sought-after apparel collabs and limited-edition drops, special events like Fanatics Fest, and much more.”
Kain said Fanatics had dabbled in some loyalty-style programs in the past, but this is the first “enterprise-wide loyalty program across everything we do. We saw a big white space in fan-facing loyalty programs. No one was speaking horizontally across businesses.”
Although selling merchandise remains the core of Fanatics’ business, the trading cards and betting verticals continue to gain in importance. “So we’re connecting the dots,” he said. Kain pointed to the popularity of Fanatics Fest, a three-day festival that blends sports, culture and collectors, that launched in 2024. The event included special merchandise drops, live podcasts, a slew of professional athlete appearances and more than 400,000 square feet of activations on the show floor at New York’s Jacob Javits center for the past two summers.
Fanatics also has a partnership with Ticketmaster where customers are offered discounts on tickets through the Fanatics site. FanCash can be applied toward these purchases as well.
Blending sports and commerce is becoming more commonplace. Last week, Dick’s Sporting Goods announced the creation of an in-house studio to create sports films, and Sports Illustrated, which is owned by Authentic Brands Group, now has a stadium in Harrison, N.J., for sporting events and concerts and also hosts events around big sporting events such as the Super Bowl and the Kentucky Derby.
