Fanatics Will Eventually Add Trading Cards, Collectibles to Betting Loyalty Program

Posted on: August 18, 2023, 02:43h. 

Last updated on: August 20, 2023, 02:17h.

Todd Shriber @etfgodfather Read More
Expertise: Financial, Gaming Business, Mergers and Acquisitions.

In the future, Fanatics will add collectibles, including Topps trading cards, to its sports wagering loyalty platform though an exact date for the addition isn’t yet known.

Fanatics
The Fanatics and Topps logos. Fanatics could eventually add collectibles to its FanCash sports betting loyalty platform. (Image: Beckett)

A spokesman for the company told Casino.org that collectibles will be part of the Fanatics Sportsbook rewards program down the road. Earlier this week, the privately held company rolled out its mobile betting application in Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Tennessee.

We see many opportunities for FanCash to potentially be integrated across our entire Fanatics ecosystem at some point in the future as we continue to build a robust rewards program and further enhance the fan experience,” said the spokesman. “However, there are no immediate plans for the collectibles business at this time.”

Currently, the FanCash loyalty program allows Fanatics sports betting clients to convert FanCash into bonus bets or merchandise on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Bettors earn 1% on a regular or straight wagers, 3% on parlays and 5% on same-game parlays.

Fanatics Collectibles Could Be Unique Wagering Reward

Bettors, be they sports bettors or those that like slots and table games, love customer loyalty plans. Those programs are staples of the land-based casino industry and those operators are seeing benefits from allowing iGaming and online sportsbook clients to accrue points that can be used at brick-and-mortar casinos.

However, companies such as DraftKings, Fanatics and FanDuel don’t run land-based casinos, indicating they have to do something unique with their rewards offerings. Fanatics is doing that by allowing clients to redeem FanCash for apparel and merchandise. There are also obvious synergies in terms of eventually bringing collectibles into that fray.

In January 2022, Fanatics announced its $500 million acquisition of Topps Sports & Entertainment — one of the most venerable brands in the sports card industry. That’s just one sign of Fanatics’ efforts to be a major player in this space.

In August 2021, the company announced card deals with Major League Baseball (MLB) — for years fertile territory for Topps — and the NBA, as well as agreements with the players of the those leagues and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA).

Smart Move by Fanatics

Introducing collectibles into the FanCash scheme could prove prescient by Fanatics. It’s logical that some collectors are also interested in sports wagering and, by some estimates, the sports card segment could be a nearly $99 billion industry by 2027. Fanatics also has the reach necessary to make it a force in sports collectibles and brand recognition that resonates with bettors and collectors alike.

“Fanatics Collectibles also has partnerships with a number of individual international sports teams and leagues, as well as owners of other entertainment properties granting similar exclusive rights,” according to the company. “Fanatics Collectibles recently announced Fanatics Live, expected to launch later in 2023, which will focus on transforming the digital shopping experience through personality-driven content and entertainment.”

Fanatics has licensing agreements with leagues, including Major League Baseball (MLB), the NFL and the NBA and the related players associations to produce digital and physical cards and collectibles. Fanatics founder Michael Rubin is an avid collector and has been buying and selling sports cards for close to four decades.