The news: American Express will host its first activation at Fanatic Fest in NYC, called The American Express Home Game, per a press release.

• Fans will be able to walk through different rooms dedicated to interactive sports experiences reflecting Amex’s partnerships with the NFL, NBA, WNBA, Formula 1, and other major leagues.
• Cardholders can access talent meet and greets, exclusive statement credits for on-site purchases, limited-edition merch, and other perks.

How we got here: American Express has steadily increased its presence in the sporting arena.

• Amex is the NFL’s 2026 payment partner and hosted multiple activations for cardholders at the NFL Draft.
• Amex deepened its US Open offerings.
• And Fanatics’ co-brand card runs on Amex’s network.

Live sports advertising is a valuable channel for brands. We forecast that nearly 38% of the US population will watch sports on a digital platform next year, giving payment providers huge reach into potential customers.

Implication for payment providers: Sporting advertising offers significant return on investment, with recent issuers like Bank of America already citing that its FIFA World Cup sponsorship has “exceeded expectations” for the bank. Payment players can lock in brand equity through exposure during games but also with continued engagement after events end when paired with quality consumer and community outreach. 

This content is part of EMARKETER’s subscription Briefings, where we pair daily updates with data and analysis from forecasts and research reports. Our Briefings prepare you to start your day informed, to provide critical insights in an important meeting, and to understand the context of what’s happening in your industry. Non-clients can click here to get a demo of our full platform and coverage.