The news: Fanatics launched Fanatics Advertising, a division that will oversee the company’s ad and brand partnership strategy across its commerce, collectibles, gaming, and events businesses.
- Former Netflix and Snap executive Jeremi Gorman, who joined Fanatics last year as an advisor, will head the division as chief revenue officer.
- While the unit will manage internal sponsorships, its bigger play lies in two new ad networks—Fanatics Advertising Network (FAN) and Sports Video Network (SVN). The networks will act as supply-side platforms that link marketers with consumers across digital and video channels. Set to debut with the NFL season, FAN and SVN will give brands new ways to expand their reach through digital video and CTV placements aligned with major sports programming.
The bet: Fanatics believes its unique view of the sports consumer—spanning merchandise, collectibles, betting, and live events—offers advertisers a powerful way to target fans.
- In a fragmented media ecosystem, sports remains one of the few arenas that unite diverse groups. “That could help it cut a strong figure for a certain slice of endemic advertisers,” said Max Willens, EMARKETER senior analyst.
- Gorman said in a statement that while Fanatics doesn’t hold live rights, it can carve out a niche by giving brands a way into sports: “Sponsoring a team is very expensive. Sponsoring a league is even more expensive. But that doesn’t mean brands don’t want to reach sports fans. We believe we sit at the center of that ecosystem, enabling brands to extend their season and giving those priced out of official sponsorships a way to connect with fans of a team, league, athlete—or simply sports fans in general.”