It had been a long time since I stepped foot inside the Javits Center—last time was July 1997, sweating through the New York State bar exam (I passed, thankfully). But walking in there, it wasn’t legal textbooks or No. 2 pencils that greeted me—it was Kevin Costner, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, and a sea of collectors and culture.
Fanatics Fest absolutely delivered.
Let’s get this out of the way: Costner didn’t exactly radiate warmth, but the photo? Totally worth it. I’ll take stoic over sweaty any day. Between photo ops, immersive brand activations, and a roster of celebrities that seemed to spill over from every corridor, this wasn’t your average card show. As Darren Rovell of Clict Media (a guy who knows a thing or two about sports marketing) put it: “This was much more.” He’s right. The spectacle wasn’t just curated, it was choreographed—celebs walking the floor, fans sprinting after Travis Scott like it was 1996 and he just dropped a Jordan rookie.
One of the personal highlights for me? Finally meeting S. Preston, my favorite sports artist. I own about ten of his pieces—clean, clever, and unlike anything else on the wall. Getting to thank him in person was worth the trip alone.
I missed last year’s event—held in August and, from what I hear, a financial black eye to the tune of $15 million in losses. This year? They moved it to June, attendance nearly doubled, and my guess is they’re close to breaking even—if not already in the black. If nothing else, they’ve found their rhythm. This wasn’t just a transactional experience—it was connective. And that’s exactly what Fanatics needs if it’s going to evolve beyond cards and collectibles and into something experiential.
It’s not every day you walk into the Javits Center and leave with a photo of Kevin Costner and a near stampede story involving Travis Scott. But hey, that’s the modern collector’s world: a little chaotic, a little surreal, and totally unforgettable.
