Fanatics is launching a cross-platform loyalty program, called Fanatics ONE, designed to reward sports fans with merchandise, tickets, and exclusive experiences.
Members will earn points across the company’s expanding portfolio, which includes sports merch, collectibles, trading cards, casinos, and sportsbooks, and access various benefits, such as free shipping and giveaways.
Key Takeaways
- Fanatics launches a new cross-platform loyalty program offering a wide array of rewards.
- FanCash members will be migrated to the new program.
- The company hinted at future expansion with team and league partnerships.
The program will award a wide range of products, from jerseys and memorabilia to VIP events like athlete meet-and-greets, Super Bowl parties, and the company’s own Fanatic Fest. Fanatic ONE builds on the existing FanCash system, which currently has about 10 million members, all of whom will be migrated to the new program.
Chief strategy and growth officer Tucker Kain says FanCash is "the currency of sport," noting that the company’s partnerships with all the major leagues, including the NFL, MLB, and NHL, allow Fanatic to offer unmatched experiences to sports fans.
Kain also hinted at future expansion, including exclusive rewards, a Fanatic-branded credit card, and team/league partnerships to further deepen fan connections.
Fanatics Sportsbook applies for Missouri license
With Missouri moving closer to launching legal sports betting in December due to new developments in licensing, Fanatics Sportsbook applied for a tethered license, which requires the platform to partner with a professional sports team or state-licensed casino by Sept. 12.
However, it’s worth noting Fanatics will enter a competitive field of operators in the Missouri market. BetMGM and bet365 have also announced their respective partnerships, while PENN plans to operate ESPN Bet at three casinos, and Caesars Sportsbook and Bally Bet already have a casino presence in the state.
Missouri will only issue 14 licenses in total, including two untethered licenses that don’t require partnerships. These two are most likely to go to DraftKings and FanDuel, but Circa Sports also entered the race, so one of these three will most likely need to pivot to a tethered license as well.
Fanatics to add $0.25 Illinois bet surcharge
Like FanDuel and DraftKings, Fanatics will impose a per-wager surcharge in response to the new state tax that took effect July 1. The state requires all operators to pay $0.25 per wager for the first 20 million bets each year, followed by $0.50 for any wager beyond that.
A Fanatics spokesperson confirmed the company’s announcement, but the enforcement date has yet to be specified. FanDuel and DraftKings will begin charging betting fees Sept. 1, aiming to pressure lawmakers to reconsider the surcharge during a potential veto session. FanDuel and DraftKings are expected to exceed the 20 million-wager threshold early in the NFL season.
Fanatics’ slower growth, however, means it may not hit that mark until late in the fiscal year, if at all. BetMGM and bet365 haven’t announced whether they will add any similar surcharges in Illinois.
