Fanatics' 'Merch Madness' Event: 30 Cities and $20M in Apparel Giveaways

Fanatics is using its platform as one of the biggest sportswear and merchandise brands in the world to help those in need through its Merch Madness program, during which the company will donate more than 300,000 pieces of apparel valued at around $20 million.

Starting the biggest charitable apparel giveaway ever - @Fanatics Merch Madness. Each year, we will pick a day to donate fan gear to hundreds of thousands of families in need. Today, we’re just getting started with more than 4,000 Fanatics employees who took a break from work to… pic.twitter.com/CqjwHSTqSW

— Michael Rubin (@michaelrubin) June 27, 2023

The event, which took place in multiple cities across the U.S., even included sports and entertainment figures like Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, DJ Khaled, and Eli Manning at venues including Levi's Stadium, Gilette Stadium, the Wells Fargo Center, and more. CBS News reported that more than 4,000 Fanatics employees volunteered across the 100 locations.

#MerchMadness was an incredible day of giving. Thank you to our 4,000 employees all across the world who brought it to life! pic.twitter.com/cLZnHWGgx6

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) June 28, 2023

"This year, we wanted to focus on a single cause and create a substantial impact," Fanatics founder Michael Rubin said, according to CBS.

This year's plan was an expansion on last year's Global Impact Day. Recipients at events got branded Fanatics bags, as well as items like T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, and more. Some of the products were branded by team, adding more local appeal and tie-ins with the celebrity volunteers.

"For me, it's just seeing the smiles on these kids' faces as they receive a jersey or a hoodie or a T-shirt or capri jackets," former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning told CBS. "And you know, for me, hey, I'm happy handing out Giants gear. I'm happy to give up a Peyton jersey, maybe even a Patriots, not doin the Eagles."

(Editor/Eagles fan's note: Coward. Just kidding. You're OK, Eli.)

Wouldn’t be #MerchMadness without some sick merch ‼️ pic.twitter.com/EwhNnySvRs

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) June 27, 2023

During the press cycle for the event, Rubin expanded on his future plans for Fanatics, which has recently made moves including acquiring the Topps trading card business and shedding some of its NFT business. The future, Rubin says, includes plenty of digital components, but they will be tied in with the tactile world.

A HUGE thank you to our partners at @Good360 for helping to get 100k people 300k pieces of merch to almost 100 locations around the country. #MerchMadness pic.twitter.com/QT4Jk8S5ng

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) June 27, 2023

A lot of it comes with online betting, but he wants Fanatics to also be a place where people can buy and trade collectible items, in addition to purchasing the apparel and other branded merchandise that the company is known for.

"I think this plays a really important pivotal part into the long-term digital sports experience for Fanatics," he told CBS.

There are multiple facets to this story. First is that it's a heartwarming story about a successful business doing its part to help out those in need, and getting big-name sports heroes to lend a hand. The second is that it shows the power of promotional merchandise, as each volunteer was wearing a Fanatics-branded shirt to show who was putting together this event and create cohesion across the 30 host cities. Finally, there's the mention of the physical products' place in a digital landscape. It's still becoming increasingly clear that in an age of NFT's and other digital-first "promos," items like sports cards, collectibles, and apparel will still be crucial for sports marketing and entertainment promotions.