Fanatics, the global digital sports platform, announced Monday it will hold Fanatics Fest NYC 2026, a large-scale sports fan festival, at the Javits Center in New York from Thursday through Sunday.
Now in its third year, the event brings together fan culture spanning sports and entertainment under one roof. Last year's edition drew about 125,000 visitors, cementing its status as one of the premier sports events in the United States. This year's festival is expected to be the largest in the event's history.
The timing is particularly notable: the 2026 FIFA World Cup final and a three-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are both scheduled in New York during the same period. With South Korean MLB fandom having grown significantly on the strength of Shohei Ohtani's performances with the Dodgers, the festival is expected to serve as a landmark event for Korean fans seeking a world-class sports experience.
More than 500 celebrities are set to attend, including sports stars Aaron Judge, Kevin Durant and Tom Brady, as well as musicians Jay-Z and Travis Scott. Programming will include player autograph sessions, talk sessions, the "Fanatics Games" with a $2 million purse, and a rare trading card market.
Fanatics officially launched Fanatics Korea this year and has been expanding its reach among domestic sports fans by offering MLB officially licensed products, trading cards, and other global sports collectibles and merchandise.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
