Nordstrom Partners With Fanatics to Sell Licensed Sports Products Online
Nordstrom is getting into the sports merchandise game.
The department store today announced a partnership with Fanatics Inc., the digital sports platform that sells licensed sportswear, sports equipment and other merchandise. Through the long-term partnership, Nordstrom shoppers will be able to browse and purchase an assortment of Fanatics products via the Nordstrom website. Fanatics will then fulfill and ship all order to customers.
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“We are thrilled to partner with Fanatics to serve both current and new customers, just in time for the gifting season,” said Teri Bariquit, chief merchandising officer at Nordstrom. “Through this innovative partnership model and new product category, we can now meet the needs of sports enthusiasts and the people who shop for them. Since Fanatics is the industry leader in this category and a digital-first company with strong investments in technology, they made the perfect fit for us to differentiate our offer and give customers increased selection to discover.”
The Nordstrom partnership marks Fanatics’ second major deal with another retailer in the last few months. Fanatics announced a similar partnership with Macy’s in October which allows Macy’s shoppers to browse Fanatics’ fan merchandise and apparel on the department store’s website. Fanatics has similar deals with Walmart, JCPenney and Kohl’s.
“Fanatics is incredibly excited to partner with Nordstrom and provide its shoppers with access to a new selection of officially licensed sports merchandise for the first time,” said Jack Boyle, Fanatics global co-president of direct-to-consumer. “We look forward to introducing this new category to their business and creating an elevated experience for all members of the family to celebrate their pride and passion on gamedays and beyond.”
In August, Fanatics scored a $325 million investment from investors such as SoftBank, Silver Lake, Eldridge, TWG Sports Media & Entertainment, Insight Partners, MLB, Jay-Z, and Roc Nation. The new funding brought the company’s valuation to $18 billion, almost tripling the company’s market value over the last year.
In August, Fanatics said it plans to expand beyond its vCommerce, or vertical commerce, business and lean into its technological capabilities and vast consumer databases to launch NFTs, gaming, sports betting, and a media arm. Fanatics has also been rumored to be aiming for a potential IPO, though a spokesperson told FN in March that there was no update on any timeline for going public.
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