On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including Fanatics‘ long-expected move into sports tickets.
Michael Rubin‘s company last week announced a two-way partnership with Ticketmaster that will see resale tickets available for purchase on the Fanatics app, and licensed sports apparel available for purchase via Ticketmaster’s platforms. Fanatics has spent years looking at a possible move into ticketing—via partnership, acquisition or internal build—and settled on the Ticketmaster deal. It’s all part of the company’s plan to make its app a “daily habit” for sports fans. The hosts discuss the strategy, and also the vocal outcry from many on social media.
Next they talk about the Alex Ovechkin’s memorabilia collection. In 2016, Wayne Gretzky told Ovi to make sure he was saving items from his NHL goal chase. Ovechkin has saved hundreds of pucks and sticks from goals scored in the last few years, and also memorabilia from other players. He told Sportico he is planning to build a museum in his hometown of Moscow.
The hosts then delve into the New York Yankees‘ record ticket haul in 2024. The MLB team reported $411.7 million in ticket revenue last season, which ended in a World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. That was comprised of $310 million from the regular season, and $101.9 million for the playoffs. It’s the most the team has ever made from tickets in a single year, eclipsing the total from 2009—also a World Series run, and the team’s first year in its current stadium.
Lastly, they close with WNBA star Angel Reese’s latest comments on the possibility of a league work stoppage as a result of the looming labor fight. They talk about how seriously to take Reese’s remarks, and whether the basic rules of sports CBA talks have changed in recent years.
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