SPORTS MERCHANDISING GIANT Fanatics has announced the launch of Fanatics Studios, a new media and entertainment venture formed in partnership with OBB Media.
According to the company, Fanatics Studios will develop, produce and distribute content that sits at the intersection of sport and culture. Its slate will span feature films, documentaries, scripted and unscripted series, live events and digital formats.
The new studio brings together OBB Sports’ forward-looking production business with Fanatics’ existing media partnerships, creating a single, exclusive platform for all sports-related content across both organisations. OBB Pictures will manage physical production on all Fanatics Studios projects, while Michael D. Ratner will serve as CEO of the new venture alongside continuing to lead OBB Media’s wider businesses.
Several OBB Sports projects that predate the joint venture will remain outside the new entity. These include Cold as Balls with Kevin Hart, which has now passed its 100th episode, the breakout series Speed Goes Pro with IShowSpeed, a newly announced Kevin Durant documentary series for Netflix, and the Peabody and Sports Emmy Award–winning Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa.
Fanatics and OBB have also agreed to a ten-year partnership to continue co-producing Fanatics Fest, the world’s largest fan festival, which returns to New York City’s Javits Center from 16 to 19 July.
Fanatics Studios will debut with a premium slate of projects and partners, including LA28, The Fanatics Flag Football Classic, One More Drive, 2026 ESPY Awards, as well as collaborations with ESPN, WWE and MLB.
Fanatics was acquired by Michael Rubin in 2011 and has since grown into a diversified global sports business spanning merchandise, collectibles, sports betting, live commerce and events. The company now employs more than 22,000 people, is valued at over $30 billion, and is projected to generate $13 billion in revenue in 2026, according to CNBC.
Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin said, “I’m incredibly excited about launching Fanatics Studios and adding an important content and media business to our growing sports platform that also supports all of our existing businesses. We could not have dreamed up a better partner in Michael Ratner and the team at OBB, and together we are going to continue pushing our mission of relentlessly enhancing the fan experience by creating content that brings fans closer than ever to the teams, players, sports, cultural moments and events that they love in a way that’s never been done before.”
Ratner added, “Sports and pop culture are converging at the heart of the global entertainment landscape and we’re building Fanatics Studios to redefine what is possible at that intersection. At OBB, our mission has always been to work with the greatest and most ambitious partners, and Fanatics is undeniably that — a powerhouse that is respected by athletes, leagues, organizations, and fans across the sports universe. I can think of no better partner to supercharge the next phase of growth in our sports business, and I look forward to continuing to work with Michael Rubin and the entire Fanatics team as we build the best-in-class studio for the future of sports entertainment.”
