
What to Expect at Fanatics Fest 2025: Celebrities, $2M Games, Exclusive Merch & More
What to Expect at Fanatics Fest 2025: Celebrities, $2M Games, Exclusive Merch & More
By Jason Bolton June 19, 2025 09:37
Fanatics Fest 2025 promises to be an unparalleled celebration of sports, culture, and fandom, returning to New York City's Javits Center from June 20 to 22. Building on the inaugural event’s success, which drew over 70,000 fans, this year’s festival is set to be bigger and better, featuring more than 500 athletes, celebrities, and entertainers, exclusive merchandise, and a groundbreaking $2 million skills competition.
Star-Studded Lineup and Celebrity Appearances
Fanatics Fest 2025 boasts an impressive roster of sports legends and cultural icons. Attendees can expect appearances from NBA superstar LeBron James, NFL great Tom Brady, Kevin Durant, Peyton Manning, and WWE’s John Cena, among others. The festival also welcomes celebrities from entertainment and music, including Travis Scott, who will debut exclusive Cactus Jack baseball cards available only at the event. This blend of athletes and entertainers creates a dynamic atmosphere where fans can engage with their heroes across multiple disciplines.
The Fanatics Games: A $2 Million Skills Showdown
A highlight of Fanatics Fest 2025 is the introduction of the Fanatics Games, a high-stakes, live skills competition featuring 50 professional athletes and 50 fans competing head-to-head in eight sports-themed challenges. Events include quarterback skills, basketball’s “around the world,” soccer goal-scoring, baseball pitching accuracy, hockey puck shooting, WWE superstar entrances, UFC striking challenges, and golf closest-to-the-pin contests.
The stakes are enormous: first place wins $1 million in cash, second place receives a $500,000 Ferrari 812 GTS, and third place takes home a rare 2003-04 Topps Chrome LeBron James Gold Refractor card valued at $250,000. If no fan finishes in the top three, the highest-scoring fan will still earn $100,000. Tiffany Haddish, one of the celebrity competitors, expressed confidence, saying, “I’m very athletic. I was all-city in high school shot put. I run fast, jump high and throw hard”. This competition elevates Fanatics Fest beyond a typical fan event to a thrilling, interactive sports spectacle.
Exclusive Merchandise and Collectibles
Collectors will find a treasure trove of exclusive items at Fanatics Fest. Topps is releasing three products exclusively in-person: the 2025 Topps Series 2 Baseball set, a 2025 Topps Formula 1 set, and the highly anticipated 2025 Topps Chrome Baseball Cactus Jack set in collaboration with Travis Scott. Each $500 box contains two packs with four cards each, featuring Travis Scott alongside MLB stars like Shohei Ohtani and Paul Skenes, with every pack including a numbered parallel or autograph.
Additionally, the festival’s “Museum of Greatness” will showcase over $200 million worth of iconic sports memorabilia, including the recently sold Paul Skenes Topps Debut Patch card, offering fans a rare glimpse into the history and culture of sports collectibles.
Interactive Experiences and Fan Engagement
Fanatics Fest is designed as a “comic-con for sports fans,” with interactive experiences across major leagues such as the NFL, NBA, NHL, WWE, FIFA, and more. Fans can participate in activities like 40-yard dash races, hockey puck shooting, and recreating WWE superstar entrances. The event also features autograph sessions, panel discussions, and podcasts with athletes and celebrities, providing multiple avenues for fan engagement.
One standout feature is the Best Dressed Fan contest, where creativity and fan spirit can win an incredible prize package including tickets to the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup Final, and WrestleMania 42.
Fanatics Fest 2025 is set to redefine the sports fan experience with its star-studded lineup, massive $2 million skills competition, exclusive collectibles, and immersive fan activities. As Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin noted, “We had 70,000 fans show up from across the world” in 2024, and this year’s expanded event aims to take that excitement to the next level. Whether you’re a collector, a sports enthusiast, or simply looking for a weekend of unforgettable moments, Fanatics Fest 2025 offers something extraordinary for every fan.