What Fan Expo does

Fan Expo is a multi-city fan convention brand operating large-scale pop culture events across North America, owned and operated by Informa Connect, a trading division of publicly listed Informa PLC (LSE: INF). The company stages three-day conventions in Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Toronto, drawing approximately 65,000 attendees per anchor event (with stated attendance of 'millions of fans annually' across its portfolio). Its product surface centers on celebrity guest appearances (e.g., Elijah Wood, Karl Urban, Kurt Russell, David Tennant), professional photo ops and autograph sessions, themed panels, Artist Alley and corporate exhibition space, cosplay competitions including the Masters of Cosplay series, and franchise-tied special experiences such as the Lord of the Rings 25th anniversary celebration.

The technology stack underpinning the events is conventional event-management infrastructure: a network of city-specific websites (fanexpohq.com and subdomains), a dedicated FAN EXPO Mobile App for navigation and scheduling, an e-commerce storefront (fanexpostore.com) for merchandise, the meetups.fanexpohq.com community platform for regional fan gatherings, and integration with Epic Leap Event Technology for ticketing and premium experience sales. There is no disclosed proprietary AI or machine learning capability.

Fan Expo's revenue model is multi-stream and consumer-driven: ticket sales across tiered passes (Single Day, 3-Day, VIP, Ultimate with preview access); add-on transactions for photo ops and autographs; exhibitor and Artist Alley booth rental; corporate advertising and branded activations; and direct-to-consumer merchandise via Shop FAN EXPO. The go-to-market approach combines PR-driven earned media (PRNewswire releases for celebrity announcements), organic social media across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X, and Threads, the FHQ newsletter, and word-of-mouth within fandom communities, with conversion happening on the event website's online ticketing system. The SUPERFAN Rewards loyalty program and fan meetup platform extend engagement beyond the three-day event windows.

Name

Fan Expo

Legal name

Informa Connect (a trading division of Informa PLC)

Website

https://fanexpodallas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fan Expo is a multi-city North American fan convention brand owned by Informa Connect (Informa PLC), hosting three-day pop culture events in Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Toronto with celebrity guests, photo ops, autographs, exhibitor space, and merchandise, drawing approximately 65,000 attendees per anchor event.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Fan Convention Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Beauty, Fashion & Pop-Culture Conventions (MPAGAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers (THAHABAN), Sports, Concert & Venue Gift Shops (CRALAJAH), Fan Apparel & Wearables Retail (Licensed) (CRAMAOAE)

Keywords

• Fan convention events
• Pop culture events
• Comic con operations
• Celebrity meet-and-greets
• Live event experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Sarasota

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Event Ticket Sales: Fan Expo generates primary revenue through the sale of event tickets for multi-day and single-day convention attendance. Ticket tiers include standard, VIP, Ultimate, and 3-Day passes, with special preview access for premium pass holders.
2. Celebrity Photo Ops and Autograph Sessions: Premium add-on experiences where attendees pay for professional photo opportunities and autograph sessions with celebrity guests. These are sold through the Epic Leap Event Technology online storefront.
3. Exhibitor and Retailer Space Rental: The company rents physical convention floor space to exhibitors, retailers, comic dealers, and corporate partners. Additional paid programs include Artist Alley booths and corporate advertising/branded activations.
4. Merchandise Sales (Shop Fan Expo): An e-commerce storefront (fanexpostore.com) selling exclusive pop culture merchandise, collectibles, and Fan Expo-branded products directly to consumers.
5. Special Experiences and VIP Packages: Premium experiences including special events (e.g., 'An Evening with the Hobbits' 25th anniversary celebration), exclusive merchandise drops, and VIP/Ultimate pass add-ons that provide priority access and exclusive meet-and-greet opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Fan Expo operates large-scale multi-city fan conventions (Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto) featuring celebrity guests, autograph sessions, professional photo ops, themed exhibition zones (comics, anime, gaming, horror, sci-fi), cosplay competitions, and a merchandise e-commerce store. Revenue is generated through multi-tiered ticket sales, paid add-on experiences, exhibitor/artist booth rentals, corporate sponsorships, and direct-to-consumer merchandise.

Product overview

FAN EXPO Dallas is a comprehensive fan convention platform offering a three-day family-friendly event at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. The core product centers on celebrity meet-and-greets through Photo Ops and Autograph Sessions, complemented by industry exhibition areas (Artist Alley, Comic Creators, Gaming, Anime, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy). The platform extends with the SUPERFAN Rewards loyalty program, a Mobile App for navigation and scheduling, the Shop FAN EXPO merchandise store, Masters of Cosplay competitions, The FHQ newsletter, and community Fan Meetups. The ecosystem serves attendees interested in comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, gaming, and cosplay with approximately 65,000 annual attendees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FAN EXPO Dallas A three-day family-friendly fan convention featuring celebrity guests, photo ops, autograph sessions, panels, Artist Alley, cosplay competitions, and themed attractions spanning comics, anime, gaming, horror, and sci-fi. Attracts approximately 65,000 attendees.
• FAN EXPO Chicago A multi-day fan convention in Chicago featuring celebrity guests, photo ops, autographs, cosplay events, and pop culture programming for comics, anime, gaming, horror, and sci-fi fans.
• FAN EXPO Philadelphia A multi-day fan convention in Philadelphia featuring celebrity guests, voice actors, photo ops, autographs, cosplay, and pop culture exhibition zones.
• Toronto Fan Expo A flagship multi-day fan convention in Toronto serving as a major North American market for the Fan Expo HQ brand.
• Celebrity Photo Ops Professional photography sessions with celebrity guests where attendees receive an 8x10 glossy photo in an intimate setting. Sold as paid add-on experiences through the Epic Leap Event Technology online storefront.
• Autograph Sessions Autograph signings where celebrity guests sign memorabilia and collectibles for fans, sold as standalone paid experiences at FAN EXPO events.
• Shop FAN EXPO An owned e-commerce storefront selling exclusive pop culture merchandise, celebrity-branded items, and FAN EXPO collectibles directly to consumers year-round, independent of event dates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65,000 attendees per event at FAN EXPO Dallas
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Informa ConnectcoreOthersFan Expo HQ is owned and operated by Informa Connect, a trading division of Informa PLC. Informa provides the corporate infrastructure, resources, and brand backing that enables Fan Expo to operate large-scale conventions across North America. The Informa Connect logo appears on Fan Expo event websites as the parent company.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• PAX (Penny Arcade Expo): Multi-city gaming convention series (PAX East, West, South, Unplugged). Adjacent competitor in the gaming vertical of Fan Expo's programming, attracting a partially overlapping attendee base interested in gaming celebrities and content.
• Anime Expo: Largest anime convention in North America, operated by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation. Comparable to Fan Expo's anime and cosplay programming, with overlap in voice actor guest bookings and anime-focused attendee segments.

Direct peers

• C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo): ReedPop-operated Chicago-based pop culture convention. Direct head-to-head competitor to FAN EXPO Chicago, competing for the same local attendee base, exhibitor partners, and celebrity guest lineups in the Chicago market.
• WonderCon: Comic-Con International's secondary convention brand held in Anaheim, covering comics, movies, TV, and pop culture. Direct comparable in format and IP scope, competing for West Coast attendees and exhibitors in the same category as Fan Expo.
• Comic-Con International (San Diego Comic-Con): Operator of San Diego Comic-Con, the largest and most established pop culture convention in North America. Direct competitor for A-list celebrity guests, fan attendance, and studio/exhibitor sponsorship dollars across the same sci-fi/comics/horror/anime/gaming category.
• New York Comic Con (ReedPop): ReedPop's flagship New York Comic Con is the largest East Coast fan convention and a direct competitor for celebrity bookings, exhibitor booths, and attendee share. Both Fan Expo and ReedPop operate multi-city pop culture convention series with similar business models.
• MCM Comic Con: Multi-city pop culture convention series operating in London, Manchester, Birmingham, and other markets. Direct comparable in scale, IP coverage (comics, anime, gaming, cosplay), and exhibitor/ticketing model, although primarily UK-based.
• Emerald City Comic Con: Major Pacific Northwest fan convention covering comics, sci-fi, gaming, and pop culture. Direct competitor for celebrity guests, exhibitor floor space, and attendee share in the same multi-category fan convention category as Fan Expo.

Broad incumbents

• ReedPop: Global pop culture events division of Reed Exhibitions, operating NYCC, C2E2, MCM Comic Con, PAX, and Star Wars Celebration. Broad incumbent with portfolio of overlapping fan convention brands competing with Fan Expo across multiple cities and IP verticals.

Others

• Informa Markets: Informa PLC's B2B exhibitions and events division, corporate sibling to Informa Connect (Fan Expo's parent). Adjacent infrastructure provider and ecosystem participant sharing back-office, ticketing, and venue procurement capabilities with Fan Expo.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FANEXPODallas
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEOrTO8A5Nq9oQ1NbvLUxrg
• Facebookfacebook.com/FANEXPODallas
• Instagraminstagram.com/fanexpodallas
• TikToktiktok.com/@fanexpohq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fan-expo-hq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fan Expo