What Fanatics Foundation does

Fanatics Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization founded in 2022 that operates as the philanthropic arm of Fanatics, the privately-held digital sports platform led by Michael Rubin. The foundation is headquartered at 95 Morton Street, New York, and is governed by a board that includes Rubin, Orlando Ashford (Strategic Advisor), Grace Farraj (Executive Director), Gregg Winiarski (Secretary), and Nick Stoumpas (Treasurer), with Lauren Gallo serving as Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement. It concentrates its programming under four strategic giving pillars — Community, IDEA/Social Justice, Relief & Aid, and Sustainability — and channels impact through direct philanthropic engagement rather than a technology product.

The foundation's core activity is facilitating sports-themed philanthropic experiences, anchored by a first-of-its-kind multi-year partnership with Make-A-Wish announced in October 2023, under which Fanatics committed a $10 million grant plus in-kind merchandise to become Make-A-Wish's official sports partner. Through this partnership and an ecosystem of more than 900 sports partners, suppliers, and vendors, the foundation has facilitated more than 400 sports-related wishes and amplified over 1,000 in total. Supporting programming includes the All In Challenge (which raised approximately $60 million for pandemic hunger relief), the LA Strong wildfire merchandise relief effort ($3 million distributed with 12 LA sports organizations in January 2025), Fanatics Merch Madness Global Volunteer Day ($20 million in merchandise redistributed in 2023), and team-level wish experiences with franchises including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, New Jersey Devils, San Francisco 49ers, and the University of Alabama, as well as WWE at WrestleMania.

The foundation's funding model relies on two streams: individual donations collected through its website at preset tiers of $5, $10, $25, and $50 (plus custom amounts), and corporate contributions from parent Fanatics including cash grants and in-kind merchandise donations. There is no proprietary technology product; the foundation's distribution capability is derived entirely from Fanatics' relationships with professional sports leagues, teams, athletes (Tom Brady, Aaron Judge, Jayson Tatum), and retail banners such as Lids and Mitchell & Ness. Annual impact reporting cites 400+ sports-related wishes granted, 15,000+ volunteer hours logged, and over 1 million units of merchandise donated, with Fanatics' 22,000+ global employees serving as the volunteer base.

Name

Fanatics Foundation

Legal name

Fanatics Foundation™

Website

https://fanaticsfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Fanatics Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2022 as the philanthropic arm of Fanatics, delivering sports-themed charitable programming through four pillars: Community, IDEA/Social Justice, Relief & Aid, and Sustainability. It primarily serves critically ill children via a flagship Make-A-Wish partnership, plus underserved youth, disaster-affected communities, and social-justice causes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation / Sports Philanthropy

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cause, Community & CSR-Linked Sports Partnerships (Foundations, Youth Programs) (MPAKALAJ)

Keywords

• Sports philanthropy
• Charitable foundation
• Wish-granting partnership
• Merchandise donation program
• Community impact programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The foundation accepts donations from individuals through its website, with preset amounts ($5, $10, $25, $50) and custom donation options. These donations support the foundation's four strategic giving pillars: Community, IDEA/Social Justice, Relief and Aid, and Sustainability.
2. Corporate Grants and In-Kind Donations: Fanatics provides a $10 million grant plus in-kind merchandise donations to support the foundation's operations and wish-granting activities. This corporate funding enables the foundation to facilitate sports-related wishes for critically ill children.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fanatics Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates sports-themed philanthropic programs centered on four pillars: Community, IDEA/Social Justice, Relief and Aid, and Sustainability. Its flagship activity is the multi-year Make-A-Wish partnership through which it grants sports-related wish experiences to critically ill children at major sporting events and Fanatics retail locations, alongside large-scale merchandise donations (1M+ units), volunteer engagement for Fanatics employees (15,000+ hours), and disaster relief activations.

Product overview

Fanatics Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 2022 that serves as Fanatics' philanthropic arm. The foundation focuses on creating positive and lasting change across global communities through four strategic giving pillars: Community, IDEA/Social Justice, Relief and Aid, and Sustainability. Its primary offerings include the Fanatics Make-A-Wish partnership (which has facilitated over 400 sports-related wishes), merchandise donations (over 1 million units donated), volunteer programs (over 15,000 hours logged), and various charitable initiatives supported by its network of more than 900 partners, suppliers, and vendors. The foundation accepts monetary donations through its website and processes charity/donation requests via its contact form.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fanatics Make-A-Wish Sports Wish-Granting Partnership
• Merchandise Donation Program
• Volunteer Engagement Program
• All In Challenge Pandemic Hunger Relief Fundraiser

Quantifiable outcome

• 400+ sports-related wishes granted
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• WWEcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2025Fanatics expanded its partnership with WWE to deliver superstar experiences for Make-A-Wish kids at WrestleMania. WWE's 40-plus-year partnership with Make-A-Wish includes over 6,000 wishes granted, with John Cena holding the all-time record. At WrestleMania 42, 27 kids received custom title belts, shopping sprees at WWE World, and surprise appearances from The Miz and Liv Morgan.
• Make-A-Wish FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023In October 2023, Fanatics and Make-A-Wish announced a first-of-its-kind, multi-year partnership where Fanatics became the official sports partner for the wish-granting organization. The agreement included a $10 million grant plus in-kind merchandise donations. The partnership enables sports-related wishes at major sporting events including Super Bowl, All-Star Games, and WrestleMania, with athlete meet-and-greets and shopping experiences. Fanatics has amplified more than 1,000 sports-related wishes.
• Los Angeles DodgerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Dodgers partnered with Fanatics and Make-A-Wish to create unique experiences for children at Dodger Stadium, including locker installations with children's names, customized jerseys, and meet-and-greets with players like Clayton Kershaw and Shohei Ohtani.
• American Red CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFanatics supports the American Red Cross mission through blood donation drives, volunteer lending, board leadership, and financial contributions for disaster response and crisis relief efforts.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast FloridacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFanatics provides merchandise donations that bring joy to children and communities served by the organization. The partnership includes hosting career camps at Fanatics headquarters for youth from the Boys & Girls Clubs.
• Black Sports Business AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year partnership supporting the academy's mission to introduce members to career paths within the sports industry. Fanatics shares career opportunities and members have been hired to work with the company.
• Kick it OutcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFanatics serves as the official merchandising partner, transforming the organization's branded product production and marketing. Partnership includes support for the Raise Your Game program providing mentoring and leadership opportunities for underrepresented groups in sports.
• Opportunity VillageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFanatics brings merchandise donations and shopping experiences for individuals with disabilities served by Opportunity Village, creating excitement through sports swag access.
• Philadelphia EaglescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEagles TE Dallas Goedert surprised Make-A-Wish kids with shopping sprees at Mitchell & Ness in Philadelphia as part of the partnership to grant wish experiences.
• New Jersey DevilscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Devils and Devils Youth Foundation teamed up with Make-A-Wish New Jersey and Fanatics to create unforgettable two-day experiences for young hockey fans at Prudential Center, including behind-the-scenes practice access and player meet-and-greets.
• Minnesota VikingscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVikings partnered with Make-A-Wish Minnesota and Fanatics to grant wishes for children, including surprise meet-and-greets with Justin Jefferson and customized jerseys.
• University of AlabamacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to grant wishes for Alabama football fans, including game day experiences and shopping at the team store for fan gear.
• San Francisco 49erscoreGTM or Marketing Partner49ers partnered with Fanatics to grant wishes for young fans, including practice attendance, gifts from the team, and shopping experiences at the team store.
• Los Angeles Dodgers (additional)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDodgers create 'Dodger for a Day' experiences for wish kids including locker installations, custom jerseys, Q&A with broadcast stars, and ceremonial first pitches.
• LA Sports Teams ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn January 2025, 12 LA professional sports organizations, in conjunction with Fanatics and the Fanatics Foundation, distributed $3 million worth of merchandise to wildfire victims through the 'LA Strong' relief effort.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation: Baseball's joint youth development foundation supporting amateur baseball and softball programs. Compares as a sports-league-affiliated foundation delivering youth-focused impact and community-building initiatives, similar to the Fanatics Foundation's community and relief pillars.
• NFL Foundation: The NFL's philanthropic arm supporting youth health, wellness, and community programs. Compares directly as a league-affiliated sports foundation with similar wish-granting and community pillars, but operates at league-wide scale rather than being tied to a single commercial partner.
• Gatorade / Nike Community Impact Programs: Brand-level community impact programs (e.g., Gatorade's Beat the Best, Nike's Made to Play) that leverage sport for youth development. Comparable as corporate-sports partnerships supporting youth, community, and athletic engagement causes in similar philanthropic models.
• NBA Foundation: The NBA's $300M commitment focused on economic empowerment and youth development in underserved communities. Compares as a sports-league-affiliated foundation with similar diversity/equity and youth-focused philanthropic pillars, though at a single-sport scale.
• ESPN / Disney Wish Programs: Disney has been a long-standing Make-A-Wish sponsor and ESPN sports programming supports wish experiences. Comparable as a major media/entertainment sponsor that brings scale, content, and event access to wish-granting and sports-philanthropy initiatives.
• Under Armour Foundation: Under Armour's philanthropic arm supporting youth access to sport through equipment donations and programming. Directly comparable as a sports-brand-affiliated foundation leveraging merchandise and brand ecosystem for community impact, similar to Fanatics Foundation's merchandise donation model.
• Nike Foundation: Nike's philanthropic arm investing in youth access to sport. Comparable as a global sports-brand philanthropic foundation with similar emphasis on community, access, and youth development programs, though at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• WWE Foundation: WWE's philanthropic arm with a 40+ year partnership with Make-A-Wish (6,000+ wishes granted). Directly comparable as a sports-entertainment-affiliated foundation with shared wish-granting focus and partnership overlap with the Fanatics Foundation's WrestleMania activations.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation (corporate partners): Make-A-Wish is the foundation's flagship strategic partner (since October 2023, $10M grant). While not a peer foundation itself, other major corporate wish-granting partners (Disney, Marriott, etc.) are the closest functional comparables to Fanatics Foundation's flagship program.

Others

• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital / Sports Fundraising Partners: St. Jude partners with major sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB) for fundraising and awareness. Comparable as a major pediatric nonprofit that the sports ecosystem rallies around, paralleling Fanatics Foundation's mission around critically ill children through sport.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Fanatics Foundation