Burbank Sportscards, a prominent player in the sports card trading scene, has made a significant move by striking an exclusive partnership with Fanatics Collect. The collaboration entails listing Burbank’s vast inventory of 40 million sports cards on the newly launched Fanatics platform, marking one of the most noteworthy transactions of the 2024 National Sports Collectors Convention.
With a longstanding presence in the industry, Burbank Sportscards has been a dominant force on eBay since 2003, boasting a record of over 6.8 million items sold. Additionally, the shop has facilitated the sale of another 7.2 million cards through the Beckett Marketplace since 1999, solidifying its position as a key player in the card trading community.
President of Fanatics Collect, Chris Lamontagne, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, citing Burbank as a top choice for partnership. He recalled the feeling of certainty after visiting Burbank Sportscards and emphasized the mutual desire to work together, setting the stage for a promising alliance.
For Rob Veres, the owner of Burbank Sportscards, teaming up with Fanatics Collect signifies a valuable opportunity for business expansion. The plan involves listing trading cards on Fanatics team shops alongside popular merchandise like caps and jerseys, ensuring a comprehensive representation of players and teams in the trading card market.
Acknowledging the challenges that come with transitioning away from platforms like eBay, Veres expressed both excitement and apprehension about the exclusivity involved in the partnership. The decision to take a leap of faith was driven by the potential for growth and innovation that Fanatics Collect offers.
To prepare for this new chapter, Burbank Sportscards is gearing up to move to a larger 14,000-square-foot facility. The new space will feature in-store kiosks enabling customers to order cards on-demand, tapping into a stock of 25 million cards that can be retrieved by staff in real-time.
Navigating the task of integrating 40 million cards onto the Fanatics Collect platform, Burbank will leverage its advanced in-house inventory system. The seamless process is expected to roll out over the coming month, with a strategy in place to offer exclusive in-store purchases before listing cards on Fanatics Collect.
In contrast to other sellers who rely on Fanatics for shipping, Burbank will manage its own fulfillment operations. Veres anticipates a potential expansion of his current team of 25 retail and e-commerce staff to meet the heightened demand following the partnership.
Amidst the challenges and changes, Veres remains optimistic about the possibilities the collaboration presents. He envisions curated card drops on the platform and anticipates a prominent role for Burbank Sportscards in upcoming Fanatics events, highlighting the unlimited growth potential he sees in this new partnership.
Both Fanatics Collect and Burbank Sportscards are committed to a long-term relationship with ambitious objectives. While Fanatics aims to attract and retain new customers through this collaboration, Veres is focused on driving continuous sales growth. In addition to expanding its inventory of low-end cards, Burbank plans to introduce more high-end cards on the platform to enhance its market presence.
With eyes set on a global audience of sports fans, Veres looks forward to leveraging the partnership with Fanatics to reach new customers worldwide. The collaboration represents a strategic move for both parties, with the potential to reshape the sports card trading landscape in the years to come.
