In a groundbreaking move within the sports card market, Burbank Sportscards has inked an exclusive agreement with Fanatics Collect, paving the way for the listing of its massive inventory of 40 million sports cards on the recently established platform. This strategic partnership was unveiled a mere 11 days following the official launch of Fanatics Collect and is anticipated to be a standout transaction at the forthcoming 2024 National Sports Collectors Convention.
Recognized as a dominant force in the industry, Burbank Sportscards has been a notable presence on eBay since 2003, with an impressive track record of over 6.8 million items sold. Additionally, the business has facilitated the sale of another 7.2 million cards through the Beckett Marketplace since 1999, solidifying its standing as a key player in the card trading community.
Chris Lamontagne, the President of Fanatics Collect, expressed his confidence in the collaboration with Burbank Sportscards, citing Rob Veres, owner of Burbank Sportscards, as being at the top of their list for potential partners. Lamontagne’s visit to the Burbank Sportscards store left a lasting impression, culminating in a mutual decision to forge a partnership between the two entities.
For Rob Veres, the venture with Fanatics Collect represents a golden opportunity to expand the horizons of his business. The aim is to showcase trading cards on Fanatics team shops alongside popular merchandise like caps and jerseys, offering a diverse selection of players and teams to collectors and enthusiasts.
Transitioning towards this new chapter, Burbank is poised to move to a sprawling 14,000-square-foot facility, which will feature in-store kiosks enabling customers to order cards on-demand. These innovative kiosks will provide access to a stock of 25 million cards that can be retrieved by staff while customers wait for a seamless shopping experience.
The primary challenge at hand is the seamless integration of all 40 million cards into the Fanatics Collect platform. Burbank’s sophisticated in-house inventory system is set to facilitate this process, with cards anticipated to start appearing on the platform within the upcoming month. Initially, cards bought in-store at Burbank will remain exclusive to the shop for one or two days before transitioning to the Fanatics Collect platform.
Distinguishing itself from other sellers whose cards are fulfilled by Fanatics, Burbank will manage its own fulfillment operations. Veres envisions a potential expansion of his current team of 25 retail and e-commerce staff to 50 members within six months to meet the escalating demand brought by the partnership.
Despite the hurdles that lie ahead, Veres maintains a sense of optimism regarding this strategic move. He envisions opportunities for curated card releases on the platform and anticipates an active role in future Fanatics events.
Veres elaborated on his anticipation for unprecedented growth with this new partnership, noting, “I feel for the first time that I have an unlimited opportunity on a platform.” Both Fanatics Collect and Burbank Sportscards envision this collaboration as a long-term commitment with ambitions to captivate new customers for Fanatics and drive sustained sales growth for Burbank.
Veres aims to diversify Burbank’s offerings on the platform, increasing the inventory of high-end cards to encompass a broader market segment to complement the existing array of low-end cards. With an eye on expanding their global reach, Veres exudes confidence in their collaboration with Fanatics, expressing a desire to attract sports fans worldwide who may not yet be familiar with Burbank Sportscards.
This partnership symbolizes a fusion of industry titans poised to innovate and redefine the sports card trading landscape, ushering in a new era of possibilities for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
