Sports fan apparel and collectibles company Fanatics is the latest major brand looking to not only align and blend more closely with content but take the helm to create it. On Tuesday Fanatics and OBB Media announced a joint venture to create the Fanatics Studios sports entertainment studio, which has a slate of content projects and partnerships teed up at launch.
Fanatics Studios adds another vertical to Fanatics’ existing sports conglomerate that spans retail with licensed fan gear and apparel, collectibles like trading cards, and more recently gaming and betting.
According to the announcement, the studio was built to independently create, finance, produce and distribute content that sits at the intersection of sports and culture.
Founder and CEO of OBB Media Michael Ratner will lead Fanatics Studios as chief executive, while continuing his current role at OBB.
With sports remaining as draw for TV viewership, the new JV plans to tap into Fanatics existing media partnerships and partner networks, combined with the OBB Sports production company to more deeply engage sports fans through storytelling.
Through its three main verticals that allow fans to buy, collect and bet, Fanatics has established a database of over 100 million global sports fans; counts a global partner network with over 900 sports properties including major national and international pro leagues, players associations, teams, colleges and retail partners, as well as over 5,000 athletes and celebrities – including over 250 exclusive athletes.
OBB Pictures will handle physical production on all Fanatics Studios projects, which expect to leverage those existing sports relationships Fanatics has. And the content in turn is expected to support Fanatics’ other arms of business.
“I’m incredibly excited about launching Fanatics Studios and adding an important content and media business to our growing sports platform that also supports all of our existing businesses,” said Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, in a statement. “We could not have dreamed up a better partner in Michael Ratner and the team at OBB, and together we are going to continue pushing our mission of relentlessly enhancing the fan experience by creating content that brings fans closer than ever to the teams, players, sports, cultural moments and events that they love in a way that’s never been done before.”
Earlier projects from OBB Sports that predate the venture will remain separate, including Cold as Balls with Kevin Hart, Speed Goes Pro with IShowSpeed, Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa, and the recently announced Kevin Durant docuseries for Netflix.
In terms of programming from the new JV, Fanatics Studios is launching with a slate across feature films and documentaries, unscripted and scripted originals, live event specials and premium digital series.
Projects and partnerships out of the gate include the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with production for projects that promote athletes and culture ahead of the games and recap defining moments. Fanatics Studios will also produce the official Olympic film, which will be set for theatrical release.
Another partner is Disney’s ESPN, with hours of committed programming from Fanatics Studios in 2026 and 2027, including the renewal of a one-hour all-access special for Fanatics Fest. Fanatics Fest is an annual sports fan festival that Fanatics and OBB Media recently announced a 10-year partnership to continue to co-produce, and which will take place July 16-19 in NYC this year. And Fanatics Studios will join ESPN and Full Day Productions to produce the 2026 ESPYS annual awards show.
The studio has an overall partnership with WWE, with a multi-project comment for unscripted and digital content, including digital shows distributed on the WWE YouTube channel.
MLB, meanwhile, is signed under an official global partnership to produce original content meant to boost the sport’s fan engagement and relevance globally. Projects with MLB include a docuseries on the World Baseball Classic as nations compete for the 2026 title, produced alongside Box to Box Films.
And it has live events and related series that tap relationships with celebrity athletes, such as the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. This is a round robin flag football tournament featuring three teams of current and legendary football players, including Tom Brady, in an event that will be broadcast live on Fox in March from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Tom Brady is also involved in a multi-part docu-follow called One More Drive, produced by Fanatics Studios in partnership with Shadow Lion. It follows the seven-time Super Bowl Champion preparing for the flag football classic in 2026 and 2027, and potentially competing for a roster spot on Team USA for the Olympic Games LA28.
“Sports and pop culture are converging at the heart of the global entertainment landscape and we’re building Fanatics Studios to redefine what is possible at that intersection,” said Ratner in a statement. “At OBB, our mission has always been to work with the greatest and most ambitious partners, and Fanatics is undeniably that — a powerhouse that is respected by athletes, leagues, organizations, and fans across the sports universe.”