Burbank Sportscards, a prominent name in the sports card market, has made a significant move by partnering exclusively with Fanatics Collect. This collaboration involves listing Burbank’s extensive collection of 40 million sports cards on the newly introduced platform by Fanatics Collect. The announcement of this deal, which came just 11 days after the official launch of Fanatics Collect, is anticipated to be one of the highlight transactions at the 2024 National Sports Collectors Convention.
Established as a leading seller in the industry, Burbank Sportscards has been a force to reckon with on eBay since 2003, selling over 6.8 million items. Additionally, the shop has facilitated trading of 7.2 million cards through the Beckett Marketplace since 1999, solidifying its position as a key player in the card trading community.
Chris Lamontagne, president of Fanatics Collect, expressed his admiration for Burbank Sportscards, acknowledging Rob Veres, the owner, as one of the best in the field. Lamontagne’s visit to the store left a lasting impression, leading to the decision to collaborate. For Veres, this partnership signifies a prime opportunity for business expansion by listing trading cards on Fanatics team shops alongside merchandise like caps and jerseys, thereby ensuring a comprehensive representation of players and teams.
The transition to this new venture involves Burbank moving to a larger 14,000-square-foot facility, equipped with in-store kiosks enabling customers to order cards on-demand. These kiosks will have access to a stock of 25 million cards that can be retrieved by staff while customers wait, enhancing the overall shopping experience.
The immediate challenge for Burbank lies in integrating all 40 million cards into the Fanatics Collect platform. Leveraging Burbank’s advanced in-house inventory system, the process is expected to commence soon, with cards gradually appearing on the platform within the next month. Initially, cards purchased in-store at Burbank will have exclusive listing for one or two days before being available on Fanatics Collect.
In a departure from the norm, Burbank will manage its own order fulfillment rather than having Fanatics handle it. Veres foresees the need to potentially double his current team of 25 retail and e-commerce staff to 50 over the next six months to meet the surge in demand that is expected.
Despite the foreseeable challenges, Veres remains optimistic about the move, emphasizing the potential for curated card drops on the platform and active participation in upcoming Fanatics events. This strategic integration with Fanatics Collect presents an optimistic outlook for Burbank Sportscards, as it envisions a limitless opportunity for growth and expansion.
Fanatics Collect and Burbank Sportscards both view this partnership as a long-term commitment with ambitious objectives. Fanatics aims to attract and retain new customers, while Veres is focused on ensuring continuous sales growth. With plans to enhance its market reach by increasing the inventory of high-end cards alongside millions of low-end cards, Burbank anticipates a global influx of sports fans, leveraging the reach and reputation of Fanatics to achieve this goal.
