Last month, Fanatics hosted nine professional athletes from the WNBA and NFL for one week in New York City, where they had the opportunity to gain first-hand insights across several Fanatics businesses – including Commerce, Collectibles, Fanatics Live, and Betting and Gaming. This is the second cohort of athletes to participate in the larger Athlete Immersion Program, which debuted in November 2023 with 11 MLB and WNBA players.
Fanatics’ Athlete Immersion Program provides hands-on, dynamic experiences for professional athletes interested in gaining additional professional skills and exposure to future career opportunities. And the need couldn’t be greater - the average career length for a WNBA athlete is 3.5 to 5 years. For an NFL player it’s just over three. These immersive experiences lay the groundwork for the athletes’ next chapters after their playing careers have come to an end.
Participants in the March cohort included:
WNBA:
- Alysha Clark, Las Vegas Aces
- Brianna Turner, Chicago Sky
NFL:
- Stephen Carlson, Chicago Bears
- Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills
- John Lovett, Miami Dolphins
- Jaleel Mclaughlin, Denver Broncos
- Andre Smith, Atlanta Falcons
- Badara Traore, Carolina Panthers
- Michael Woods, Cleveland Browns
During the week, the athletes had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from Fanatics executives, including CEO Michael Rubin, Chief Financial Officer Glenn H. Schiffman, Chief Strategy Officer Tucker Kain, Chief People Officer Orlando Ashford, VP Social Adam Lock, Fanatics Betting & Gaming Chief Business Officer Ari Borod, and Mitchell & Ness CEO Eli Kumekpor.
The players got to provide feedback on products and initiatives and connect with industry leaders from the worlds of sports, food & beverage, entertainment, and private equity. The University of Southern California faculty also provided the group core business curriculum around entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence.
To learn more about the program: