Sports merchandise company Fanatics is set to upgrade the retail experience at Target Center after agreeing a deal with the arena’s NBA and WNBA teams, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx.
The long-term contract sees Fanatics become both teams’ end-to-end retail partner. As part of these deals, Fanatics will take over the official e-commerce business for both teams, and also operate the in-venue retail touchpoints on gamedays at Target Center, which is located in Minneapolis.
The partnership begins as the Timberwolves have experienced high demand for new Classic Edition and City Edition merchandise and as a result, saw record breaking single-game sales for in-store purchases throughout the first few home games of the season.
In addition to e-commerce, Fanatics will make a capital investment to redesign Target Center’s in-venue shopping experience including its team stores, kiosks, and additional concourse shops, prioritising an interior layout built for ease of shopping during high-traffic, sold-out basketball games and other events.
A key aspect of the new deal is the opening of two new in-arena team stores which will provide fans access to shop leading brands including Fanatics, Nike, Mitchell & Ness and WinCraft.
“As we continue to elevate the gameday experience at Target Center and provide best-in-class service for our fans on-site and online, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Fanatics as our new end-to-end retail partner,” said Ryan Tanke, Timberwolves & Lynx chief operating officer.
“With this new agreement, our fans will enjoy two new team stores and have easier access and greater variety as it relates to purchasing Timberwolves and Lynx merchandise while enhancing their ability to feel like a valuable member of the Pack.”
Fanatics is the official e-commerce partner of both the NBA and WNBA. The Timberwolves are Fanatics’ 11th NBA e-commerce partner, with seven of those teams also partnering with Fanatics to operate in-venue retail.
The Timberwolves and Lynx are the latest Minneapolis-based sports properties to partner with Fanatics joining the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings and University of Minnesota Athletics.
Fanatics this month expanded its presence in Japan after signing new long-term partnerships with four more sports clubs, including the J.League’s Kashima Antlers.
