The Minnesota Wild have scored big by teaming up with Fanatics, a renowned global digital sports platform, to revamp the retail experience for fans. This long-term partnership signals a strategic move to enhance the shopping experience for Wild enthusiasts, whether they are browsing online or attending games at the Xcel Energy Center.
Fanatics, already known for powering the Wild’s official e-commerce site through its NHL partnership, has now expanded its reach to include in-arena retail operations. This integration aims to provide a seamless and consistent shopping experience, ensuring that fans can easily access their favorite team merchandise both digitally and in person.
Carin Anderson, the Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships and Retail Management for the Minnesota Wild, is excited about the collaboration. She promises fans an upgraded experience at the Xcel Energy Center store, boasting a wider range and increased availability of team merchandise. Fanatics will invest significantly in enhancing the retail spaces at the arena, creating a more optimized shopping environment for fans during games and events.
With a strong focus on licensed apparel, Fanatics will offer Wild fans an extended range of high-quality team merchandise, including authentic and replica jerseys. As the official provider for on-ice uniforms this season, fans can purchase the same Fanatics-branded, Made-in-Canada jerseys worn by players during games, a unique opportunity that hasn’t been available for over a decade.
The retail offerings will not just feature Fanatics-branded products but also include items from other top brands like Mitchell & Ness, New Era, and Minnesota-based WinCraft. Local favorites like UNRL, SotaStick, and Levelwear will also be part of the selection, ensuring fans have a diverse range of merchandise to choose from.
Ed O’Brien, the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Fanatics, is thrilled about the partnership with the Wild. He acknowledges the significance of hockey in Minnesota’s culture and emphasizes Fanatics’ commitment to providing an unparalleled retail experience for fans to celebrate and support their team wholeheartedly.
As part of the partnership, Fanatics has been busy renovating The Hockey Lodge, the Wild’s flagship retail location. The store will host a grand opening event on September 21, showcasing the new authentic and replica jersey collection to fans, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead.
The Minnesota Wild now join the ranks of other sports organizations in the state that have partnered with Fanatics, including the Timberwolves, Lynx, Vikings, and the University of Minnesota Athletics. Fanatics continues to solidify its position as a go-to destination for sports merchandise across various leagues and teams, bringing fans closer to the game they love.
