New York City is about to witness a sports-driven extravaganza as Fanatics Fest 2025 makes a jubilant return to the Javits Center from June 20 to 22. In what promises to be a dizzying whirl of sports, memorabilia, and celeb sightings, this second edition of the Fest aims to outpace its predecessor with a star lineup and an astonishing array of limited-edition collectibles.
The all-encompassing three-day festival will cover an extensive scope of sports from the high-energy antics of wrestling to the meticulously strategized plays of football. Yet, true to its New York roots and reflecting the city’s eternal love affair with baseball, the event is crammed with baseball-focused activities that would set any bat swingin’. The roster of celebrities lined up for autograph signings and irresistible photo ops reads like a who’s who of baseball royalty.
Get ready, Yankees fans, because you might just find yourself on cloud nine. Bringing their charisma and their legacies to the Fest are baseball icons like “The Captain” Derek Jeter, along with the ever-charismatic Mike Piazza, Dwight “Doc” Gooden, and the powerhouse, Reggie Jackson. Not to forget, the fresh Hall of Fame entrants, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, will also be gracing the event with their presence. If that’s not enough to make the mercury rise, then a sprinkle of past legends such as Albert Pujols, Manny Ramirez, and Mike Schmidt are set to amp up the nostalgia. And to keep the locals particularly thrilled, the roster includes current Yankees luminaries, Max Fried and the jazzy Jazz Chisholm Jr.
This star-studded mix isn’t limited to just baseball. Basketball greats like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, NFL legends including Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, the wrestling powerhouse John Cena, the puck-stopping machine Henrik Lundqvist, and entertainment heavyweights such as Travis Scott, Kevin Hart, and Kevin Costner will also pack the venue with pop culture wattage.
For the devout collectors and hobbyists, Fanatics Fest will serve as a tantalizing banquet of exclusives and collectibles. At the center of this treasure trove, ready to tempt even the most implacable of passion pursuers, is Fanatics’ Topps brand shining in the spotlight. It’s an event-exclusive fiesta with three distinct card releases.
Friday marks the launch of the “Cactus Jack” high-end boxes, each priced at $500 for the discerning collector. Inside, two packs contain four cards each, promising adrenaline-filled unboxings. The rest of the weekend will see Fanatics Fest-exclusive Topps Series 2 boxes make their debut featuring New York City-themed parallels that will have Gotham aficionados buzzing. These hobby boxes come priced at $300, while the economically sensible might opt for the $50 value boxes.
Beyond mere trading and swapping, one of the sentimental darling returns from its triumphant past— the “Museum of Greatness.” It’s an awe-inspiring spectacle with sports memorabilia valued over a princely sum of $200 million. Attendees can feast their eyes on the invaluable historical gems like pieces from baseball immortals Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and the sensation that is Shohei Ohtani. Additionally, the gallery will proudly display over 50 Topps Rookie Debut Patch cards, including the breathtaking Paul Skenes patch that fetched a jaw-dropping price tag, launched to the stratosphere in a sale earlier this year.
For the athletic at heart, this year debuts the Fanatics Games, putting attendees’ skills to the test against professional athletes in competitions like Pitching Accuracy. Proving your mettle could pay off with cash prizes, adding yet another thrilling facet to the jam-packed roster.
Round the clock panels, live podcasts, and immersive experiences will run incessantly through the weekend, transforming this gathering not just into an epicenter of shopping and swapping, but into a full-fledged, exuberant celebration of sports culture that will leave everyone anticipating next year before this one even wraps up.
Last year’s Fanatics Fest saw an electrifying turnout of 70,000 sports enthusiasts swooning through its doors, and the 2025 edition seems poised to draw in an even greater crowd, feverish with expectation, hearts alight with a love for the game.
For those left out of breath and eager for more information, ticket details, and an array of anticipation-building schedules can be found at FanaticsFest.com. Thanks to a brilliant combination of rare memorabilia, superstar cameos, and unique occurrences, Fanatics Fest 2025 is not something any sports fan would want to miss.
