New Fanatics Credit Card Will Give Sports Fans More Perks

Fanatics, an online retailer of sports merchandise, has announced a new partnership with American Express that will bring sports fans a number of rewards and new ways to connect with the teams they follow.

With the arrangement, American Express will become the official payments partner for certain online and retail Fanatics locations across the globe. The companies also announced they will roll out a new credit card, officially known as the Fanatics American Express Card, that will operate on the leading payments provider’s network.  

The American public’s fascination with sports is showing no signs of slowing down. One needs to look no further than the telecasts people have been tuning into for evidence of that. 

In 2025, 14 of the top 15 most-watched primetime telecasts were professional football games. And the only program not related to football on that list was a telecast of game seven of the World Series.

“Nearly 80% of U.S. American Express Consumer Card Members identify as sports fans, and this partnership with Fanatics will deliver unforgettable fan experiences and expanded access at some of the world’s most popular sporting events,” Elizabeth Rutledge, Chief Marketing Officer at American Express, said in a press release on the partnership.

Fanatics is holding an event this summer in New York City that will allow sports fans to purchase autographs from famous athletes.

The company is sponsoring an upcoming Fanatics festival in New York City. The event, which Fanatics says is the No. 1 sports fan festival in the world, runs from July 16-19, 2026. At the festival, attendees can purchase autographs and photo ops with some of the biggest names in sports, including Allen Iverson and Barry Sanders. 

American Express is planning to offer fans interactive experiences at the event and will provide perks for eligible cardholders. Fanatics and American Express will also join forces on other sports-related activations throughout the year, according to the press release.

The union with Fanatics is American Express’s latest move to strengthen its ties with the sports world. In late March, the leading credit card provider and the National Football League announced a global partnership that saw American Express become the league’s official payments partner.

Sports fans who can’t make it to this year’s Fanatics festival will still have an opportunity to benefit from the collaboration between the company and American Express. One way to access those benefits is through the new Fanatics card. 

The company hasn’t given an exact date for when the credit card will be available, but has said that it will launch later this year.

Though consumers may have to wait a while to get their hands on the card, they can familiarize themselves with its perks now. Fanatics offers a digital reward currency it calls FanCash. People who opt for the Fanatics credit card can earn FanCash, which they can redeem for items including apparel and trading cards.

Tucker Kain, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at Fanatics, told CNBC that the company already has around 10 million users in its FanCash program. Consumers who open a credit card account with Fanatics will gain elevated tier status within the company’s loyalty offering.

“The credit card will be another tool for sports fans that doesn’t really exist today, giving them rewards across all they do from a fandom point of view, and really being able to bring that back into your excitement about your team, player, or league that you’re following,” Kain explained.

In addition, cardholders will have access to offers and protections via the American Express network.

Fanatics isn’t the only sports merchandise company to make moves on the credit card scene lately. Dick’s Sporting Goods and Synchrony recently announced they are bringing more value to consumers with a new credit card that allows people to earn 10% back in rewards when they use it for qualifying purchases at Dick’s locations.

With two of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues currently in the midst of postseason play, now is a good time to be a sports enthusiast. And with more companies developing financial tools that cater to fans’ interests, being a sports fan is becoming more rewarding than ever.