Auston Matthews and‌ Henrik Lundqvist are part of a prestigious ‌lineup ‍of sports legends who will be in New ⁤York City ⁢this weekend‌ for a⁢ groundbreaking event tailored for ‍fans, collectors, and athletes alike.

Fanatics Fest ‌NYC, a unique ​concept ​created and managed⁣ by Fanatics— the multibillion-dollar global sports ⁤distribution​ titan and ⁤NHL ⁢partner— ⁢will take place from ⁣Friday to Sunday at‌ the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

“It’s genuinely an immersive⁤ sports festival,” ​stated Lance Fensterman, the CEO of Fanatics⁤ Events.

Matthews,⁣ the newly appointed⁣ captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, ​will be attending on Friday for photos and autographs.

On ​Sunday, Lundqvist will be joined by fellow former ⁤New York Rangers goalie Mike Richter, along with current Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller and forward ‌Matt Rempe.​ They will engage in a “No Quit New York” panel discussion moderated by another former‌ Rangers forward, Tie Domi.

In addition,⁢ Lundqvist, Richter, Miller, ⁣and Rempe ⁣will be available for photo opportunities ‌and autograph ⁢signings.

This Sunday, New York Islanders goalie​ Ilya Sorokin will also be present for‌ photos and autographs.

Aside from these stars, more A-listers set to attend ‍Fanatics Fest include Derek Jeter (Friday), Tom Brady ⁤(Friday), Eli Manning (Friday), David Ortiz (Friday), Julius Erving​ (Friday), Rob Gronkowski (Friday), Kevin Durant (Saturday), Barry Sanders (Saturday), Michael Strahan (Saturday), Jerry Rice (Saturday), Lawrence Taylor (Saturday), Cal ‍Ripken, Jr. (Saturday), Peyton ‍Manning (Sunday), Mike Tyson (Sunday), and Kareem‌ Abdul-Jabbar (all three days).

“Nothing like this⁢ exists in the sports‍ world,” ⁢remarked ⁤Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin during an ‌interview on ⁢CBS ⁢Mornings⁤ on Monday. ⁢”When I attended ⁣Comic Con, I thought, ‘We need something similar for sports.’ That’s ​when we decided to create it, inviting everyone out. We’ll have​ around 200 of the best athletes, artists, and celebrities gathering ​to launch Fanatics Fest ⁣at⁣ Javits this weekend.”

In addition to autographs and photo opportunities, many athletes will partake in​ interactive‍ activities with kids‌ and various Q&A sessions, including the panel featuring Lundqvist, Rempe, Miller, Richter, and Domi on Sunday.

“The event ‍will⁢ feature a substantial focus on cards and collectibles; ​it will be the largest card show ever held in New⁣ York City,”​ said Fensterman. “Moreover, there’s so ⁣much more. We ⁣have about 50-60 panels with discussions featuring ​athletes, live recording of podcasts, a dedicated stage focused ​on card, hobby, ​and memorabilia collecting, and the entire show floor filled with activities ⁢similar to ​those the NHL is offering. All leagues will showcase memorabilia displays and⁤ interactive ⁤elements, ‍with autograph and photo opportunities provided by nearly 200 attending athletes.”

“The goal is to bring together all aspects of‌ sports memorabilia collecting in one location, allowing fans to ​celebrate their passion for sports.”

In addition to the celebrity athletes, the NHL will boast an 8,800-square-foot activation booth on‍ the main floor at Fanatics Fest, showcasing the NHL shield and​ the logos⁢ of ⁣all 32 teams.

The League will feature memorabilia⁣ displays ‌with Hall ⁢of Fame artifacts, a virtual ‌reality game, an⁤ accuracy ⁣shooting challenge targeting the four corners of the net, and a ⁣washer/dryer shooting game.

“You’ll find Fan Fests similar to the excellent one the NHL held during ​All-Star Weekend in Toronto, but those are typically for a single sport,” Fensterman explained. “We’re ⁤bringing together a⁢ multisport, immersive experience that includes interactive elements, cards, collectibles, and⁢ content in one⁣ location. This concept arises from the understanding that most major ‌fan-centric events‍ have at least one unifying aspect;⁤ think of Comic Con for popular culture, South ‍by Southwest for ⁤film, music, and television, Coachella for music ⁣and influencers, and CES for technology.”

“Each of these major platforms attracts ⁤the entire industry, giving fans a chance to engage with the creators and brands they admire. While every‌ industry has something​ like this, the sports sector did not have one, which is‍ why we believed it​ was time for Fanatics‍ to make ​this investment and take a chance.”

Fensterman remarked that it was not overly ambitious for Fanatics‌ to ⁢host the event since the company could leverage ⁣its relationships ​with numerous top athletes and its other business ventures.

Items from⁢ Topps, Mitchell & Ness, and Lids— all ⁢under the Fanatics⁤ umbrella— will also be showcased at Fanatics Fest.

“We⁢ realized we could create⁤ something quite compelling without reaching⁤ too far​ outside our existing resources. By fostering additional relationships outside our own realm, we could enhance the experience further,” ‍Fensterman expressed. “We’re making​ a significant‌ move, and I believe ‌it will offer⁢ an‍ exhilarating opportunity for⁢ fans to ⁢celebrate ‍their passions more deeply and explore new aspects of sports fandom.”

According to Fensterman, panel discussions and⁣ live interviews will forge connections between fans ⁢and athletes, creating engagement that goes⁢ beyond a ⁢simple autograph ⁣or photo opportunity.

“One of ‌the key aspects of events like this is their ability to foster deep relationships and⁤ share stories,” Fensterman explained. “The live event format is ideally suited for that. It also facilitates discovery, enabling attendees to come in for one attraction and find themselves captivated by something else. In my experience with major pop culture events like Comic Con, we ‍observed⁣ this phenomenon.”

“Not everyone wakes up wanting to dress as a superhero, but when they attend to purchase a comic book or collect a ⁢Funko Pop and see others in costume, they may think, ‘That’s pretty cool; I want to try that!’ There’s a ⁢remarkable cross-pollination and discovery involved in immersive live ⁢events like this.”