NEW YORK CITY – At Fanatics Fest, which is described as “the world’s largest arena for sports and collectibles,” the trade show floor is not just a place to browse booths. It is a stage, a marketplace, a content studio and a social magnet. It’s also a reminder to trade show executives that the most valuable events are often the ones that make people feel like participants rather than spectators.
“We never thought of Fanatics Fest as a collection of booths,” Lance Fensterman, CEO of Fanatics Events, said. “We thought of it as a temporary world built for sports fans. The moments that mattered most were the ones that let fans move from spectators to participants — competing, trading, debating, meeting their heroes, discovering something unexpected or sharing an experience with their kids.”
That philosophy shaped every aspect of this year’s event.
The third edition of Fanatics Fest filled Javits Center from July 16-19 with more than 400 athletes and celebrities, including LeBron James, Tom Brady, Serena Williams, Kevin Hart and Justin Bieber.
The event has exploded from 70,000 attendees in 2024 to more than 125,000 in 2025 to 200,000 this year, expanding across more than one million square feet.
Fanatics describes the event as a place where immersive experiences build community while extending the reach of its partners. In practice, it feels less like a traditional exposition and more like an interactive sports festival where every corner invites attendees to play, shop, compete or discover something new.
Visitors raced Formula 1 simulators, tested their soccer skills at FIFA, boxed at the UFC activation, traded collectibles, watched live podcasts and wandered into surprise celebrity appearances.
“A booth asks, ‘What do we want to show people?’” Fensterman said. “An experience asks, ‘What do we want people to feel, do and remember?’ That distinction shaped the entire event.”
Related. Fanatics Fest Scales Up with Star Power and Spectacle at Javits Center
Designing for Discovery
Fanatics Fest also demonstrates the power of designing a show floor as a journey rather than a grid of exhibits.
This year’s event expanded to seven content stages spread throughout the convention center, encouraging attendees to keep moving instead of settling into a predictable path and providing entertainment and engagement with athletes and celebrities at every turn.
“The best live events are not linear programs where every attendee follows the same path,” Fensterman said. “They are worlds people can explore and personalize.”
He said the goal was never simply to occupy attendees for eight hours, but to create enough relevance, community and unexpected moments that people continually choose to stay.
That philosophy extends behind the scenes as well.
Fanatics intentionally designs athlete, entertainer and creator traffic patterns so stars regularly move through public spaces instead of disappearing behind closed doors.
“We wanted to create a feeling that you never know who you might bump into at Fanatics Fest,” Fensterman said.
Beyond the Convention Center
This show also demonstrates how today’s live events can extend far beyond their venues.
Fanatics Fest generated more than 225 billion media impressions, with livestreams, social media clips, creator content and traditional media dramatically expanding its reach beyond the 200,000 attendees inside the building.
“What surprised me was not simply the volume of attention, but the appetite people had to participate from outside the building,” Fensterman said. “It reinforced that a live event no longer ends at the walls of the venue — or when the doors close.”
The company deliberately invested in livestreaming, real-time editing and content distribution so memorable moments could travel instantly.
“We never begin by asking, ‘Will this go viral?’” he said. “We begin by asking, ‘Will this delight the fan standing in front of it?’ If the moment is authentic, surprising or emotionally resonant, people will naturally want to share it.”
That approach offers an important lesson for exhibition organizers increasingly looking to extend event value through digital channels. Social media works best when it amplifies a remarkable in-person experience rather than attempting to compensate for an ordinary one.
Lessons for Trade Shows
Celebrity appearances undoubtedly helped fuel Fanatics Fest’s rapid growth, but Fensterman argues that stars alone are not the secret.
“Tom Brady and LeBron James are incredible amplifiers, but celebrity is not the underlying strategy,” he said. “The underlying strategy is understanding what your audience cares about deeply and designing ways for them to participate in it.”
That lesson applies well beyond sports.
“Every industry has its heroes, rituals, debates, insider language and sense of identity,” Fensterman said. “Treat your attendees as a community, not a database. Put them onstage. Let them teach one another. Create moments of recognition, surprise and friendly competition.”
“B2B organizers may not have globally famous athletes, but they do have expertise, access and community — and to the right audience, those things can be just as powerful.”
For trade show executives, Fanatics Fest offers a blueprint for where live events are heading.
Success is no longer measured simply by exhibit sales or attendance. The winning events create environments people actively explore, stories people eagerly share and communities people want to belong to long after the show floor closes.
Reach Lance Fensterman at lfensterman@gmail.com
