The Baltimore Orioles will become the fifth MLB team to turn over ballpark merchandise sales to Fanatics, with the official MLB ecommerce provider already fueling online merch sales.
The new 10-year partnership will see Fanatics become the team’s official end-to-end omnichannel retail partner starting with the 2023 season. Fanatics will now oversee operations of all in-venue retail locations at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, including the Orioles Team Store located on Eutaw Street. Over the course of the partnership, Fanatics and the Orioles will together make a significant investment to elevate the team’s overall stadium retail footprint and enhance the fan experience on gameday and beyond.
“We are thrilled about our new alignment with Fanatics to bring a more expansive and diverse inventory of the top brands that our fans will love when visiting Oriole Park,” said T.J. Brightman, Orioles Senior Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer, via press release. “There is nothing more important to us than the fan experience, and we truly believe this long-term partnership will only enhance that.”
Fanatics controls rights to design, manufacture and distribute all Nike MLB fan apparel sold at retail and owns severals brands in the space, including Topps, WinCraft, and Mitchell & Ness. Fanatics will also offer New Era merchandise, with MLB controlling a minor stake in that firm. (MLB also owns a significant chunk of Fanatics, as does Silver Lake, the private equity firm playing a major role behind many of these investments.) The circle shrinks tighter and tighter.