The Minnesota Wild have aligned forces with Fanatics, a powerhouse in the realm of sports merchandise and digital platforms, in a strategic endeavor to transform the retail landscape for fervent Wild supporters at the Xcel Energy Center. This fresh collaboration marks the commencement of a long-term partnership, designating Fanatics as the Wild’s official end-to-end retail partner. The move entails taking over the reins of all physical retail locations within the Xcel Energy Center premises and the management of the team’s online store, HockeyLodge.com, endeavoring to provide a seamless shopping experience for Wild devotees.
Fanatics, having previously powered the Wild’s official e-commerce platform through its league-wide NHL alliance, will now extend its purview to encompass both online and in-arena retail operations. The expanded agreement is poised to ensure a consistent shopping experience irrespective of whether fans are perusing online, on mobile devices, or attending live games at the arena. Carin Anderson, the Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships and Retail Management for the Minnesota Wild, exuded excitement about this new chapter, envisioning an enriched shopping experience for fans, both online and at the rejuvenated Xcel Energy Center store, boasting a wider array of team merchandise.
As a key facet of this partnership, Fanatics is primed to invest significantly in revamping the physical retail spaces at the Xcel Energy Center, encompassing stores, kiosks, and various touchpoints. These enhancements aim to optimize the shopping experience amidst games and events, with the amalgamation of e-commerce and in-venue retail paving the way for a seamless and convenient shopping environment for all fans.
Capitalizing on its extensive licensing agreement with the NHL, granting rights to design, produce, and distribute a plethora of authentic and replica jerseys, along with an extensive range of fan apparel and headwear, Fanatics is set to offer Wild admirers an expanded selection of top-notch team merchandise. Starting this season, Fanatics stands as the NHL’s official provider for on-ice uniforms, providing fans with the unique opportunity to purchase Fanatics-branded, Made-in-Canada on-ice jerseys identical to those donned by players during games.
In tandem with Fanatics-branded products, the retail offerings will feature apparel, headwear, hard goods, and lifestyle items from renowned brands like Mitchell & Ness, New Era, as well as local favorites such as WinCraft, UNRL, SotaStick, Levelwear, and many more. Ed O’Brien, the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Fanatics, expressed elation at becoming the official omnichannel retail partner of the Wild, underlining the significant role of hockey in Minnesota’s cultural fabric while reaffirming Fanatics’ dedication to delivering an unparalleled shopping experience for fans to revel in the game and fervently support their team.
In recent months, Fanatics has been on a trajectory of upgrades and renovations to The Hockey Lodge, the flagship retail emporium of the team. An eagerly anticipated grand opening event is scheduled for September 21 at 11 a.m., synchronizing with the unveiling of the new authentic and replica jersey line-up by the NHL and Fanatics, presenting fans with a chance to immerse themselves in the new offerings.
With this collaboration, the Minnesota Wild joins the ranks of select NHL teams for whom Fanatics spearheads both in-venue and e-commerce retail. The team’s foray into partnership with Fanatics aligns with other Minnesota-based sports entities that have harnessed the synergy of collaboration with Fanatics, including the NBA’s Timberwolves, the WNBA’s Lynx, the NFL’s Vikings, as well as the University of Minnesota Athletics, embodying a united front in the realm of fan merchandise and retail operations.
