Fanatics.com Raises $1Billion from SoftBank

SoftBank Group Corp. and its Vision Fund are closing a $1 billion investment in online sports retail company Fanatics, Inc., according to MarketWatch. Other investors in the round include the NFL and Major League Baseball.

Founded in 1995, Fanatics is a market leader for licensed sports merchandise on a mission to provide the ultimate shopping experience to sports fans. A top 50 Internet Retailer Company, Fanatics offers the broadest online assortment of officially licensed items, as well as the largest selection of sports collectibles and memorabilia. It operates more than 300 online and offline stores and handles ecommerce businesses for all major professional sports leagues, including the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, and PGA; major media brands such as NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and FOX Sports; and more than 150 collegiate and professional team properties.

SoftBank’s investment in Fanatics.com is scheduled to close this month as part of a round of funding that will bring the company’s total valuation from $3 billion to $4.5 billion.