Tucked into central Phoenix this spring was a rented house, where all of the furniture had been cleared out and replaced with tables full of boxes of baseball cards to be signed by players who were in the area for spring training…

Ramana Thumu has built and implemented cutting-edge technology platforms, consulted at some of the world’s most innovative companies, and led teams for Silicon Valley’s most famous employers. But his emergence as a leader in the industry looked very different than that of many of his peers. In fact, he didn’t grow up with a computer in his home. He didn’t even have electricity.

All eyes are on what Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin will do next. To anoint someone as supremely influential, especially the top rung in that rarified group, definitional clarity is a prerequisite. Webster’s says influence is “the power to change.”

Fanatics Chief Strategy & Growth Officer Tucker Kain said the company’s growth into a ”broad platform” beyond the commerce business it has long been known for was a “decade in the making.” Along with the commerce business, Fanatics has three newer business lines: trading cards, NFTs and sports betting.

Life isn’t all helicopters and parties for the king of sports merch — he’s got plans. Last month, after a three-day stretch in New York, Michael Rubin, was anxious to get back to Philadelphia to attend the home opener of the 76ers, the N.B.A. team of which he is an owner.

The Fair Labor Association (FLA) announced today that its board of directors voted to accredit the social compliance program of Fanatics Brands, the private label division of Fanatics, Inc., a global leader for licensed sports merchandise headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, that specializes in licensed fan apparel for the world’s most popular leagues, brands, and collegiate and professional teams.