SPORTICO: Fanatics Deepens Qatari Ties via Five-Year Government Partnership

Fanatics is deepening its ties to the Qatari government via a new five-year partnership that will include sponsorship of the company’s flagship New York City fan festival, plus the possibility of events in the Gulf state further down the line.

The deal with Qatar’s Government Communications Office (GCO) was signed this week at Web Summit Qatar in Doha, Fanatics said in a statement. It’s the latest push into global sports for Qatar, whose sovereign wealth fund is already a Fanatics investor, and an opportunity for Michael Rubin‘s company to continue expanding its business into new overseas markets.

The deal will start with Qatar’s sponsorship of the second annual Fanatics Fest, a three-day event in New York City in June, where the GCO will host a networking lounge. While the festival is aimed at fans—with a focus on trading cards, memorabilia and apparel—it’s also a gathering of prominent figures across sports, culture and entertainment. Speakers and attendees last year included Rubin, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, Travis Scott, Jay-Z and DJ Khaled…