What up chicken nuggets! I just got back from Fanatics Fest with my son Finn and we’ve got thoughts. Big ones. We talk about the real purpose of this event, the strategic media machine behind it, and why sports cards may just be the Trojan horse of the whole thing.

We also break down what Fanatics got right… and where they totally dropped the ball by not using card creators to host athlete experiences. This episode blends content strategy, card culture, and Kevin Durant dodging my autograph attempt.

Timestamps:

• (0:00) Intro + Kid's POV: Meeting Speed, the Rizzler, and Joey Chestnut
• (1:50) Was this actually a card show?
• (3:40) The genius FOMO social media strategy
• (5:50) “Trojan Horse” approach to card exposure
• (7:30) Missed opportunity: no card creators hosting athletes
• (11:15) The power of collab culture—why cards need a Travis Scott moment
• (13:45) Security drama: Almost met KD, then got kicked out 😂
• (18:00) What Fanatics should absolutely do next year
• (21:30) Final thoughts from Finn + peace out