CEO Michael Rubin details Fanatics’ growth while criticism mounts

LOS ANGELES — Michael Rubin, CEO of the sports behemoth Fanatics, offered eye-popping numbers Wednesday when discussing the success of a business that’s grown three arms: merchandising, gambling and collectibles.Originally a sports apparel manufacturer, Fanatics has amassed 140 million customers across its ecosystems, Rubin said at the CAA World Congress of Sports in Los Angeles, a conference hosted by Sports Business Journal. This coming year, he expects the company will gross $3 billion in its National Football League-related sales, and he said his Major League Baseball business is approaching that same $3 billion mark.Advertisement