Fanatics didn’t just unveil a billboard in Brooklyn — they unveiled a $1.5 million flex.

On a Williamsburg street corner, the company mounted four authenticated, game-worn jerseys from Joe Montana, Shohei Ohtani, Peyton Manning, and Johnny Unitas behind protective glass. Not replicas. Not promo pieces. Four real sports artifacts with seven-figure combined value.

The message wasn’t subtle:

Fanatics controls the past, present, and future of sports collectibles — and they’re willing to put $1.5M on the street to prove it.

This is experiential marketing at its highest tier. Here’s the full breakdown.

1️⃣ The Assets: $1.5M in Game-Worn History

Fanatics selected jerseys that represent four different sports, eras, and fan demographics — maximizing cross-market pull.

Joe Montana (1990 MVP Season)

• One of the most valuable modern QB artifacts.

• Represents the “golden era” collector.

Shohei Ohtani (2025 Tokyo Series)

• MLB’s most global star.

• Captures both U.S. and Asian markets.

Peyton Manning (Super Bowl 50)

• Worn in his final NFL game — adds narrative premium.

• Highly liquid asset in the memorabilia market.

Johnny Unitas (Super Bowl III)

• A rare piece from a legendary game.

• Historically under-seen and museum-level valuable.

Combined valuation: $1.5M+
Fanatics didn’t pay for attention… they displayed assets that command it.

2️⃣ The Strategy: Asset-Based Marketing

Most companies buy attention through impressions.

Fanatics buys attention through artifacts.

This is a strategic evolution:

From billboard → to museum piece → to cultural moment → to conversion mechanism.

Why it works:

• Scarcity converts into social virality.

• Authenticity converts into trust.

• Legacy converts into ticket sales.

• Visual shock converts into earned media.

This isn’t a billboard.
It’s a public vault.

3️⃣ The Hidden Genius: Dates That Tell a Story

The jersey numbers 16, 17, 18, 19 line up perfectly with the dates of Fanatics Fest 2026 (July 16–19).

Subtle. Precise. Symbolic.

This is narrative architecture — turning four unrelated jerseys into a sequential message:

Day 1 → Day 2 → Day 3 → Day 4.

That’s how you turn a static display into a storyline.

4️⃣ The Business Impact: What Fanatics Really Bought

🔥 A Marketing Multiplier

A $1.5M installation drives:

• Millions in free impressions

• National media coverage

• Collector hype

• Cross-sport conversation

• Massive TikTok & IG virality

The ROI isn’t linear. It’s compounding.

🔥 Ticket Demand for Fanatics Fest 2026

Fanatics Fest is the company’s flagship experiential event.
This billboard is the awareness blast.

Expect surges in:

• Early ticket sales

• VIP package conversions

• On-site memorabilia drops

• Fanatics Live streaming engagement

🔥 Memorabilia Market Stimulation

When artifacts get seen publicly:

• demand increases

• comps increase

• liquidity increases

• auction values move

Fanatics controls the supply, so they benefit from rising demand.

🔥 Brand Positioning

This billboard says:

“If it’s rare, valuable, legendary, or game-worn — it’s ours.”

This positions Fanatics not as a retailer, but as the central authority of sports culture.

That’s the long play.

5️⃣ The Takeaway: Why This Campaign Wins

Fanatics didn’t rent a billboard.
They weaponized one.

They used:

• cultural capital

• historical artifacts

• cross-sport fandom

• symbolic numbers

• experiential marketing

• scarcity economics

This is how you dominate a vertical:

Own the assets → display them publicly → convert attention → monetize the ecosystem.

Most billboards sell products.
This one sells legacy.

If this is the future of sports marketing, collectibles, and experiential branding — you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Men lie. Women lie. The numbers never do.