The Minnesota Wild and Fanatics have joined forces in a new long-term partnership aimed at revolutionizing the retail experience for Wild fans. Fanatics, a renowned digital sports platform and provider of licensed sports merchandise, is set to take over operations of all physical retail locations at the Xcel Energy Center as well as manage the team’s online store, HockeyLodge.com, effective immediately. This strategic alliance is geared toward offering Wild enthusiasts a seamless and enhanced shopping experience, both in-arena and online.
Previously, Fanatics had powered the Wild’s official e-commerce site through its NHL league-wide partnership. The expanded collaboration will now integrate online and in-arena retail operations, ensuring a consistent shopping experience across all platforms. Fans can expect a unified omnichannel shopping experience whether they are browsing online, on mobile devices, or attending games at the Xcel Energy Center.
Carin Anderson, the Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships and Retail Management for the Minnesota Wild, expressed her excitement about the partnership with Fanatics. She highlighted that fans will benefit from an improved retail experience, with a wider variety and increased availability of their favorite team merchandise both online and at the upgraded Xcel Energy Center store.
Fanatics will make significant investments in upgrading the retail spaces at the Xcel Energy Center, including stores, kiosks, and other touchpoints to enhance the shopping experience during games and events. By merging e-commerce and in-venue retail, Fanatics aims to provide a streamlined and convenient shopping environment for all fans.
With an extensive licensed apparel partnership with the NHL, Fanatics will offer Wild fans an expanded range of high-quality team merchandise. Starting this season, Fanatics becomes the NHL’s official provider for on-ice uniforms, giving fans the chance to purchase the same Fanatics-branded, Made-in-Canada on-ice jerseys worn by the players during games, a first in over a decade.
Apart from Fanatics-branded products, fans can look forward to a diverse selection of apparel, headwear, hard goods, and lifestyle items from renowned brands like Mitchell & Ness, New Era, local favorites such as WinCraft, UNRL, SotaStick, and Levelwear, among many others.
Ed O’Brien, the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Fanatics, expressed his enthusiasm about becoming the official omnichannel retail partner of the Wild. He stressed the significance of hockey in Minnesota’s culture and reiterated Fanatics’ dedication to offering an unparalleled retail experience that allows fans to celebrate the game and show their support for the team passionately.
In recent months, Fanatics has been implementing upgrades and renovations to The Hockey Lodge, the Wild’s flagship retail location, in anticipation of a grand opening event scheduled for September 21st at 11 a.m. This event coincides with the launch of the new portfolio of authentic and replica jerseys by the NHL and Fanatics, giving fans the opportunity to get their hands on the latest merchandise.
By joining forces with Fanatics, the Minnesota Wild become the third NHL team for which Fanatics operates both in-venue and e-commerce retail. The Wild aligns with other Minnesota-based sports organizations partnering with Fanatics, including the NBA’s Timberwolves, the WNBA’s Lynx, the NFL’s Vikings, and the University of Minnesota Athletics, in providing fans with top-notch merchandise and an enhanced shopping experience.
