Michael Rubin

CEO & Founder, Fanatics

Search every verified Michael Rubin interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Michael Rubin, CEO and founder of Fanatics, has been promoting the third annual Fanatics Fest, scheduled for July 16–19, 2026, at the Javits Center in New York City. In interviews, he described the event as a way to bring together fans, athletes, and celebrities, and noted that it will host the FIFA World Cup final press conference and a watch party. Rubin said the Knicks' 2026 NBA championship generated nearly $100 million in e-commerce sales for Fanatics, which he called the single biggest championship sales period in the company's history. He also discussed Fanatics' trading card business, stating that the company entered the market in January 2022 because he believed existing licensees were "complacent, fat and happy, not innovative, not marketing." Rubin participated in a panel at Fanatics Fest with artist George Condo, Tom Brady, and Karl-Anthony Towns, where he called Condo his "number one favorite artist" and discussed a collaboration in which Condo created 19 one-of-one hand-painted trading cards to be released in Topps products. In a separate interview, Rubin said he does not view his business relationships with Black artists and athletes as "black culture" but rather as "doing the right thing," and cited learning from figures such as Jay-Z and Travis Scott. He also addressed his approach to business, saying relationships are "so important" during tough times and that he gravitates toward what he is good at, noting he was a poor student and received a 780 combined SAT score.