ESPN issued the following:
ESPN and Fanatics Studios announce second edition of Fanatics Fest: All Access to Debut on August 4 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
Hour-long special hosted by Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordyn Woods features the sights and sounds of the world’s #1 Sports Fan Festival
Today, ESPN and Fanatics Studios, a joint venture between Fanatics and OBB, released the official trailer for Fanatics Fest: All Access, an hour-long special premiering August 4 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and on the ESPN App immediately following its linear debut. The second installment of the special offers unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to Fanatics Fest, the premier sports, entertainment and culture 4-day event that recently brought together the biggest names in sports, music, comedy and entertainment.
Hosted by NBA All-Star and World Champion Karl-Anthony Towns and entrepreneur and media personality Jordyn Woods, the special takes viewers inside the action from this year’s event, delivering exclusive access to unforgettable fan moments, headline-making appearances and the personalities who helped define one of the biggest events of the summer. The special also gives an insider look at the Fanatics Games, the annual competition that pits 50 athletes and celebrities against 50 fans for the chance at $2 million in prizes. The biggest surprise of the weekend came when Justin Bieber appeared alongside the pairing of Tom Brady and Novak Djokovic, only to then dominate the event and take home the $1 million first prize. Bieber donated his winnings — giving $500K to the fan competitors ($10K each) and the remaining $500K to charity.
Towns, Woods, Djokovic, and WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley also give their perspectives on the event through intimate interviews and their own personal experience of Fanatics Fest. The special also features an inside look at programming in the Fanatics Fest Theatre featuring a panel with the New York Knicks starting lineup, including NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson. Others spotlighted in the special include Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Marcello Hernandez, Lionel Messi, Kevin Hart, Victor Wembanyama, Travis Scott, Kevin Durant, Josh Hart, Livvy Dunne, Jaxson Dart, Aaron Judge, Nikki and Brie Bella, David Wright, Jason Sudeikis, Seth Meyers, Ryan Reynolds, Danhausen, Stephanie McMahon, Liv Morgan, Kristin Juszczyk, Roman Reigns, Rio Ferdinand, Rodri Emiliano Martinez among us many others.
In addition to exclusive celebrity access, the special showcases the immersive experiences, fan interactions and brand activations that helped bring Fanatics Fest to life, including collaborations with featured brands – AT&T, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Disney, Starbucks and Target, Raising Canes and more.
“Fanatics Fest is one of the fastest growing and unique events in sports,” said Brian Lockhart, SVP of Original Content, ESPN. “It brings together athletes, fans, creators, and collectors in one unforgettable weekend. With Fanatics Fest: All Access, we’re giving audiences a behind-the-scenes, immersive look at what makes the event so special. It’s the next best thing to being there.”
“Fanatics Fest has become a phenomenon, bringing the worlds of sports, entertainment, and culture together like no other event on the calendar, and Fanatics Fest: All Access captures the energy, passion and unforgettable moments that make it so special,” said Michael D. Ratner, CEO of Fanatics Studios and CEO and Founder of OBB. “With this second edition, we wanted to go even deeper, bringing our audience behind the scenes with talent and really immersing them in the experience of Fanatics Fest. Whether you were in New York or watching from home, this special puts you right in the middle of the action.”
Produced by Fanatics Studios Fanatics Fest: All Access captures the unique intersection of sports, entertainment and fandom, giving viewers a front-row seat to the moments, personalities and experiences that made this year’s event unforgettable.
Fanatics Fest: All Access is executive produced by Fanatics Studios & OBB’s Michael D. Ratner, Scott Ratner, Kfir Goldberg and Camille Maritachi, with Andria Parides serving as executive producer and showrunner, and Manny O. Gutierrez directing.
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About Fanatics Studios
Fanatics Studios is a transformative joint venture by Fanatics, a leading global sports platform, and OBB Media, the award-winning next-gen entertainment studio, creating a global sports and entertainment studio. Built to independently create, finance, produce, and distribute best-in-class content at the intersection of sports and culture, Fanatics Studios will house a slate of projects spanning feature films and documentaries, unscripted and scripted originals, one-of-a-kind live event specials, premium digital series, and more.
Fanatics Studios brings together industry-leading capabilities, resources, and relationships from both companies—pairing Fanatics’ unmatched reach and impact as one of the most dynamic forces in sports, with a roster of thousands of preeminent athletes and partnerships spanning MLB, WWE, LA28, and ESPN across apparel, trading cards and collectibles, sports betting and iGaming, events, and more—with OBB’s proven ability to drive culture through storytelling and create award-winning content with the biggest names in entertainment, amassing billions of views. Fanatics Studios’ slate includes partnerships with NFL, WWE, MLB, LA28 and ESPN and the venture will deliver high-impact fan experiences in live and unscripted content such as, the ESPY’s, The Fanatics Flag Football Classic, the newly announced Suni Lee documentary and Fanatics Fest: All Access.
