Fanatics Acquires Fexpro

Fanatics has completed its acquisition of Fexpro, a wholesaler of licensed sports and branded apparel serving Latin America.    

Headquartered in Panama with a presence across Latin America, Fexpro is a licensee for several major U.S. sports leagues in Latin America, including the NFL, NBA and MLB. The business also works with soccer clubs including Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, as well as sportswear brand Umbro.    

Fanatics’ addition of Fexpro significantly strengthens the organization’s capabilities and footprint across Latin America and its partners will now benefit from local expertise and infrastructure, strong capabilities in product design, and a comprehensive retail distribution network across the region.  

Fexpro will join the Fanatics brands division within Fanatics commerce, and all the company’s 100-plus employees will continue to report to Alberto Bassan, chief executive officer, Fexpro. With the acquisition, Bassan will now report to Joe Monahan, global president, Fanatics Brands. Additional growth opportunities will include rights expansion, in-market sales and increased manufacturing and distribution capabilities.  

“We are thrilled to welcome Fexpro to the growing Fanatics family,” says Monahan. “Alberto and the team have built a strong wholesale business that complements many of Fanatics Brands’ capabilities that have been scaled globally over the past decade. Fexpro has a proven track record of strong distribution capabilities across multiple channels and retailers in the region, reaching more than 2,400 retail doors throughout Latin America. The company provides Fanatics with a solid framework for additional wholesale growth as we continually look to expand our international footprint, for the benefit of our global partners and sports fans around the world.”   

“This deal marks a fantastic opportunity for us to further grow our business and better serve our partners, with the support of a global company that has continually innovated for sports fans over the past decade,” says Bassan. “Fanatics has transformed the way quality fan gear and apparel is designed, manufactured, and delivered through its innovative vertical commerce model. With access to Fanatics’ capabilities, global infrastructure, and unparalleled relationships across the world of sport, we will be able to provide value for our partners like never before.”   

With this acquisition, Fanatics continues its international growth. Earlier this year the company acquired Italian omnichannel sports retailer EPI, which operates the retail and third-party logistics for many of Italy’s football clubs, such as Inter Milan, Juventus, A.C. Milan and the Italian National Football Team.