Cole Gahagan, chief commercial officer of Fanatics, will deliver the opening keynote address at Licensing Expo 2017.

April 6, 2018

2 Min Read

May’s Licensing Expo will kick off with a sports-focused keynote discussion from Fanatics’ Cole Gahagan.

Cole Gahagan, chief commercial officer of Fanatics, will deliver the opening keynote address at Licensing Expo 2017.

The keynote session will take place on Tuesday, May 23, from 8-9 a.m. and marks the start of Licensing Expo, taking place May 23-25 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev. The annual licensing event is sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association and is owned and organized by UBM Americas.

“Sports licensing is a significant driver in the overall growth of the $251.7 billion licensing industry and Fanatics is a key player at the heart of that expansion as it advances its e-commerce, physical footprint and manufacturing capabilities,” says Charles Riotto, president, LIMA. “We look forward to Cole sharing Fanatics’ perspective as a brand leader in this arena.”

As a market leader for authentic, officially licensed sports merchandise, Fanatics works with the major professional sports leagues as well as collegiate powerhouses. In addition, Fanatics has an extensive e-commerce business and operates brick-and-mortar locations for the National Basketball Association, track-side stores for NASCAR and in-stadium shops, including at Churchill Downs, at sports venues throughout the U.S.

“Licensing Expo is delighted to welcome Cole Gahagan as this year’s keynote speaker,” says Jessica Blue, senior vice president, licensing, UBM. “Fanatics, once a major force in the e-commerce world, has now become one of the largest sports retailers in the world. We are excited to hear the Fanatics story and future strategy at Licensing Expo 2017.”

Gahagan is a sports management executive with varied experience leading large-scale businesses and strategic growth for a host of organizations. He joined Fanatics in October 2016 to oversee the company’s strategy for new growth opportunities and to optimize service and support for its hundreds of teams.

Prior to Fanatics, Gahagan was the chief revenue officer at Ticketmaster. During his tenure, he was responsible for the company’s business throughout North America and spearheaded its league-wide enterprise deals with the NBA, NFL and NHL. Before that, he was senior vice president of business development and strategy for Live Nation’s e-commerce business.

The keynote address is part of the extensive lineup of Licensing University educational programs organized by LIMA that kick off on Monday, May 22, and run through Thursday, May 25. All of the sessions are designed to help attendees acquire new strategies, innovative ideas and practical solutions to help grow their business.

Licensing University sessions are accessible via the All-Access Pass, which is $150 for LIMA members and $170 for non-LIMA members and can be purchased on the Licensing Expo website.

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