Fanatics and Sotheby's join forces to provide exclusive sports trading card auctions.

• Sotheby's is collaborating with fanatics on a new set of live and online auctions showcasing the rarest and most valuable trading cards in various sports.
• Fanatics, led by Michael Rubin, aims to revolutionize the trading card industry by catering to both hardcore collectors and casual sports enthusiasts.
• Sotheby's is attracting a younger demographic of bidders through unique sports items and rekindling interest in sports among collectors of fine art, wine, and cars.

The sports trading card industry is being targeted by fanatics, who are now partnering with Sotheby's to create high-end collector auctions valued at over $100,000.

The first live auction in September in New York will feature a 1948 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson card, which is the only authentic rookie card of the legendary sports figure. The card is predicted to fetch between $275,000 and $350,000.

Fanatics has swiftly entered the trading card market, acquiring Topps in 2022 and securing exclusive licensing deals with professional leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Additionally, Fanatics is launching a new collectibles marketplace this summer to facilitate the exchange of card and memorabilia buyers and sellers, as well as authenticate those items.

Sotheby's has seen significant growth in its sports category, which Brahm Wachter, head of Modern Collectables, stated is one of the auction house's fastest-growing areas.

This year, Sotheby's held its inaugural "Sports Week," featuring six live and online auctions showcasing items from top athletes such as Muhammad Ali's shorts from the "Thrilla in Manila" match and Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers jersey from Game 1 of the 2009 NBA Finals.

The NBA has made the official game-worn source of the league, featuring a collection of auctions and purchasable jerseys and other memorabilia from top players and events such as the All-Star Game.

Michael Jordan has attracted a new clientele to Sotheby's, which includes sports enthusiasts aged 20 to 40, with about 50% being new to the platform. However, fine art collectors also appreciate Jordan's work.

"Although those two things may appear to be on opposite sides of the planet, if you love sports, it doesn't really matter," Wachter said. "Many people grew up collecting cards and now, in their later years, they still have that interest."