CM Punk to be featured at Fanatics Fest NYC (August 17, 2024)
WWE star CM Punk to be featured at Fanatics Fest NYC
Last weekend, Fanatics Fest NYC took over the Mecca.
From Friday through Sunday, thousands of fans flocked to the Javits Convention Center in New York City for the ultimate sports festival. People from all over the world came to see their favorite athletes and celebrities, win prizes, play games, and more. I had the opportunity to attend on Saturday and followed the three-day event closely the entire time. If you are a sports fan, I highly recommend attending Fanatics Fest. Here are some of my impressions:
The New Yorkers were all present at the Fanatics Fest
Although fans from all over the world flocked to the convention center, it was also clear that New Yorkers were in attendance in full force. On Saturday, excitement was still building about Friday’s meet and greet with New York Knicks guard and New Jersey native Jalen Brunson. Fans posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) about his appearance and how a huge crowd lined up to meet the All-Star.
But that’s not all: Two-time Super Bowl winner and former Giants quarterback Eli Manning’s jersey was framed in the Sports Illustrated section of the convention along with some of his trading cards. When seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady criticized current Giants quarterback Daniel Jones on a panel alongside ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, the crowd let him hear it. (Brady spoke about the challenges of his upcoming career as a sportscaster, using the hypothetical “Let’s say Daniel Jones throws an interception…”)
Meanwhile, film director and longtime Knicks fan Spike Lee didn’t mince his words and made a sharp remark about his favorite team’s arch-rival when he saw a Celtics fan in the crowd.
“The Knicks have always been important,” the icon told the packed audience during the panel discussion with Brunson, Knicks legend Walt Frazier and Josh Hart. So yes, the New Yorkers made a name for themselves this weekend.
Sports media of all kinds were present
Rich Eisen takes on Adam Schefter at Fanatics Fest NYC
NFL analyst Rich Eisen takes on NFL insider Adam Schefter at Fanatics Fest NYC (August 17, 2024)
NFL sportscaster Rich Eisen and NFL insider Adam Schefter competed, bringing in a huge crowd to film and watch. Eisen also faced off against Donald De La Haye aka Deestroying, a Youtuber who specializes in 1-on-1 football duels against some of the best athletes (Eisen lost). Popular sports personality Joe Benigno of WFAN Radio had his own area and also did well with the fans in the convention center. There were numerous other sports podcasts there from stations like Sports New York, iHeart Radio and independent shows like “The Pivot Podcast.” From Youtubers to sportscasters, commentators and more, all types of sports media were enthusiastically received.
The WWE fan base was in full swing
Fanatics Fest had a station for nearly every popular sport, but WWE seemed to get the most recognition. From memorabilia in display cases to fans being able to host their own personalized walkout to autograph signings and podcasts, wrestling fans came in large groups. On Saturday, the biggest attraction was “The Man Masked Man Show,” which airs on The Ringer and featured CM Punk on stage for the live show. Fans whipped out their phones and rushed to see the longtime wrestler. The autograph station was always packed when a wrestler was there, and some fans even dressed up as their favorite wrestler. Fans could purchase WWE belts with their favorite sports team’s logo on them.
The world of trading cards is huge
More than half of the entire convention center was dedicated to trading cards. Everything from MLB, NFL, NBA, rookie cards, limited editions and more, fans could buy, trade, sell and admire some of the most expensive cards. Vendors had set up booths where countless people crowded around to haggle, talk sports and just check out some rare finds.
The entire sports culture was represented
The Hall of Famers, trophy cases, and sports media were there, but Fanatics Fest went a step further and represented everything related to sports, even the cultural aspect. Fans could purchase jerseys and hats, see some of their favorite rappers who are often seen courtside at games, and even delve deeper into the sneaker culture that is so highly regarded in sports.
