Director, Athlete Partnerships - Basketball

About Us

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.


About the Team

Fanatics Collectibles is a new company operating at the intersection of collectibles, culture, and technology. Backed by world-class investors, operators, and sports & entertainment partners, we are building the global leader in next-generation collectibles. As part of the broader Fanatics ecosystem, we leverage a digital sports platform that spans over 900 sports properties and engages more than 81 million fans. Together, we are reimagining every part of the collectibles experience for fans, partners, and creators.

Role Summary

Fanatics Collectibles is looking for a strategic, athlete-savvy Director of Athlete Partnerships - Basketball to join our Athlete Partnerships team. Reporting to the VP, Athlete Partnerships. This role will oversee athlete strategy and engagement owning key relationships, managing partner execution, and ensuring talent integration across product, marketing, and brand initiatives.

This position serves as a central point of contact between Fanatics Collectibles and a diverse set of stakeholders, including athletes, agents, leagues, and internal teams. As a leader within the Athlete Partnerships team, you will help drive innovation, scale athlete-driven product experiences, and bring basketball's most exciting voices into our collectible's ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities:

Athlete Strategy & Relationship Management

• Lead all basketball athlete engagement by owning and growing relationships with agents, players' associations, league partners, and key athlete stakeholders.
• Represent Fanatics Collectibles in high-level negotiations, partnership discussions, and relationship-building efforts.

Contracting, Procurement & Activation

• Oversee athlete procurement and autograph execution, including contracting, scheduling, and deliverables.
• Manage execution timelines and logistics for activations, signings, and campaign-related athlete support.
• Ensure compliance with contractual obligations and internal processes.

Cross-Functional Execution

• Serve as the strategic partner to Product, Creative, Athlete Marketing, and Legal in delivering athlete-led initiatives.
• Contribute to product planning by advising on athlete availability, alignment, and talent-driven storytelling opportunities.
• Act as a connector between athlete engagement and go-to-market planning.

Team Collaboration & Enablement

• Serve as a leader elevating team members supporting basketball, other verticals, and cross-functional partners.
• Help define and scale athlete engagement processes for maximum efficiency and consistency.
• Partner with peers across Talent Partnerships to ensure strategic alignment and best practice sharing.

Industry Trends & Representation

• Stay up to date on basketball culture, athlete influence, and commercial trends.
• Represent the basketball talent perspective in internal meetings and external touchpoints.

What we're looking for:

• 10+ years of experience in athlete management, agency, sports marketing, or talent partnerships.
• Strong network within professional basketball (NBA, WNBA), including athletes, agents, and associations.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and rapport with athletes and representation and translate those relationships into meaningful long-lasting business partnerships.
• Proven ability to drive athlete engagement strategies from ideation through execution.
• Experience managing complex relationships and high-visibility talent deals.
• Proven track record of managing and mentoring high-performing teams.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to drive multiple initiatives from concept to completion in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfortable working cross-functionally in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Willingness to frequently travel as needed and support nights/weekends for key events.
• Passion for basketball culture, collectibles, and innovation.

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