Band of Heroes: How Fanatics is leading the pack to support communities across North America fighting COVID-19.

It's a new week of #BandofHeroes, where we love to celebrate positive news from our partners in response to the on-going Coronavirus Pandemic. Up next, the brand that gears up millions of sports fans every year: Fanatics. The sports giant has been one of the first players to react to COVID-19 with amazing initiatives to help front-line workers and communities in need across North America. Read about the latest actions being taken by the company to help.

Producing MLB protective gear for the medical system 

In early March, the sports company reacted to the coronavirus pandemic by switching their production in its factory in Easton, Pennsylvania, to produce masks and gowns for front-line workers to help mitigate the national shortage of personal protective equipment. Fanatics, who usually manufactures the official uniforms for MLB, is taking the raw materials used in the creation of Phillies and Yankees jerseys and using them to create up to 1 million masks and hospital gowns. 

“As the demand for masks and gowns has surged, we’re fortunate to have teamed up with Major League Baseball to find a unique way to support our frontline workers in this fight to stem the virus, who are in dire need of essential resources.” said Michel Rubin, Fanatics’ executive chairman. 

Read more here. 

Aiming to raise $100 million with the “ALL IN Challenge”

Michael Rubin didn’t stop there. After mobilizing Fanatics to produce protective gear for medical workers, he also launched the “ALL IN Challenge”, sponsored by the All In Challenge Foundation, to help eliminate food insecurity in North America. The purpose of the challenge is to encourage celebrities from sports, music and entertainment industries to donate one-a-kind experiences and items in sweepstakes auctions. The proceedings of the challenge will go to Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry and Americas Food Funds. 

“Together what we want to do is literally build the largest movement with all the best entertainers, celebrities, athletes, business titans, coming together to make a real impact on this issue,” said Rubin on Twitter. 

There are more than a hundred prizes to be won, anyone can enter the challenge by donating as little as $10 as an entry to win one of these experiences. Some of the prizes include meeting the entire cast of “Friends”, a Keep Up With the Kardashians over a Hollywood Lunch, Co-Hosting with Ellen on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and many more.

Read more about the challenge here. 

Selling team-logo face coverings to benefit hunger relief 

The brand has also started producing and selling team branded face masks in collaboration with the NFL, MLS, NHL and the NBA in order to raise funds to donate to non-profit organizations. You can now purchase face masks from your favorite team including The Los Angeles Lakers, The Chicago Bulls, The Golden State Warriors and more, to stay protected when you get outside of the house. All proceeds from the sale of licensed face coverings will be donated to the CDC Foundations, Feeding America, Food Banks Canada and Second Harvest Canada. 

Buy your team-logo mask here. 

These are only a few new initiatives that Fanatics is doing to respond to communities they serve during this time. To date, Fanatics has also given over $210,122 to local youth sports teams in North America through FlipGive.