SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL: Dude Perfect partnering with Fanatics Live for new series

Fanatics Live is partnering with Dude Perfect on a series of live shows featuring memorabilia bidding, interactive giveaways and real-time engagement with fans. Dude Perfect, the five-man entertainment group with more than 60 million subscribers and nearly 17 billion views on YouTube, will host an introductory show tomorrow on the ecommerce platform before its premiere show Wednesday.

Episodes will span 60 to 90 minutes on the Fanatics Live app and will occur on a pop-up basis going forward. Chris Lamontagne, Fanatics Live SVP/Platform, said the show’s initial format will include live auctions, live sports card breaks and mystery box reveals, but they intend to get more creative with concepts – such as potentially having viewers “pick their Dude” as opposed to picking a team during a live break, Lamontagne explained – while taking advantage of Dude Perfect’s playground-esque headquarters in Frisco, Texas, where the live shows will be recorded. 

CAA, which reps Dude Perfect, facilitated the deal. The partnership, which marks Dude Perfect’s first venture into live commerce, represents a shift in “ecommerce becoming more experiential,” Lamontagne said. “The experience of purchasing a product can be so much richer. We have this unique opportunity to create incredible moments around the purchase…”