THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: How Michael Rubin and Fanatics turned out to be a perfect match for each other

Moments after he and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft stood to watch Rob Gronkowski whip left-handed slap shots at a mock hockey goal — Gronk’s next sport? — Lafayette Hill native Michael Rubin dove full bore into the maw of Fanatics Fest attendees, stopping here to sign an autograph, pausing there to be part of a selfie with two men clad in Team USA Basketball gear.

Nearby, a young boy was told by his mother that Rubin was in their midst. The boy shouted, “Michael Rubin is someone I gotta see!”

Over three days at the 3.3 million square-foot Javits Center on Manhattan’s west side, Rubin, the 52-year-old billionaire, Fanatics’ founder and chief executive officer, was often the center of attention during his company’s first open festival. The event showcased the Fanatics brand, drew more than 70,000 people, and boasted a who’s who lineup of Rubin’s star-studded Rolodex: Tom Brady, Peyton and Eli Manning, Allen Iverson, Derek Jeter, Jay-Z, Hulk Hogan, and Kevin Durant, to name a few…