Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx Team Up with Fanatics in Omnichannel Retail Partnership to Elevate Fan Experience
Today, the Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Lynx and Fanatics, a global digital sports platform and leading provider of licensed sports merchandise, announced an exclusive, long-term partnership that sees the company become both teams’ end-to-end retail partner. As part of these deals, Fanatics will take over the official e-commerce business for both teams, and also operate the in-venue retail touchpoints on gamedays at Target Center.
The partnership begins as the Timberwolves have experienced high demand for new Classic Edition and City Edition merchandise and as a result, saw record breaking single-game sales for in-store purchases throughout the first few home games of the season. A centerpiece of the partnership is a new, tech-infused e-commerce destination powered by Fanatics’ in-house developed Cloud Commerce Platform (CCP). Shop.timberwolves.com and www.lynxteamstore.com are now live and provide a smooth, seamless online shopping experience with access to the widest assortment of team merchandise for all members of the family including jerseys, headwear, outerwear, hardgoods, and more. These new cutting-edge web platforms are optimized for shoppers on desktop, mobile, and tablet, with hi-resolution product landing pages and expanded payment options at checkout.
“As we continue to elevate the gameday experience at Target Center and provide best-in-class service for our fans on-site and online, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Fanatics as our new end-to-end retail partner,” said Ryan Tanke, Timberwolves & Lynx COO. “With this new agreement, our fans will enjoy two new team stores and have easier access and greater variety as it relates to purchasing Timberwolves and Lynx merchandise while enhancing their ability to feel like a valuable member of the Pack.”
In addition to e-commerce, Fanatics will make a capital investment to redesign the Target Center’s in-venue shopping experience including its team stores, kiosks, and additional concourse shops, prioritizing an interior layout built for ease of shopping during high-traffic, sold-out basketball games and other events. A key aspect of the new deal is the opening of two new in-arena team stores which will provide fans access to shop leading brands including Fanatics, Nike, Mitchell & Ness, WinCraft, and more. By pairing together online and in-arena retail operations, Fanatics is able to curate a cohesive, consistent shopping experience for fans with the ability to shift inventory seamlessly and meet the demands of fans wherever they choose to shop.
“Fanatics is incredibly excited to partner with the Timberwolves and Lynx to provide the widest assortment of team merchandise for fans of Minnesota basketball everywhere,” said Ed O’Brien, Fanatics SVP of Business Development. “Through our leading assortment of brands, tech capabilities and physical retail expertise, we look forward to improving the fan experience for both teams on gamedays and beyond.”
Fanatics is the official e-commerce partner of both the NBA and WNBA. The Timberwolves are Fanatics’ eleventh NBA e-commerce partner, with seven of those teams also partnering with Fanatics to operate in-venue retail to create an omnichannel experience. The Timberwolves and Lynx are the latest Minneapolis-based sports properties to partner with Fanatics joining the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings and University of Minnesota Athletics.