Fanatics debuts Fanatics Studios with Olympics, Tom Brady and ESPN at Intuit Dome

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Tom Brady stood on the basketball court at Intuit Dome as Aaron Donald, Travis Scott, James Harden and Hailey Bieber mingled nearby Tuesday night, part of a couple-hundred-person crowd brought together for the launch of Fanatics Studios.

The sports merchandising giant best known for jerseys and collectibles is moving deeper into entertainment, betting it can bring fans closer to the action through films, documentaries, live events and digital series.

“There can be a lot of great content coming out of this,” said Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion, whose multipart documentary is one of the initial projects created through the studio. Other projects will include the official Olympic film for the LA28 Games and joining ESPN as a producer of the 2026 ESPY Awards.

Additional partnerships include WWE, Major League Baseball and Fox Sports.

Fanatics, founded by Michael Rubin, launched Fanatics Studios in a joint venture with Michael Ratner’s OBB Media, creating a new content arm that will finance, produce and distribute sports and culture programming. The launch event unfolded on the court, where a podium and oversized screen anchored a full production as guests circulated near roped-off VIP sections.

Some attendees shot hoops on the same court — where the Los Angeles Clippers play home games — while other nearby conversations were being held between athletes, entertainers and top sports media executives.

“Seeing Michael Rubin and Michael Ratner team up to create something like this is really unique,” said Brady, whose documentary “One More Drive,” follows him as the retired NFL quarterback prepares for the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. He also explores a potential run at Team USA as flag football makes its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“This is about building stories fans actually care about,” Rubin said. “We have the relationships, the platforms and now the ability to create content across films, events and series that brings fans closer to the moments they love.”

Ratner, who will serve as CEO of Fanatics Studios while continuing to lead OBB Media’s other businesses, said the joint venture brings together Fanatics’ access to leagues and athletes with his company's production infrastructure.

“At the heart of all of it is storytelling,” Ratner said. “Together, we have the makings of a transformative global sports and entertainment studio.”

Fanatics Studios will operate as a standalone within Fanatics’ expanding sports platform, which already spans apparel, collectibles, betting and live events, including Fanatics Fest, scheduled for July 16 to 19 in New York.

ESPN president Burke Magnus announced an overall partnership with Fanatics Studios during remarks at the event, saying the collaboration aligns with the network's push to keep the narrative of how sports stories are told.

“We have to keep evolving how the most important stories in sports are told,” Magnus said. “This partnership made sense.”

Casey Wasserman, chairman of LA28, said the joint venture will play a key role in telling Olympic stories beyond the competition itself.

“Sports is probably the last vestige of common culture," Wasserman said. "One of the challenges with the Olympics is we go away. If we don’t get started, we’ll never make anything.”

NFL quarterback Jayden Daniels, left, and Tom Brady speak from the stage at the launch party for Fanatics Studio, a global studio for sports entertainment, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Haylie Bieber, left, and Kendall Jenner watch stage remarks at the launch party for Fanatics Studio, a global studio for sports entertainment, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

NFL quarterback Jayden Daniels, center, and NBA player James Harden mingle at the launch party for Fanatics Studio, a global studio for sports entertainment, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Tom Brady addresses the audience at the launch party for Fanatics Studio, a global studio for sports entertainment, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Rapper Travis Scott, center, stands alongside Fanatics founder and CEO Michael Rubin at the launch party for Fanatics Studio, a global studio for sports entertainment, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Retired NFL players Aaron Donald, left, and Tom Brady pose together at the launch party for Fanatics Studio, a global studio for sports entertainment, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Tom Brady, center, poses with Michael D. Ratner, left, founder and CEO of OBB Media and CEO of Fanatics Studio, and Fanatics founder Michael Rubin at the launch party for Fanatics Studio, a global studio for sports entertainment, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Tom Brady arrives at the launch party for Fanatics Studio, a global studio for sports entertainment, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild have clinched a spot in the NHL playoffs, giving them another chance to advance in the postseason for the first time since 2015.

The Wild earned a bid 75 games in after clinching last year in the 82nd and final game of the regular season. They beat league-worst Vancouver 5-2 on Thursday night to get in.

Minnesota was eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round last year, ending coach John Hynes’ debut season.

The Wild failed to advance in seven postseason appearances between 2016 and 2023. Their deepest run in the playoffs was a trip to the conference finals in 2003 in the franchise’s third year of existence.

The Minnesota North Stars lost in the 1981 and 1991 Stanley Cup Final. They relocated to Dallas in 1993, becoming the Stars, and hoisted the Cup in 1999.

The Wild proved their commitment to contending this season by signing Kirill Kaprizov to an eight-year, $136 million contract extension — the richest deal in league history. The star winger has a team-high 83 points.

Goaltender Filip Gustavsson has won twice as many games as he’s lost while giving up a little more than 2 1/2 goals per game.

Minnesota has the league’s longest active streak of consecutive winning seasons at 14.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) shoots the puck against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson defends his net against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman celebrates after his goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)