The fans spoke. Now someone's actually listening.
Babz (@BabzOnTheMic), the Patriots superfan who started the viral #EndFanatics movement, announced today that he has an in-person meeting with Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin next week.
He's asking fans to drop the changes they want to see directly on his X post. He plans to bring them into the room.
I have an in person meeting with Fanatics Founder & CEO Michael Rubin next week.
— Babz (@BabzOnTheMic) February 16, 2026
You guys continuously spoke out & supported. It worked.
On this post, write down changes you'd like to see in the company. I want to read these in the meeting.
Change can happen. You’ll be heard.
The Backstory
Babz started #EndFanatics in late January over frustrations with jersey quality and pricing. It blew up around Super Bowl LX. Thousands of fans jumped in. The Boston Globe, Fox Business, and Yahoo Sports all covered it.
Fanatics apologized publicly. It backfired. Fans called the response tone-deaf.
NFL fans, we've seen your jersey feedback, and we take it very seriously. We’ve let Patriots and Seahawks fans down with product availability – we own that and we are sorry.
— Fanatics (@Fanatics) February 3, 2026
This Super Bowl matchup has created unprecedented challenges for us because of the massive surge in…
Babz then shared DM screenshots alleging Fanatics flies out critics, puts them in five-star hotels, and gives them face time with Rubin to quiet them down.
That made things worse for the company. Now Rubin is apparently willing to sit down directly.
Why Collectors Should Care
Fanatics owns Topps. It controls trading card licensing for MLB and the NFL. The quality and monopoly concerns fans have about jerseys are the same ones collectors have been raising about cards for years.
This meeting could be the first time a fan-driven movement gets a direct seat with the man at the top.
What's Next
The meeting is next week. Babz is collecting fan feedback now. We'll be watching what comes out of it.
Developing story. We'll keep you posted.
