License Global reports that Fanatics has opened its first online marketplace in Japan, on Rakuten Ichiba, operated by global Internet services provider Rakuten Group, to provide fans across Japan with access to licensed sports merchandise. Japanese sports fans can access Fanatics’ range of licensed sports merchandise here. The store currently offers more than 10,000 officially licensed products from the company’s partners in the world’s top leagues and sports organizations, including MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL and major European and international soccer clubs. The store allows customers to order directly from Fanatics’ U.S. fulfillment centers. According to Fanatics, this results in significantly shorter delivery times and affordable prices. The company also plans to expand its offerings to more than 50,000 products over time.
“We are always looking for ways to better serve sports fans across Japan, who are renowned for their passion and pride,” said Masanori Kawana, Managing Director, Fanatics East Asia. “Launching our first marketplace store for fans in Japan on Rakuten Ichiba was therefore a natural fit for us, due to Rakuten’s existing partnerships with a host of major sporting names, such as the NBA, as well as its reputation for excellence as Japan’s leading online marketplace.”
