Fanatics Signs Lease For Aberdeen Distribution Center, Officials Say
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Fanatics, one of the leading e-commerce retailers offering licensed sports apparel and collectibles, has signed a lease at a 500,000-square-foot distribution center in Aberdeen, the Maryland Department of Commerce said.
The facility at 727 Old Philadelphia Road is expected to employ 135 full-time workers.
"We are pleased to welcome Fanatics to Harford County with this significant new distribution center," said Gov. Larry Hogan. "The region has announced several successful distribution and logistics projects over the past year, and we believe Fanatics will continue contributing to this growing sector and help keep Maryland open for business."
Officials touted the location of the distribution center, saying it provides easy access to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and the Port of Baltimore.
"Fanatics is excited to open our latest state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Harford County, which will provide a variety of pathways to quickly reach a significant portion of fans with the largest assortment of real-time, high-quality licensed sports merchandise," said Lonnie Phillips, Fanatics' chief customer officer. "We're excited to be adding jobs to the county and can't wait to fully immerse ourselves within the local community."
The company is eligible for up to $5,000 in annual workforce training grants through Harford County.
"We are excited to welcome Fanatics to Harford County and look forward to the new jobs they will bring to our community," County Executive Barry Glassman said. "They join a growing list of national brands that have chosen Harford as an ideal place to do business."
Fanatics has license agreements with the NFL, NCAA, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, NASCAR and dozens of international soccer teams.
Earlier this year, after acquiring the exclusive license to produce MLB trading cards, Fanatics acquired Topps, the iconic company long associated with the hobby, for a reported $500 million.
The move reportedly pushed Fanatics' valuation to $27 billion.
