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104-512: The New York location is run by online retailer Fanatics , who also runs the League's online store at NBAStore.com . The NBA Store sells over 35,000 pieces of NBA merchandise and features several attractions. It is often visited by players, celebrities, and political leaders. It also serves as a headquarters for the NBA where the association hosts charity events. Since opening its first store in 1998,

208-568: A fashion exhibition to celebrate the Casual Male Retail Group acquisition of the men's big & tall clothing company Jared M. , a company popular among athletes and celebrities for its custom sportswear; several NBA players were happy to show their support since the founder had fitted many of them in the past. In 2007 , the most sold team paraphernalia were from the Los Angeles Lakers , New York Knicks, and

312-568: A tuxedo , was used, followed by a similarly designed white uniform in the 2016–17 season. The 2015–16 season saw the unveiling of two special uniforms. One featured a blend of modern and classic styles (Heat Legacy), while the other is a military-inspired uniform (Home Strong). The Heat also participated in the Christmas Day games wearing special uniforms. In 2012, they wore monochrome red uniforms known as "Big Color." The following year, they wore their "Big Logo" sleeved uniforms, featuring

416-597: A $ 350 million Series A round at $ 10.4 billion valuation. Fanatics acquired Topps , the preeminent licensed trading card brand that has serviced collectors, fans and retailers for more than 70 years, in early 2022. As part of the deal, approximately 350 global Topps sports and entertainment employees joined Fanatics to operate under Fanatics Collectibles. In February 2022, Fanatics, along with some names in sports, entertainment and culture, acquired lifestyle and streetwear brand Mitchell & Ness from Juggernaut Capital Partners. Mitchell & Ness continues to operate as

520-485: A 37-point and 12 rebounds performance from James and a 23-point and 10 rebound effort from Wade. Shane Battier also scored 18 points, making six three-pointers, after having a shooting slump during the postseason up to that point. The Heat captured the NBA title for a second year in a row, becoming the first team in the Eastern Conference to repeat as league champions since the late 1990s Chicago Bulls. James

624-515: A chrome-treated version of their "flaming ball" logo. In 2014, the Heat wore a variation of their home uniform, featuring their primary logo and centered numbers in front, and black nameplates with the player's first name below the number at the back. The Heat have also honored the ABA 's Miami Floridians by donning throwback uniforms; first the road jerseys in the 2005–06 season , then the home jerseys in

728-629: A deal with Barnes & Noble Education ( BNED ) and Lids to power the fan apparel experience across 750+ BNED online bookstores; a 10-year licensing, manufacturing and e-commerce partnership with Paris Saint-Germain FC ; a 10-year exclusive merchandise partnership with the Dallas Cowboys ; and launching the first global e-commerce platform as part of an agreement with the International Olympic Committee that runs through

832-629: A disappointing 11–10 start to the 2005–06 season, Riley relieved Van Gundy of his duties and took back the head coaching job. The Heat made it to the conference finals in 2006 and in a re-match, defeated the Pistons, winning the series 4–2. Making its first NBA Finals appearance, they played the Dallas Mavericks , who won the first two games in Dallas in routs. The Heat then won the next four games, capturing its first-ever championship. Wade won

936-504: A dozen states. In April 2020, Michael Rubin—with the help of Fanatics employees around the world—launched the ALL IN Challenge, one of the largest digital fundraisers in history. The celebrity and athlete driven ALL IN Challenge exploded on social media and raised $ 60 million to provide nearly 300 million meals for Feeding America, Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry, and World Central Kitchen. Also in 2020, Fanatics established

1040-403: A dramatic turnaround in the 1996–97 season, improving to a 61–21 record – a franchise record at the time, and currently second-best in team history. That same year, Miami earned the moniker of "Road Warriors" for its remarkable 32–9 record on the road. On the backs of Hardaway and Mourning, the Heat achieved their first two series victories in the playoffs, making it to the conference finals against

1144-587: A global digital sports platform through expansion into new verticals. It was reported at that time that these verticals may include NFTs, trading cards, sports betting and gaming, ticketing, media and more. With the move, Rubin assumed the new role of CEO of the broader Fanatics portfolio. In May 2021, Rubin co-founded the digital collectibles company Candy Digital with Mike Novogratz and Gary Vaynerchuk. Candy Digital secured an exclusive, long-term agreement with MLB as its first content partner. Later that year, Candy Digital received $ 100 million financing round, valuing

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1248-602: A mobile-first, direct-to-consumer brand with its own manufacturing capabilities. Priorities such as real-time manufacturing, data, and technology, would guide the company's innovative vertical commerce (v-commerce) model. In 2015, Fanatics raised $ 300 million from Silver Lake Partners . In early 2016, the company acquired UK-based internet retailer Kitbag to accelerate focus around international expansion and global soccer. In April 2017, Fanatics bought sportswear and merchandise manufacturer and MLB uniform provider Majestic Athletic from VF Corporation in an effort to add to

1352-399: A modified 'flaming ball' logo on the right leg. The black away uniform numbers are now consistent with the lettering colors (white with red trim). The alternate red uniform was introduced during the 2001–02 season , and features the city name and numbers in white with black trim. With subtle changes like the "Miami" wordmark on the black uniforms and the addition of the "MH" alternate logo on

1456-467: A season with several injuries, including to Chris Bosh and Josh McRoberts, the Heat finished with a 37–45 record, the NBA's 10th-worst. They failed to make the playoffs after being Eastern Conference champions four straight years. It was the second time in Wade's career they did not qualify for the postseason. The Heat were the first team since the 2004–05 Los Angeles Lakers to miss the playoffs after going to

1560-573: A season. By the end of the season, the Heat won 18 of its 19 road games, the best streak on the road to end a season in NBA history. The Heat went 17–1 in March, becoming the first team to win 17 games in a single calendar month. The Heat ended with a franchise-best and league-best 66–16 record to take the first seed in the 2013 NBA playoffs . They swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and defeated Chicago in five games before winning against

1664-619: A separate, distinct brand within the Fanatics Commerce division. In April 2022, Fanatics announced a $ 1.5 billion fundraising round followed by another $ 700 million in December 2022, reportedly pushing the company's valuation to $ 31 billion. During the December round, Rubin announced Fanatics would be expanding into a third vertical in 2023, Fanatics Betting & Gaming. In May 2023, Fanatics bid to acquire PointsBet's U.S. business for $ 150 million, marking Fanatics' first move into

1768-402: A trade for former NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Shaquille O'Neal , the Heat won their first NBA title in 2006 , after Riley named himself head coach for a second stint. After the departure of O'Neal two years later, the team struggled for the remainder of the 2000s. Riley remained team president, but was replaced as head coach by Erik Spoelstra . In 2010, the Heat formed a superteam through

1872-612: Is a venture focused on creating events similar to Comic Con for sports fans. In partnership with IMG , Fanatics Events aims to bring together fans from various interests, including sports, music, fashion, and entertainment. The first event, WWE World, took place as part of WrestleMania in April 2024. Fanatics is considered by many a monopoly in North America due its aggressive ventures into sports merchandising and collectible card markets. Such aggressive actions have been

1976-521: The 1988–89 season as an expansion team . After a period of mediocrity, the Heat gained relevance in the mid-1990s when Pat Riley became team president and head coach. Riley constructed the trades for Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway , which propelled the team into playoff contention. Mourning and Hardaway led the Heat to four consecutive division titles prior to their departures in 2001 and 2002, respectively. The team also experienced success after drafting Dwyane Wade in 2003. Led by Wade, following

2080-715: The 2006 NBA champions the Miami Heat . The following year, the Lakers and Knicks retained their top spots, but the Heat were replaced by the new 2008 NBA champions the Boston Celtics . The NBA Store's main outlet in New York City was closed on February 13, 2011, due to high rent. "The amount of dollars the landlord is requiring from the next tenant, we couldn't find a way to make it work," NBA executive vice president of global merchandising Sal LaRocca said. While

2184-513: The 2007–08 season , the Heat participated in the NBA's Noche Latina promotions, or Latin Nights. From 2008 to 2014, the Heat wore a modified version of their black uniforms, featuring the wordmark "El Heat"; a sleeved version was used in 2014. For the 2014–15 season , the Heat wore their white uniforms with the "El Heat" wordmark, followed by the Noche Latina version of their red alternates in

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2288-693: The 2008 Summer Olympics in China, the NBA opened a flagship store in Beijing; the JuneYao Group was chosen to lead marketing operations for the retail chain-store. The NBA currently has two stores in China (both in Beijing) and according to CEO Chen plans to expand "up to 1,000 in the next five years." The first store was opened on July 15, 2008; it has "300 square meters of retail space" and sells about 400 different items; about 1,000 people showed up for

2392-600: The 2011 Eastern Conference finals , with the Heat winning in five games. The Bulls ended the Heat's record-setting 27 game win streak on March 27, 2013, with a 101–97 victory at the United Center in Chicago. Despite playing without Derrick Rose , Joakim Noah , Richard "Rip" Hamilton , and Marco Belinelli , the Bulls managed to end the second longest win streak in basketball history. The rivalry would continue into

2496-451: The 2013 NBA playoffs when the Heat would play the Bulls in the second round. The Bulls ended another Miami Heat winning streak by beating the Heat 93–87 in Game 1. The Heat came back in Game 2 and set a record for the largest margin of victory in franchise playoff history with a 115–78 win. The Bulls also set a record for the worst playoff defeat in franchise history. The 51 personal fouls were

2600-467: The 2015–16 season . The Heat wore a variation of their current home uniforms on the opening night of the 2012–13 season , with gold accents and a patch of the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy on the right chest. They used another variation on opening night of the 2013–14 season , this time with gold lettering. During the 2013–14 season, the Heat wore a variation of their current home uniforms, but with

2704-582: The 2021–22 season , finishing at the top of the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2013. Miami defeated their first round opponents, the Atlanta Hawks , in five games, and then won against the Philadelphia 76ers 4–2 in the conference semifinals. The Heat faced off against the Boston Celtics in the conference finals, but fell short after Butler's three-point shot to take the lead missed with 11 seconds remaining in Game 7. The next season,

2808-764: The Chicago Bulls in the final seeding game. They faced the Milwaukee Bucks in their third playoff meeting in four seasons, and eventually defeated them in five games, becoming the sixth team to eliminate a top-seeded team in the first round. They next defeated the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and the Eastern Conference Finals, respectively. Becoming just

2912-541: The Finals MVP award. The Heat experienced four years of post-title struggles from 2007 through 2010, including a 4–0 sweep by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2007 NBA playoffs . In the 2007–08 season, Wade was plagued by injuries and the Heat had a league-worst 15–67 record. O'Neal was traded to Phoenix midway through the season. Riley resigned as head coach following the season but retained his position as team president. Long-time assistant Erik Spoelstra

3016-480: The Indiana Pacers 4–2 in the second round. In the off-season, Riley engineered a summer blockbuster trade for Shaquille O'Neal from the Los Angeles Lakers . Alonzo Mourning returned to the Heat in the same season, serving as a backup to O'Neal. Returning as championship contenders, Miami finished with a 59–23 record, consequently garnering the first overall seed in the Eastern Conference. Sweeping through

3120-553: The LA 2028 Summer Games . Fanatics Collectibles was launched in 2021 after securing long-term, exclusive rights to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards for several sports properties, including MLB, MLBPA, NBA, NBPA and NFLPA. Fanatics Collectibles is led by CEO Mike Mahan, who joined the company in June 2022. Fanatics Betting & Gaming is developing an online and retail sports betting and online casino platform, leveraging

3224-544: The Mayor of London , Ken Livingstone , who received a personal tour by NBA Commissioner David Stern . The store is also host to The NBA Store Concert Series, concert events where musical artists perform at the store's half court; some previous performers include: Michelle Branch , Destiny's Child , Run DMC , and Aaron Carter . The NBA Store in New York City allowed its customers to rent areas for birthday parties or other private celebrations and has hosted charity events in

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3328-594: The Michael Jordan -led Chicago Bulls before losing in five games. Their biggest rivals of the time were the New York Knicks , Riley's former team, who would eliminate the Heat in the playoffs from 1998 through 2000. A period of mediocrity followed after, highlighted by missing the playoffs in 2002 and 2003. In the 2003 NBA draft , with the fifth overall pick, Miami selected shooting guard Dwyane Wade out of Marquette . Free-agent swing-man Lamar Odom

3432-488: The NBA Finals , losing in six games. After a historically short 72-day off-season, the Heat struggled to find consistency in the 2020–21 season , finishing as the sixth seed. They were swept in a first-round rematch with the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks. The 2021 off-season saw the departures of Dragić and Iguodala, along with the acquisition of veteran Kyle Lowry and P.J. Tucker . The Heat bounced back during

3536-773: The Orlando Magic , Charlotte Hornets , and the Minnesota Timberwolves ); the team, known as the Heat, began play in November 1988. The Miami Heat began their early years with much mediocrity, only making the playoffs twice in their first eight years and falling in the first round both times. Miami had previously been home to the Miami Floridians of the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1968 to 1972. Upon

3640-581: The Toronto Raptors . The 2016 free agency was marked with relationship issues and disagreements between Dwyane Wade and Heat president Pat Riley , mostly focusing on how much Wade would get paid. On July 6, 2016, Wade announced that he was leaving the Heat to go join his hometown Chicago Bulls . In September 2016, Bosh failed his physical exam with the Heat and was not cleared by the team to participate in training camp. On September 26, 2016, Heat president Riley said he viewed Bosh's career with

3744-454: The e-commerce businesses of major professional sports leagues and media brands, as well as hundreds of collegiate and professional team properties. Michael G. Rubin is the founder and CEO of Fanatics. In 1998, Rubin created an apparel and logistics company, Global Sports Incorporated, which would later turn into GSI Commerce , a multibillion-dollar e-commerce company. Rubin sold GSI to eBay later that year for $ 2.4 billion and bought back

3848-546: The playoffs . They entered the playoffs as the Eastern Conference second seed with a record of 54–28 team, and with the "Big 3" healthy. They went 12–3 in the first 3 rounds. They swept the Charlotte Bobcats . They then beat the Brooklyn Nets 4–1. They went on to play the first-seeded 56–26 Pacers in the conference finals, in a rematch of the previous year's Conference finals. The Pacers were eliminated from

3952-580: The suspension of the 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the Heat were one of 22 teams invited to participate in the NBA Bubble , completing the season behind closed doors in Orlando from July to October 2020. The fifth-seeded Heat went 12–3 in the bubble playoffs to win the franchise's sixth conference championship in 15 seasons. They would meet LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in

4056-476: The " Big 3 " era. However, the Heat got off to a 9–8 start. After a "players only" meeting, the team improved. The Heat finished with a 58–24 record and the second seed. In the much anticipated 2011 NBA playoffs , Miami defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, Boston Celtics in the conference semifinals, and Bulls in the conference finals, all in 5 games. The Heat reached the 2011 NBA Finals for

4160-422: The "HEAT Culture" uniform served as its 2024–25 "City" uniform. Miami's 2021 "Earned" uniform (rewarded after making the 2020 NBA playoffs ) marked the first time the team used yellow as a base color; previously it was only utilized as an accent color on the logo and uniforms. Letters were rendered in black with white trim, but red was not used at all in the uniform. The rivalry between the New York Knicks and

4264-549: The 2006 season the NBA broadcast its games in 215 countries and had 83 foreign players, about a quarter of the total players. In 2008, it had 75 players from 32 countries. On January 14, 2008, the NBA announced the formation of NBA China ("a joint venture of the NBA, broadcaster ESPN and Chinese companies"), "that will conduct all of the league's businesses in Greater China", the new entity will be led by Tim Chen (former CEO of Microsoft Greater China). In preparation for

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4368-476: The 2011–12 season. In the 2017–18 season, the Heat wore special "City" uniforms (named as such by Nike to commemorate local cultures and team traditions) that paid homage to the hit 1980s TV series Miami Vice . The uniforms were white with pink, light blue and black trim and featured the "Miami" wordmark inspired from the logo of the Miami Arena . For the 2018–19 season, the Heat released black versions of

4472-777: The 2025 season. The MLB Players Association memo emphasized that the issues were related to Nike's design rather than Fanatics' manufacturing. Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami . The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference . The club plays its home games at Kaseya Center , and has won three NBA championships . The franchise began play in

4576-626: The All-In Challenge Foundation, which will continue to serve as the philanthropic arm of the company. In August 2020, the company secured $ 350 million Series E funding raising Fanatics' valuation to $ 6.2 billion. Using the new funds, Fanatics purchased assets from Vetta Brands, including leading collegiate headwear producer Top of the World. This acquisition saved more than 200 jobs and added significant headwear scale and capabilities. In December 2020, Fanatics acquired WinCraft,

4680-542: The Celtics 98–79 to tie the series 3–3; James had 45 points and 15 rebounds. The deciding Game 7 was at Miami. The Celtics largely dominated during the first half. The second half saw several lead changes. The Heat eventually won 101–88, reaching the NBA Finals for the second straight year. In the much-anticipated match-up with the Oklahoma City Thunder , the Heat split the first two games, winning Game 2 on

4784-568: The Fanatics brand and its extensive database of sports fans. The division is led by CEO Matt King, formerly of FanDuel . Fanatics Sportsbook is live in 16 states as of March 2024. In July 2023, Fanatics launched Fanatics Live, a live commerce platform aimed at enhancing the digital shopping experience. Led by CEO Nick Bell, the live shopping app features trading card "breaks," limited edition merchandise drops, and creator content for sports fans and collectors to shop in real time. Fanatics Events

4888-690: The Heat and return to the Cleveland Cavaliers . Wade and Bosh stayed in Miami. Like the Cavaliers in the 2010 off-season, the Heat focused on how it would maintain itself without LeBron. Wade and Bosh were joined by returning players Mario Chalmers , Norris Cole , Udonis Haslem and Chris Andersen along with former rivals Luol Deng and Danny Granger . The Heat also drafted Shabazz Napier and James Ennis . In 2015, they also gained Goran Dragić and his younger brother Zoran Dragić . After

4992-511: The Heat finished the 2022–23 regular season as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, qualifying for the play-in tournament; however, they managed to clinch their division title. In the first play-in game, they lost to the Atlanta Hawks, who eventually clinched the seventh seed in the NBA playoffs . Despite this, the Heat managed to enter the playoffs as the eighth seed after defeating

5096-506: The Heat returned to the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023 . The Heat acquired six-time NBA All-Star Kyle Lowry in 2021. The Heat hold the record for the NBA's third-longest winning streak , 27 straight games, set during the 2012–13 season. Seven Hall of Famers have played for Miami, and James won two consecutive NBA MVP Awards while playing for the team. In 1987, the NBA granted one of four new expansion teams to Miami (the others being

5200-407: The Heat were eliminated three times by the Bulls, who would go on to win the NBA championship each time. After Jordan retired and the Heat's fall in the early 2000s, the rivalry cooled but slightly picked up when the Heat faced them in the first round of the 2006 NBA playoffs, which ended in a 4–2 Heat series victory and went on to win the NBA Finals. The Bulls would sweep the defending champion Heat in

5304-471: The Heat were one of eight teams who participated in this line and wore their black 1988–99 uniforms, updated to the current Nike uniform cut. In the 2022–23 season , the Heat wore a white version of the uniforms from the same era. The current Heat uniforms have been in use since the 1999–2000 season . These uniforms, though similar, have marked differences such as striping on both sides, change from orange to yellow trim, updated lettering and block numbers, and

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5408-431: The Heat wore special "City" uniforms that mixed various uniform styles used by the team. The black-based uniform featured a mix of lettering taken from the Heat's previous and current uniform sets, including the throwback Floridians and Miami Vice "City" set. Players were allowed to choose their own number styles. A white version of this uniform served as its 2022–23 "City" uniform. The 2023–24 "City" uniform centered around

5512-405: The Heat's 20th and 25th anniversary seasons, respectively, while the original black uniforms were used as throwbacks in the 2013–14 season. The classic white uniforms were used again for the 2015–16 season. As part of Nike 's uniform contract with the NBA, the so-called "Classic" edition was introduced and featured modernized throwback uniform designs from past years. During the 2017–18 season ,

5616-582: The Heat. Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning had been friends from their Georgetown college basketball period. Larry Johnson, one of the Knicks, held bad blood with Mourning as far back as their days in the Charlotte Hornets . The rivalry with the Chicago Bulls began once the Miami Heat became contenders during the 1990s, a decade dominated by the Bulls and Michael Jordan . During that period,

5720-615: The Indiana Pacers in Game 7. Miami became the first Eastern Conference team to reach the NBA Finals in three straight years since the Chicago Bulls in the late 1990s. Miami lost Game 1 of the Finals on their home floor in a close game that was decided by a last-minute buzzer beater by Tony Parker . The Heat went on to win Game 2 with a 33–5 run in the second half. The two teams continued to trade wins leading up to Game 6 where

5824-562: The Los Angeles Lakers is the most sold jersey in China; however, Yao Ming fell from 6th to 10th and then back to 6th while his Houston Rockets teammate Tracy McGrady remained ranked third for two straight seasons then fell to fourth in 2009. The MMORPG Second Life , an Internet -based virtual game world, offers its members the option of playing or shopping at a digital replica of the NBA Store. The 3-D virtual replica

5928-474: The Miami Vice uniforms. In addition, a pink version of the uniform was unveiled as part of Nike's "Earned" series which were exclusive only to the 16 teams that qualified in the 2018 NBA playoffs . A light blue version of the uniforms was used in the 2019–20 season. The Vice theme continued with the 2020–21 "City" uniform, this time featuring a pink and blue gradient and black letters. In the 2021–22 season,

6032-470: The NBA Finals the previous year. Miami had qualified for the playoffs for six consecutive seasons. At the 2015 NBA draft lottery , the Heat were awarded the 10th pick for the 2015 NBA draft , which was used to select Duke forward Justise Winslow . During the 2015–16 season, the Heat compiled a 48–34 regular season record; however, their season ended in the Conference semifinals where they lost to

6136-520: The NBA has seen increasing business opportunities in foreign markets mainly due to the influx of new international players . The biggest growth has been in China, where players Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian , combined with the interest generated by the 2008 Summer Olympics , created enough demand to open two new stores. The NBA has also expanded into games like Second Life where it created a virtual NBA Store in 2007. The original Fifth Avenue store closed on February 13, 2011. The league temporarily relocated

6240-477: The Spurs, up 10 heading in the fourth quarter, were in position to close out the series and win the championship. James went on to score 16 points in the period, outscoring the entire Spurs team by himself at one point. With 5.2 seconds remaining, Ray Allen scored a three-pointer to tie the game at 95–all and force overtime, where the Heat won the game 103–100. The Heat went on to defeat the Spurs 95–88 in Game 7 behind

6344-520: The U.S. sports betting industry. Fanatics expanded its international footprint for the Commerce business with the acquisitions of Italian sports merchandise company Epi in April 2023, and Latin American sports wholesaler Fex Pro in June 2023. Also in June 2023, Fanatics increased the offer to $ 225 million to outbid DraftKings after that company made a competing bid of $ 195 million. The first wave of

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6448-472: The brands FansEdge and Mounted Memories, which was rebranded as Fanatics Authentic division. Rubin's vision was to differentiate Fanatics by serving the real-time expectations of global sports fans and partners. In 2014, Doug Mack was appointed CEO and Fanatics opened a Bay Area office to tap into the Silicon Valley tech talent pool. Mack helped Fanatics move from a domestic e-commerce business to

6552-556: The company at $ 1.5 billion. The round was led by Insight Partners and SoftBank Vision Fund2, and included NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, Connect Ventures and Will Ventures. In January 2022, Fanatics divested its 60% stake in Candy Digital. In August 2021, Fanatics secured long-term trading cards manufacturing and distribution rights from MLB , MLBPA, NBA , NBPA, and NFLPA . A month later, Fanatics Collectibles, Fanatics' new trading cards and collectibles business secured

6656-527: The company's growing vertical manufacturing capabilities. Nike Inc. would eventually take over as MLB's official on-field uniform partner, with Fanatics using the existing facilities acquired during the Majestic acquisition to now make Nike MLB uniforms. In September 2017, Fanatics closed a $ 1 billion round of fundraising led by Softbank , with participation from the NFL , MLB , NHL , MLS and NFLPA. Fanatics

6760-410: The completion of in-game tasks. Fanatics, Inc. Fanatics, Inc. is a global digital sports platform that consists of several businesses, including licensed sports merchandise, trading cards and collectibles, sports betting and iGaming, special events, and live commerce. The company began as an American  online retailer of licensed sportswear and  merchandise , which operated

6864-610: The deal closed in August 2023 in eight U.S. states and started the brand transition from PointsBet to Fanatics Sportsbook. In October 2023, Fanatics sold Bazooka Candy Brands and its product portfolio, which was part of Topps, to Apax Partners . The Commerce division under CEO Andrew Low Ah Kee designs, manufactures, and sells licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods. The business operates digital and physical retail locations across leagues, teams, colleges, and associations globally, as well as

6968-472: The expansion Miami Heat was a result of their four consecutive playoff series from 1997 to 2000. Each series went seven games. The rivalry's central figure was Pat Riley , the head coach of both teams (the early 1990s for the Knicks and the late 1990s for the Heat). Jeff Van Gundy took over Riley's stint as head coach of the Knicks, while his elder brother Stan Van Gundy was simultaneously an assistant coach for

7072-422: The fact that he got into a verbal argument with Spoelstra. However, with Wade visiting his former college coach, the team defeated the Pacers in the next three games, to close out the Pacers. They met the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals , taking the first two games before losing the next three, including one home loss where Bosh returned from injury. On June 7 they won on the road at Boston beating

7176-492: The first round and the semifinals, Miami went back to the conference finals for the first time in eight years, where it met the defending champion Detroit Pistons . Despite taking a 3–2 lead, Miami lost Wade to injury for Game 6. The Heat would go on to lose Game 7 at home despite Wade's return. In the summer of 2005, Riley brought in veteran free agent Gary Payton from the Boston Celtics , and also brought in James Posey , Jason Williams and Antoine Walker via trades. After

7280-468: The first round the next season. The rivalry has intensified with the resurgence of the Bulls, and the emergence of Derrick Rose and the Heat re-signing Dwyane Wade (who turned down a chance of joining his hometown Bulls) with newly acquired superstars in Chris Bosh and LeBron James (who spurned a chance of teaming up with Rose in Chicago). The revived rivalry has been very physical, involving rough plays and hard fouls between players. Both teams met in

7384-405: The first time since 2006, in a rematch against the Dallas Mavericks . After taking a 2–1 series lead, the Heat lost the final three games to the Mavericks. After the second NBA lockout ended, the Heat signed veteran Shane Battier . In the shortened 2011–12 season , the Heat started 27–7. However they would struggle for the second half of the season, going 19–13. The Heat finished 46–20, earning

7488-459: The flagship site, Fanatics.com. Fanatics has online, sports venue, and vertical apparel partnerships worldwide with all major professional sports leagues and hundreds of collegiate and professional teams, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, Formula One , and Australian Football League . Notable partnerships include the rights to design, manufacture, distribute all Nike MLB/NFL fan gear sold at retail;

7592-515: The game," and the NBA was reported to be "the most popular sports league in the country." In 2006, it was reported that the NBA was planning to open its first store in Beijing, China (on Wangfujing Street ) or Shanghai, China . Partly due to Yao Ming ( 1st overall pick in 2002 ) and Yi Jianlian 's (6th overall pick in 2007 ) popularity in their home country, the NBA now sells its products in some 30,000 to 50,000 retail locations in China. During

7696-532: The larger player name and number font used by the older uniforms. By the time the 2024 regular season started, the league required the Royals to instead wear the new uniforms with the smaller font sizes, with a league spokesperson giving "consistency with other Major League Baseball teams" as the rationale for the mandate. Following player complaints, MLB and Nike announced adjustments to the uniforms, including enlarged lettering and full pant customization starting in

7800-685: The league searched for a new location the store operated temporarily at 590 Fifth Avenue until August 2015. The store reopened at its new permanent location at 545 Fifth Avenue on December 21, 2015. The NBA also sells its products outside the United States, most notably in China. The NBA's international operations only provide 10 percent of total profit; however, the NBA has seen a recent increase in possible business opportunities abroad. Statistics revealed that 300 million out of China's 1.3 billion population played basketball, additionally "83 percent of males between 15 to 61 years old are interested in

7904-428: The mantra of "HEAT Culture" within the organization. The black-based uniform featured the team name in red and "CULTURE" in white letters. The number font was based on the 1988–99 uniforms. A modified version of the uniform was worn by Jaime Jaquez Jr. during the 2024 All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest , with "EL HEAT CULTURA" emblazoned in front to acknowledge Jaquez Jr.'s Mexican American heritage. A red version of

8008-508: The most complete collection of N.B.A. products and experiences staged in one place. Construction involved removing beams to make space for a 36-by-54-foot hole at the base of 666 Fifth Avenue. Steve Candeloro has been the store's concierge since it opened in 1998. The store is frequently visited by celebrities, tourists, and NBA players who are in town to play the New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets . The NBA Store has been visited by important guests such as former President Bill Clinton , and

8112-443: The most in a playoff game since 1995. In Game 3, Nazr Mohammed was ejected for shoving LeBron James early in the second quarter. Norris Cole had his jersey ripped by Taj Gibson while driving to the basket for a layup. Joakim Noah was seen applauding and cheering on the image of Chris Bosh arguing with Mario Chalmers . Noah received a technical foul for shoving Chris Andersen after he fell on Nate Robinson . Chalmers received

8216-495: The numbers were white with red, black and orange trim, using the same font as the classic Los Angeles Lakers jerseys. The original 'flaming ball' logo is on the left leg of the shorts while the word 'Miami' is on the right leg. In the 1995–96 season the Heat introduced a red alternate uniform with lettering and numbers in black, white and orange trim. The original set lasted until the 1998–99 season . The original white and red uniforms were reintroduced as throwback uniforms during

8320-399: The onset of the pandemic in early 2020, Fanatics and MLB halted production of MLB jerseys to manufacture masks and gowns for emergency personnel battling COVID-19. Using the exact same material that was previously used to make Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies and all other MLB jerseys, that fabric was instead used to make more than one million masks and gowns that were eventually shipped to more than

8424-629: The opening. According to the International Herald Tribune , merchandise sales in China were expected to increase by 60 percent in 2008. About one third of the traffic received at nba.com comes from their Chinese area (china.nba.com) written in Mandarin built by the Plus Factory, a New York City firm with offices in Beijing. Reports on NBA jersey sales over the last three years (2006–2009) reveal that Kobe Bryant of

8528-493: The past. During Christmas 2006, the wife of NBA player Dwyane Wade volunteered at the NBA Store Holiday Toy Drive. The New York Knicks regularly held events like Autographs for Supplies at the NBA Store where New York players like Eddy Curry , Zach Randolph , and WNBA's Kym Hampton meet fans and signs items in an effort to raise school supplies for children and stress academics. In 2007, the store held

8632-476: The player's names at the back replaced by their nicknames (e.g. 'King James' for LeBron James). They wore the uniforms for select home games that season. From 2012 to 2014, the Heat wore special monochrome uniforms: an all-black ensemble in the 2011–12 season, an all-white version in the 2012–13 season, and an all-red attire in the 2013–14 season. In 2015, a variation of their all-black uniforms, featuring drop shadows, centered numbers and heavy striping inspired from

8736-679: The playoffs by virtue of a tiebreaker with the Chicago Bulls. On February 8, 2018, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded Dwyane Wade back to Miami. Wade willed the Heat to a game two win against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2018 playoffs , but the team would lose the series in five games. Wade retired after one last season with the Heat in 2018–19 ; Bosh and Wade's jerseys were retired in March 2019 and February 2020, respectively. In 2019–20 , Miami acquired All-Star Jimmy Butler , Andre Iguodala , and Jae Crowder , and drafted Kentucky shooting guard Tyler Herro . Following

8840-494: The playoffs for a third consecutive year by the Heat. The Heat went to a fourth consecutive Finals , and faced the Spurs again. The first two games in San Antonio were split but the Heat fell to the Spurs 4–1, failing to repeat as champions for the third consecutive season. On July 11, 2014, LeBron James announced on Sports Illustrated  's website that after opting out of the final year of his contract, he would leave

8944-403: The preeminent licensed hardgoods and promotional products company, which increased the company's presence with non-apparel merchandise. In March 2021, Fanatics secured a $ 320 million funding round, followed by another $ 325 million in August 2021 that brought the company's valuation to $ 18 billion as of September 2021. During the latter funding round, Fanatics also announced plans to evolve into

9048-451: The purchasing of the franchise by Carnival Cruise Lines chairman Micky Arison in 1995, Pat Riley was brought in as the team president and head coach. Riley acquired center Alonzo Mourning and point guard Tim Hardaway to serve as the centerpieces for the team, transforming Miami into a championship contender throughout the late 1990s. With them they also brought in a new team trainer, Cody Posselt, to work on shooting. The Heat underwent

9152-547: The quality and design of their merchandise. So much so, that there are even dedicated pages where consumers voice their dissatisfaction and critique such poor products. A notable event was the backlash over the quality of its MLB jerseys before and during the 2024 season . During spring training, the Kansas City Royals opted out of using the Vapor Premier template, instead wearing uniforms that featured

9256-487: The road, before sweeping the next three at home. James was named the Finals MVP as he won his first NBA championship. On July 11, 2012, the Heat officially signed veterans Ray Allen to a three-year contract and Rashard Lewis to a two-year contract. The Heat later posted a 27-game winning streak from February 3, 2013, and March 27, 2013. Defeating Orlando in the season finale set the franchise record for 66 wins in

9360-470: The second eighth seed to reach the NBA Finals, they faced the Denver Nuggets , losing in five games. Unveiled prior to the 1988–89 season , the original Miami Heat uniforms consist of simple striping, exclusive only on the right side of the jersey and shorts. The home uniforms were white with lettering in red, black and orange trim, while the away uniforms were black with red, white and orange trim;

9464-581: The second seed in the East for the NBA playoffs . Entering the first round, they took a 3–0 lead against the New York Knicks but like their previous series with the Sixers, were not able to close them out in Game 4. A victory in Game 5 ultimately defeated New York and the Heat advanced to the second round versus the Indiana Pacers . After losing Game 2 at home and Game 3 at Indiana, many criticized Dwyane Wade 's lackluster performance in Game 3, bringing attention to

9568-430: The shorts, these uniforms remain in use with the Heat today. Following the switch to Nike as the uniform provider in the 2017–18 season, the Heat's current uniforms now fall under three categories. The white uniforms are part of the "Association" line, the black uniforms are on the "Icon" line and the red uniforms are assigned to the "Statement" line. All three uniforms are now used regardless of home or away games. Since

9672-427: The signing of reigning league MVP LeBron James and NBA All-Star Chris Bosh , creating the " Big Three " along with Wade. During their four years together, Spoelstra, James, Wade, and Bosh led the Heat to the NBA Finals in every season, culminating in back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013 . All three departed by 2016, and the team entered a period of rebuilding. After acquiring All-Star Jimmy Butler in 2019,

9776-431: The sports e-commerce business, which included online stores for all North American sports leagues along with hundreds of teams and colleges, keeping the name Fanatics, Inc. for the new company moving forward. In April 2012, Fanatics raised $ 150 million from Insight Venture Partners and Andreessen Horowitz and acquired its Florida-based rival Dreams, Inc. for $ 158 million in cash and $ 25 million in debt. This move added

9880-404: The store in a smaller space at 590 Fifth Avenue until August 2015. The new location, at 545 Fifth Avenue, opened on December 21, 2015. Established in the fall of 1998 at 666 Fifth Avenue , the 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m) store offers free video games, TV screens displaying live broadcasts and game action footage, and other attractions, like player measurement charts. Among its many products,

9984-424: The store sells current NBA & WNBA jerseys , replica jerseys of retired players, footwear , collectibles , photography , and other gifts. It has several departments, such as a home section, where customers can buy items like pillows, plates, and other NBA related items. NBA employees, including players, receive a 30% discount on their purchases. It's really meant to be in the world's most important city and

10088-435: The subject of lawsuits by smaller vendors and other companies such as Panini . These legal battles have centered around allegations of anti-competitive conduct and interference with business relations, further fueling the debate about Fanatics’ market practices. In addition to legal challenges, Fanatics has also been subject to various types of fan criticism. Many consider the Fanatics products subpar , citing issues with

10192-505: The team as over, noting that the team was no longer working toward his return. On July 4, 2017, the Heat waived Bosh a month after an NBA ruling declared his blood clotting issues a career-ending illness. Riley immediately announced that Bosh's number would be retired in the future out of respect to him and his accomplishments with the Heat. With nearly all remnants of the Big Three era gone in just two seasons, Miami went 41–41 and missed

10296-512: The time of its launch, the NBA was the "first professional sports league to unveil a comprehensive headquarters in a virtual world." The virtual store's entrance is modeled after the New York City location, featuring the same double revolving doors and gold NBA lettering. In 2004, the NBA Live series for home video game consoles introduced an EA NBA Store feature, where players can purchase digital shoes and jerseys with points earned through

10400-502: Was expected to produce $ 2.2 billion in annual revenue that year. The next month, Fanatics acquired Fermata Partners to transform the college licensed sports business and a new Fanatics College division was formed. In the following two years, Fanatics announced 10-year deals with  Nike , the  National Football League  and  Major League Baseball  that granted Fanatics the rights to design, manufacture and distribute all Nike fan gear sold at retail for both leagues. At

10504-476: Was launched on May 1, 2007, during the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Cleveland Cavaliers as a way of reaching the global audience and expanding the NBA's business in the virtual world. The virtual NBA Store is part of the NBA's virtual headquarters; other facilities include a T-Mobile arena where player's avatars can take pictures or watch Finals footage on a JumboTron . At

10608-508: Was named the NBA Finals MVP , becoming the fifth player to win the award back-to-back along with Michael Jordan , Hakeem Olajuwon , Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant , and only the second player in NBA history to win the Finals MVP and league MVP back-to-back along with Jordan. Miami struggled throughout the 2013–14 season with extended absences of Dwyane Wade, who only played 54 games to injury and ended on an 11–14 record entering

10712-543: Was promoted to head coach. A healthy Wade led the Heat to 43 wins in 2009 and 47 wins in 2010, making the playoffs both seasons, though they lost in the first round, 4–3 in 2009 and 4–1 in 2010. Wade was the scoring champion in 2009 and the NBA All-Star MVP in 2010. Entering the 2010–11 season with nearly $ 48 million in salary cap space, the Heat caused a major power shift during the blockbuster 2010 free agency, adding Chris Bosh and LeBron James , starting

10816-552: Was signed from the Los Angeles Clippers . Just prior to the start of the 2003–04 season, Riley stepped down as head coach to focus on rebuilding the Heat, promoting Stan Van Gundy to the position of head coach. Behind Van Gundy's leadership, Wade's stellar rookie year and Odom's break out season, the Heat made the 2004 NBA playoffs , beating the New Orleans Hornets 4–3 in the first round and losing to

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