Fanatics hiring 2,500 seasonal workers as demand for Jags gear spikes

Jaguars' success win-win for Jacksonville fans, companies

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Looking for a job? If you're a sports fan, Fanatics may be a great fit for you.

Fanatics, one of the world's largest sports merchandising companies, is hiring for 2,500 seasonal jobs in Jacksonville.

It's no secret the Jaguars have become a popular contender for the Super Bowl. The team's success on the field is a win-win for fans and companies, such as Fanatics.

On Thursday, News4Jax got a peek inside one of its facilities, which has been busier than ever, especially when it comes to making Jaguars gear. 

"Jacksonville now has a superstar team and Fanatics has seen tremendous growth of it," said Carolyne Metseshe-Crawford, Fanatics' vice president of fan experience. "In fact, our sales were up 600 percent the day after they beat the Pats, so it's super exciting."

With the holiday season right around the corner and an increasing demand for jerseys, hats and shirts, Fanatics is looking to fill 2,500 positions in Jacksonville.

"From manufacturing the product, to making sure that it gets fulfilled correctly in our fulfillment center, to handling every single customer contact," Metseshe-Crawford said. 

Many of the Jags shirts come right from Fanatic's manufacturing facility in Northwest Jacksonville.

After your order goes in online, the clothes come to that production facility, where they're scanned -- the software is top secret -- and put on the printing line.

With the push of a button, the design is painted on the shirt. Then it's taken off the printer and goes into the dryer for a quick trip through 330-degree heat. When it rolls out of the dryer, it goes through a quality check before it comes to you. 

The process takes just a few minutes before it's bagged up and shipped out.

Metseshe-Crawford also told News4Jax that the need for more employees come from the growing interest in sports gear internationally. 

Fanatics will be hosting a job fair Saturday, Sept. 22, from 9 a.m. to noon at the University of North Florida's Adam W. Herbert University Center. The address is 12000 Alumni Drive, Jacksonville, FL, 32224.