Michael Rubin: podcast appearances and interviews

Michael Rubin is an American businessman and socialite known for his role as a former Iran and Iraq advisor to former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Fanatics, a global digital sports platform that encompasses various businesses including licensed sports merchandise, trading cards, collectibles, sports betting, and live commerce. Rubin serves as a board member of Rue Gilt Groupe, which owns several online retail platforms such as RueLaLa.com, Gilt.com, and ShopPremiumOutlets.com. He previously founded GSI Commerce in 1998 and sold it to eBay in 2011 for 2.4 billion US dollars. In 2011, Rubin became a partner of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team and the New Jersey Devils hockey team. In June 2022, he sold his stakes in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the holding company for both teams, to focus on expanding Fanatics. He is also the co-chair of the REFORM Alliance, a criminal justice reform organization he launched in January 2019 alongside Jay-Z, Meek Mill, Robert Kraft, and Daniel S. Loeb. Rubin is known for hosting his annual White Party around July 4th, which regularly attracts celebrities from sports, media, entertainment, and fashion industries.