Replay Sports Cards Announces New York Expansion Ahead of Fanatics Fest

Replay Sports Cards is expanding into New York with a new franchise agreement for the Bellmore/Merrick area of Long Island.

The company announced on July 14, 2026, that Long Island native Rob Ansalone has signed on as Replay’s first New York franchisee. The new shop is currently in development and is targeting a fall opening. Replay said the store will bring its full-service card shop experience to Long Island collectors, families and sports fans, with buying, selling, trading and grading in a community-focused environment.

Ansalone is from Merrick and previously worked as an insurance broker. He also owned a gym franchise before exploring his next business opportunity. He has always been interested in sports and sports collectibles, but reconnected with the card hobby after going back through the cards he had saved from childhood and sharing them with his son.

Ansalone said getting back into cards with his son reminded him how special the hobby is. He said he saw an opportunity on Long Island but wanted to open a card shop with the support of an experienced franchise team.

Replay Co-Founder Mike Martin is also from the Bellmore/Merrick area, and the company said that shared Long Island connection helped strengthen the relationship. Martin said Long Island has a deep sports culture and a strong sense of community, and that Ansalone understands both.

The franchise announcement comes as Replay prepares for Fanatics Fest 2026 in New York City from July 16 through July 19. Ansalone and Martin are expected to attend, along with Replay Co-Founders Mike Weinberger and Brent Schepel, and Nashville franchisee RJ Cardente.

Replay will participate in the Fanatics Collect Card Combine, powered by AT&T. The release describes the Card Combine as a hands-on hobby experience designed to welcome new fans into trading cards through education, discovery and community. Attendees will be able to browse boxes, look through singles, learn about grading and talk with hobby experts.

Within the Card Combine area, Replay will operate a dedicated retail space meant to give attendees a hands-on card shop experience. The company said its team will answer questions, explain how to shop for cards, teach how cards are priced and valued, and walk attendees through negotiation.

Replay said the activation is designed to make collecting more accessible, especially for kids and families. Its Fanatics Fest space will focus on affordable, discovery-driven inventory, including commons and singles, raw or graded cards at approachable prices, and retail boxes for newer collectors.

The company also pointed to its Replay Gives Back initiative, which has collected more than 3 million donated trading cards. Those cards are sorted and repackaged into 25-card packs for children nationwide.

Replay Sports Cards describes itself as the first sports card shop franchise. The company offers buying, selling, trading and grading services and says it has five shops across the United States, along with a presence at major card shows. Originally founded as One Stop Sports, Replay also operates weekly livestreams on Whatnot and TikTok.

For Long Island collectors, the Bellmore/Merrick store will give Replay its first physical presence in New York. For Replay, the timing puts the announcement directly in front of the hobby audience gathering in New York for Fanatics Fest.