Why online sports retailer Fanatics chose Boulder for its tech hub

BOULDER — Fanatics Inc. might be thought of as a sports merchandising giant or as a manufacturer, but at its heart, the e-commerce business thinks of itself as a tech company.

Its tech operations are located in Boulder, which has been open for a year and is growing rapidly.

“Fanatics is a tech company at heart,” said Jim Oxenhandler, director of engineering for Fanatics. “Everything we’re doing is…