Fanatics files lawsuit against Marvin Harrison Jr. for breach of contract
Fanatics has filed a lawsuit against Arizona Cardinals rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. for breaching a contract he signed with the online retailer in May 2023, per Josh Weinfuss and Adam Schefter of ESPN.
In the suit, filed in New York Supreme Court Saturday night, Fanatics claims that Harrison has refused to fulfill his obligations to the deal. Harrison, meanwhile, “publicly asserted” that the contract does not exist, according to the suit.
The two sides’ working relationship allegedly began in 2023 while Harrison was still at Ohio State, signing a multiyear licensing agreement, per the suit. The nonexclusive limited promotion and license agreement ended in April 2024, just before last month’s NFL draft.
According to the ESPN report, the agreement “was for at least $1 million and that the contract was for autographs, signed trading cards, game-worn apparel and other marketing opportunities.” Instead, “The Official Harrison Collection LLC” is selling Harrison memorabilia on its website. Harrison has yet to sign the NFLPA’s group licensing agreement, which would allow the union to market his name, image and likeness to 85 companies.
Fanatics alleges that Harrison told the retailer that he’s received a larger offer from a competitor, with other trading card companies making multiple “competing” offers as well. In the suit, Fanatics notes that Harrison “demanded” the retailer match or exceed the additional alleged offers. Harrison, according to Fanatics, has refused to provide the retailer with the competing offers. Fanatics said that Harrison has “already begun negotiating competing agreements with other collectible or sports trading card companies.”
Fanatics requests jury trial in Marvin Harrison Jr. lawsuit
After coming to terms on the initial licensing agreement, Fanatics approached Harrison about a long-term “more substantive” deal. Harrison, who does not have an agent, was represented by his father, Pro Football Hall of Fame wide wideout Marvin Harrison Sr. They began negotiating a deal in April 2023 and signed a binding sheet on May 16, 2023, which was finalized two days later. Fanatics claims the payment made to Harrison was “significant.” Despite receiving payments in August and October 2023, Harrison has allegedly “refused to fulfill his obligations” amid “several requests” from Fanatics.
“The suit states that on April 23, 2024, Marvin Harrison Sr. asked Fanatics for a copy of the binding term sheet for his son. After the elder Harrison received it, the suit said he told the company that the Harrisons do not have a deal with Fanatics,” the ESPN article reads.
Fanatics has requested a jury trial and estimated damages to be in the “millions of dollars.”