TEMPE, Ariz. – Fanatics filed a lawsuit against Arizona Cardinals rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. on Saturday night in New York Supreme Court for violating a contract the wide receiver signed with the retailer in May 2023.
In the lawsuit, Fanatics said Harrison refused to fulfill his obligations under the agreement and also “publicly stated” that the contract does not exist.
The details of what Harrison’s contract with Fanatics required of the No. 4 pick in the NFL Draft were redacted, as were the details of the financial agreement between the two. However, a source told Keynote USA earlier this month that the deal was for at least $1 million and that the contract was for autographs, signed trading cards, game-used clothing and other marketing opportunities.
The lawsuit also names “The Official Harrison Collection LLC” as a defendant. Harrison sells signed memorabilia through The Official Harrison Collection website. Items include photos ranging from $99.99 to $149, a t-shirt for $299.99, and a helmet for up to $549.99. The site, which says, “Cardinals memorabilia coming soon,” claims to be “the ONLY website that buys signed Harrison memorabilia.”
In the lawsuit, Fanatics claims that Harrison told the retailer that a “larger competitor” had made him an offer, while other trading card companies had also made him “competing” offers. The lawsuit claims that Harrison has “demanded” that Fanatics meet or exceed the other alleged offers. However, the lawsuit also claims that Harrison has refused to provide Fanatics with competing offers.
Fanatics also claims in the lawsuit that Harrison “has already begun negotiating competitive deals with other trading or sports card companies.”
According to the lawsuit, Fanatics and Harrison’s relationship began in 2023, when Harrison, then at Ohio State, was one of “several top student-athletes, including many NFL prospects,” to whom Fanatics signed a licensing agreement. several years. In March 2023, Fanatics signed Harrison to a limited licensing and promotional agreement that was non-exclusive and ended in April 2024, before last month’s NFL Draft.
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In the lawsuit, Fanatics claims that after recognizing Harrison’s “potentially bright future” and the limitations of the endorsement and licensing agreement, it approached Harrison again to negotiate a “more substantial” long-term deal. The two sides began talking about a new agreement in April 2023, and the negotiations were “heavily negotiated,” according to the lawsuit. Harrison, who does not have an agent, was represented by his father, Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison Sr. The two sides agreed to a binding term sheet on May 16, 2023, and it was finalized two days later.
The terms of the agreement were drafted in the lawsuit; However, the lawsuit claims that the payment to Marvin Harrison Jr. was “significant.”
Fanatics said in the lawsuit that it paid Harrison in August and October 2023, but claims Harrison “has refused to fulfill his obligations” despite “several requests” from Fanatics over the past few months. The lawsuit claims Harrison has “rejected or ignored every request.”
Fanatics also claims in the lawsuit that Harrison revealed confidential information about his contract to Keynote USA.
The lawsuit also claims that on April 23, 2024, Marvin Harrison Sr. asked Fanatics for a copy of the term sheet binding on his son. After the elder Harrison received it, the lawsuit says he told the company that the Harrisons do not have a deal with Fanatics.
The fans, who hope the lawsuit will force Marvin Harrison Jr. to fulfill his obligations, according to the lawsuit, requested a jury trial and estimated damages would run into “millions of dollars.”
Harrison also has not yet signed the NFL Players Association’s group licensing agreement, which would allow the union to market his name, image and likeness to 85 companies.
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