Fanatics filed a lawsuit against Marvin Harrison Jr. on Saturday night. Although the decision to sue is not necessarily intended to seek damages, it could cost the Arizona Cardinals’ rookie wide receiver millions of dollars in the long run.
The extend of this legal saga depends on whether Harrison is willing to adhere to a contract that he allegedly signed with the sports merchandising conglomerate.
Fanatics claims that the No. 4 overall draft pick breached an agreement he signed in May 2023. It says in the lawsuit that Harrison refused to fulfill his obligations and “publicly asserted” that the deal does not exist.
Details of the contract are redacted. However, according to ESPN, “the deal was for at least $1 million and the contract was for autographs, signed trading cards, game-worn apparel and other marketing opportunities.”
Harrison is not the only defendant. The lawsuit also lists ‘The Official Harrison Collection LLC,’ which has been selling signed photos, jerseys and helmets on a website that states it is “the ONLY website to purchased signed Harrison memorabilia.”
Furthermore, Fanatics claims that Harrison has “already begun negotiating competing agreements with other collectible or sports trading card companies” and “demanded” that they meet or exceed other offers. However, the suit says details of any competing offers were not disclosed.
By Fanatics’ account, Harrison signed a limited promotion and license agreement that ended in April 2024 prior to the NFL Draft. It was nonexclusive.
Things allegedly got messier from there.
Marvin Harrison Jr. allegedly ignored Fanatics.
Fanatics went back to the negotiating table with Harrison and his father about a longer-term deal shortly after the initial contract was finalized. They came to a binding agreement that was finalized in May 2023.
Payment to Harrison was “significant” but terms are redacted. He got paid by Fanatics in October 2023.
Since then, Fanatics says that Harrison “has refused to fulfill his obligations” and “rejected or ignored every request.” The suit also states that Marvin Harrison Sr. requested a copy of the binding term sheet for his son on April 23, 2024 and later told ESPN that the Harrisons do not have a deal with Fanatics.
As for next steps, Fanatics requested a jury trial and estimated that damages are in the “millions of dollars” range. They simply hope that this lawsuit will compel Marvin Harrison Jr. to fulfill his contract.
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