Why is Marvin Harrison Jr. being sued by Fanatics? Everything we know about lawsuit against Cardinals WR
Marvin Harrison Jr. is yet to play a snap of professional football, and he already has a budding legal complication at hand.
On Saturday, athletic apparel brand Fanatics announced that it was suing the Arizona Cardinals wide receiver for breach of contract and tortious interference, according to a 17-page complaint filed to the New York Supreme Court.
It maintains that the two sides have a live contract, signed in May 2023 just before what would be his season as an Ohio State Buckeye, which allows merchandise with his name, including jerseys, to be sold to the public.
Fanatics’ attorneys say that sent him monthly payments from August to October 2023 as part of the deal, but since then he has completely changed his stance on the matter, even refusing to show them the ancillary deals he had been purportedly using as leverage in renegotiations:
“Less than a year into his Agreement, however, Harrison Jr. has recently and publicly asserted that his binding Agreement with Fanatics does not exist, and he has refused to fulfill any of his obligations thereunder.”
“When Fanatics asked to see these offers to verify them, Harrison Jr. refused.”
Harrison, who was drafted fourth overall by the Cardinals in the Draft, also has sponsorship deals with New Balance and Head and Shoulders..
Marvin Harrison Jr.'s Fanatics situation explained in further detail
So, what exactly is this Marvin Harrison Jr.- Fanatics situation?
In April 2023, the two sides entered into a non-exclusive deal for autographs and trading cards, only to decide that the eventual 2024 fourth overall pick had much marketing potential.
So the following month, they crafted a "fully binding and enforceable contract" that would run until 2026 and be worth at least $1 million, with bonuses to be enforced in case he was named Rookie of the Year and won a Super Bowl and that game's MVP.
However, speaking on his eponymous podcast, Pat McAfee claimed that no such deal had been signed:
"I guess there was an offer made to Marvin Harrison Jr., whenever he was a sophomore in college, which has happened to a lot of guys. Whereas if you sign it for a card deal — an autograph deal — it’s for four years, so it goes all the way into your second year in the NFL. Marvin Harrison, who doesn’t need the money, said, ‘We’re not taking that deal. We’re not signing that deal.’"
Meanwhile, Josh Weinfuss, the Cardinals' ESPN insider, says that while Harrison did sign the contract, he has been looking to get it expended in terms of value, and is using one fact as leverage: he has yet to sign the NFLPA's group licensing agreement.
Unless he does so, he cannot have his Nike jersey produced, which will then be sold through various outlets, including Fanatics. He also cannot appear on Madden NFL 25.