By Robert Haugh

The 49ers pushed through a contract giving Fanatics sole control of stadium merchandise at Levi’s Stadium for non-NFL games.

The 49er Five approved a sole-source, no-bid contract for Fanatics to sell merchandise at upcoming concerts. 

The NFL owns a major stake in Fanatics, but that conflict was withheld from the City Council by 49ers lawyer Jihad Beauchman.

Despite the City Council’s directive to City Attorney Glen Googins to investigate the issue, the contract has been executed, according to a source.

It’s not the first time the 49ers have pushed through contracts despite a conflict of interest.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the 49er Five approved a FIFA deal with major red flags. 49ers President Al Guido negotiated for both Levi’s Stadium and the Bay Area Host Committee — a textbook conflict of interest.

Fanatics’ business methods have also been questioned. The company has grown by partnering, not competing, according to a source who contacted SCNO.

Here are a few examples:

The Panini Case (2023):
Panini, a rival cardmaker, blamed Fanatics for monopolizing the trading card market. The company signed exclusive deals with leagues and player unions, then acquired Topps. Panini said that wasn’t competition—it was a takeover. Parts of the suit are still alive.

The Ticketmaster Probe (2025):
Instead of launching its own ticketing service, Fanatics allied with Ticketmaster. U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Lee (R-UT) asked the DOJ to investigate, citing fears the deal strengthened monopolistic power instead of challenging it.

The pattern is clear for some Fanatics critics. The company doesn’t compete – it consolidates, even if there’s a potential conflict of interest, like in Santa Clara.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Sunday, August 31 at 10 a.m. to correct minor errors made in the original article. Corrections were made in the first two paragraphs.