By Robert Haugh
The controversial contract giving Fanatics exclusive rights to sell merchandise at Levi’s Stadium during non-NFL events has been suspended.
On May 13, 2025, the 49er Five approved the sole-source contract at the team’s request. The vote bypassed the City’s normal competitive bidding process.
Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Vice Mayor Kelly Cox opposed.
A special investigative report by Santa Clara News Online on May 16, 2025, revealed that the NFL owns a major stake in Fanatics. The league invested $320 million in the company in 2022. The NFL was the single biggest investor in Fanatics’ latest fundraising round.
That fact would likely be a conflict of interest that would void the contract.
That information led the City Council, at its May 27, 2025, meeting, to direct City Attorney Glen Googins to investigate a potential conflict of interest.
Googins met with 49ers General Counsel Jihad Beauchman six times in June and July, but provided no report to the City Council or to the public about the Fanatics contract. (Googins’ August calendar is not yet available).
On August 29, SCNO requested proof that the deal had been halted.
Four days later, Googins sent SCNO a September 2, 2025, email from Beauchman that confirmed that the agreement had been suspended.
Googins provided no proof that the contract had been suspended before SCNO’s August 29 inquiry.
“Although the agreement was executed by the parties on May 19, 2025, Stadium Manager conveyed the SCSA’s request to Fanatics, and both parties mutually agreed to suspend all operation under the agreement until further notice,” Beauchman wrote.
“As a result, Fanatics has not operated under the deal or provided merchandise services at Levi’s Stadium for non-NFL events this season.”
SCNO had a local attorney familiar with contract matters review the Beauchman email.
“It looks like a cover your a** memo,” was the response. The attorney also said that the contract is obviously a conflict of interest and should have been voided long ago.
Googins seems suss!!!
If the reason that the contract was suspended was because Mr. Beauchman had a disqualifying conflict of interest, then state law requires him to PUBLICLY declare the interest and to PUBLICLY recuse himself from participation in the making of the contract. City staff’s refusal to provide the public with information about the issue appears to be a coverup and in violation of their duty to the public.
It’s nice to see the system work -more-or-less- according to written law. Bravo City & Staff leaders, for a change. How about some more of that?
Congratulations Robert! And congratulations to Mayor Gillmor and Councilmember Cox for calling out the conflict. And voting against this sham deal.
Now get 49ers’ Guido who is accused of ‘illegal conflict of interest’ in securing Levi’s Stadium World Cup deal to step down.
Hi Robert, we are lucky to have at least one investigative reporter working hard to uncover the malfeasance and immoral character of an organization that has done everything they can to ruin our city, the SAN FRANCISCO 49ers. Our City Manager’s and City Attorney’s, and their extremely bloated staffs. They are all in bed with the 49ers in this incestuous relationship that is destroying the fabric of Santa Clara. Santa Clara Citizens have been ripped off at every turn since the 49ers came to Santa Clara. Thanks again for your excellent reporting and keeping democracy alive in Santa Clara.