Correction Published: No

Requested Correction:

Hi Robert,

We are requesting that you correct an article that was posted on Santa Clara News Online on August 22, 2025. It suggested that the contract for “Event Services” between the Forty Niners Stadium Management Company LLC (“ManCo”) and Fanatics Retail Group Concessions, LLC (“Fanatics”) was signed and in effect, and that notwithstanding Stadium Authority Board direction to staff to conduct a conflicts of interest analysis of that agreement, staff had allowed the contract to go ahead. This is not correct. 

It is true that the Stadium Authority Board authorized the Fanatics agreement on May 13, 2025 and that ManCo proceeded to finalize and execute the agreement on May 19, 2025. However, when concerns of a potential conflict were raised over the discovery that the NFL held an ownership interest in Fanatics, and the Stadium Authority Board referred the matter to staff for analysis at their May 27, 2025 meeting, that very night staff informed ManCo of the Board’s action and the need for ManCo to suspend the Fanatics contract pending the outcome of the conflicts analysis. ManCo’s general counsel, Jihad Beachman, has confirmed that, consistent with staff direction, the contract had been suspended and that no element of it has been implemented.

The required conflicts analysis is nearing completion and staff will be reporting out to the Stadium Authority Board within the upcoming weeks.  The Fanatics contract will remain suspended pending the final results of that analysis and further direction from the Stadium Authority Board.

Thank you,

Janine

JANINE DE LA VEGA | Public Information Officer | Director of Communications