Fanatics has updated its lawsuit against Marvin Harrison Jr., a rookie wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, by adding allegations of fraud involving his father, Marvin Harrison Sr. The revised complaint, filed late last week in the New York State Supreme Court, accuses Harrison Sr. of assisting his son in defrauding Fanatics. The original lawsuit, initiated in May, centered on an alleged breach of contract by Harrison Jr.
In the updated legal filing, Fanatics claims that both Harrison Jr. and Harrison Sr. misled the company into believing that a binding contract existed between Harrison Jr., his company, and Fanatics and that Harrison Jr. had personally signed it.
This new version of the lawsuit is based on affidavits from both Harrison Jr. and Harrison Sr., which revealed that it was Harrison Sr., not Harrison Jr., who had signed the term sheet that is at the heart of the dispute.
Fanatics’ revised suit argues that the signatures on the binding term sheet are similar to Harrison Jr.’s signatures on other documents, such as his W-9 form and autographs sold through his company’s website. The company contends that both Harrison Jr. and his father deliberately misled them about the nature of the contract and used the term sheet to gain negotiating leverage with other parties.
The revised legal claims also shed light on the various agreements between Fanatics and The Official Harrison Collection, Harrison Jr.’s company. Fanatics has detailed three agreements— a promotion and license agreement, the binding term sheet, and an amended agreement— highlighting that Harrison Jr. was never personally obligated by the term sheet, despite previous beliefs.
Additionally, a letter from Fanatics’ attorney in mid-August mentioned potential mediators for the dispute. The court has asked for the mediator’s name to be submitted by September 6. This development suggests an ongoing effort to resolve the conflict through mediation, emphasizing the complexities involved in contractual disputes in the sports and business sectors.
