49ers owner Jed York informed the San Francisco staff today that executive vice chairman of football operations Paraag Marathe can be stepping down from his position with a purpose to focus more on the soccer clubs “Leeds United and Rangers FC in addition to other sports efforts,” per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Marathe had been an element of the organization for 25 years.
Growing up within the Bay Area, Marathe had an early passion for the 49ers and located work with the team after earning degrees from local rivals Cal and Stanford. At one point appearing on Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40, Marathe has long been recognized for his diverse work within the sports industry. On the football side of things, Marathe has been considered an integral a part of the team’s contract negotiation process while also playing a key role in constructing and maintaining the team’s roster.
Outside of football, Marathe also serves as President of 49ers Enterprises, a bunch that pursues strategic investments in sporting properties the world over, like Leeds United and Rangers FC. At Leeds United, he serves as chairman, overseeing the leadership of the team’s sporting and business operations. He also has worked towards the international spread of interest within the NFL in addition to the league’s humanitarian efforts, serving on the board of the NFL UK Foundation which helps to handle barriers to sport, education, and opportunity for marginalized youth.
If that wasn’t enough, Marathe has also been dedicated to growing the game of cricket in the USA. He previously served as chairman of USA Cricket, helping lead the campaign to call the US a bunch nation for the 2024 T20 Cricket World Cup and helping to bring cricket to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Moreover, Marathe helped lead the launch of America’s T20 league, Major League Cricket.
With so many plates spinning across the landscape of the international sports industry, it’s no wonder why he is selecting to step away from one to narrow deal with the others. He stays an element of the 49ers clan due to the team’s investment within the clubs he’ll now be specializing in.