San Francisco 49ers executive Paraag Marathe has removed his name from consideration in the search for the next MLS commissioner, Sportico has learned.
The president of 49ers Enterprises, Marathe was one of three finalists for the position, Sportico reported Friday morning, citing multiple people familiar with the process. The other two are Los Angeles FC co-owner Larry Berg and longtime sports media exec David Nathanson.
Marathe was still informing people involved in the search of his decision on Friday morning, as Sportico published its story, according to a source with direct knowledge of the decision and the timing, who was granted anonymity because the details are private. The finalists were all set to meet additionally with MLS owners in the coming weeks.
Marathe declined to comment on his candidacy. A rep for Korn Ferry, which was retained to assist with the process, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. A representative for MLS referred Sportico to its comment from earlier on Friday, which said that its succession committee had considered a number of candidates and that it was working with current commissioner Don Garber and other league owners on the process.
Garber has had the job since 1999 and is currently under contract through the end of 2027. When he was given the contract in July 2024, that expiration date fell in the offseason, but the league’s recent decision to flip its calendar means the contract now concludes in the middle of the 2027-28 season.
Late last year, MLS created its succession committee, chaired by LAFC co-owner Bennett Rosenthal and Columbus Crew owner Jimmy Haslam, which retained The Miles Group (TMG) to help advise on the process. Owners later hired Korn Ferry to more directly run the search.
The two remaining finalists represent a diverse set of backgrounds. Berg is intimately familiar with the league, having been a part of LAFC’s ownership since the team’s 2018 debut, including a four-year stint as the control owner. Berg spent 30 years at Apollo Global Management after getting his MBA at Harvard Business School.
Nathanson’s background is in media, and the league will need a new TV deal earlier than originally planned. He spent 20 years in television, mostly at Fox Sports, and has been a board member at Excel Sports Management, FanDuel, Therabody and the U.S. Soccer Foundation. He was a founding investor of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and NWSL’s Angel City FC. In 2019, Nathanson joined the ownership group of MLS’ Seattle Sounders.