49ers fans fly anti-Jed-York banner over Levi’s Stadium Sunday

San Francisco 49ers fans spent roughly $1000 to fly the following banner over Levi’s Stadium before Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals:

https://twitter.com/sal_castaneda/status/671059564423344129/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The banner reads “Jed & 49ers should mutually part ways,” which, of course, is a play off of York’s statement when he said the 49ers didn’t fire Jim Harbaugh — the two sides “mutually agreed to part ways.” Right.

This article has 82 Comments

  1. It would be nice to compile a win/loss record of Debartolo/York 49ers, subtracting Bill Walsh mentored quarterbacks.

    Levithargy Stadium is raking in the big money. Oh, and he’s family. Jed’s not going anywhere unless there’s a revenue drop.

  2. My 5 Takeaways from Airplane incident:

    1. Arrow-Up for the 49er Fan’s– brainstorming demonstrated more creativity than current front office (Hire them ASAP) Jed.

    2. Arrow-UP The next head coach meeing the criteria leaked by 49ers front office: first he must accept Marathe’s analytics even mid-game if the percentages show Paraage is correct, and be willing to change Paraage’s play. Coach must be a yes man to demonstrate enough compliance with Baalke’s mood changes, even when the coach does not want an AJ Jenkins on the roster, and turn the other cheek on the occasional Silicon Valley Exec. wine sipping tours through Niner locker rooms after a tough loss.

    3. Arrow-uP New head coach must Accept the fact, that as Baalke’s defenses get old, 49ers will lose, because he doesn’t build offenses that score over 13 pts/game, or play catch up with a run dominated game plan in the 4th QTR.

    4. Arrow up With the understanding 49er Fans have of Jed, adding 100 mil /year from the new stadium to family fortunes, Fans also have to develop the willingness to drop money into the York collection hat for Free agents and a coaching staff since they refuse to spend in this area.

    5. Arrow up The Sod Field is no longer an issue; when the periodic divots can be blamed on the drought.

    6. Arrow up Any sign that the 49er almost won a game scoring 13 points is a victory for Jed. Talented WR’s and QB’s tend to be uppity around contract time, especially when paired with an astute offensive mind.

    1. #2. Change to Marathe’s play as scripted on his list of First 20 plays of the game from his Analytics Dept.

      1. Hire Me Jed, My Five take-aways are actually 6, I prefer the accounting Dept. or time clock manager for the head coach.

    1. I have a Paypal all set up. Simply Email me and I will provide you with the information to make your contribution….

      1. I was behind the first banner. I do not know who this person is. Be advised that this could be a scam.

        Just a heads up :)

    1. The only kind of talk that matters is the talk that hits the wallet. And even that doesn’t matter all that much with all of the TV money owners receive. Stop going to games, stop buying jerseys and then see what happens. Flying a banner over an empty stadium would be much more impactful than flying same banner over stadium where fans are pouring millions into the owners pocket. Do you really think Jed York cares about the on field success of the 9ers? If he did, he wouldn’t have hired Jim Tomsula.

    1. Put your money where your mouth is. I respect what they did. Shows passion and they’re bargain shoppers. You can’t buy that kind of publicity for a grand even on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. I reached out to Jed Yorks’ office, but he declined to comment….

          1. Yeah. Who would pay full price when you can get in for less $ than the Pac 12 championship game? Oh wait, these banner guys probably did….

        1. I don’t think its stupid, its actually a very good way to put notice on ownership. Public outcry believe it or not has a voice and an influence. Jed can sit on his white throne but he will hear the fans and the fans and media will put pressure on this organization. I don’t care how rich these owners are. Fans not going to games and spending on merchandise will affect bottom line. That’s the only way to get these owners to do something, affect their pocket book.

          1. They already have a ton of $ due to the PSL’s and other events booked at the stadium. As for the decrease in merchandise, why do you think they now have these ugly black unis?

            Waste of $. York doesn’t give a rip what people think. If he did Harbaugh would still be here.

            1. What’s your take on the cheerleader’s black uni’s? I think they should be standard issue….

            2. The reason Jed got rid of Harbaugh was because Jed hated Harbaugh. It had nothing to do with the fans. The fans don’t care who the coach is, as long as the guy coaching is winning. Hence the banner.
              If every one was of the thinking that “what is the point of calling out ownership, they do what they want anyways” then no fans would ever invest in the organization. Therefore, there would be no team.

              This notion that the Yorks do what they want is accurate. But don’t tell me that when fans speak and voice their concern and stop spending on things like tickets and merchandise, that they don’t care or listen is absurd. Just watch what happens SB week and a few more loses. There will be more public criticism. Its already started on the broadcasts each week. It will influence ownership.

              The problem is not that Jed wont do anything. The problem is will he make the right decision.

              1. I heard the report about the banner on the local sports radio news here in Indiana. I can’t walk out to the grocery store wearing my 49ers gear without a Packer, Colt or Bear fan asking me, why? I pass a Michigan fan, and they thank me with a sincere handshake. Silly….

              2. Uh huh. They already have their $ from the poor saps that bought PSL’s. They don’t care about you, me or Dupree. Ok?

              3. Sure they made their millions on the stadium and events within. I think the point is that public criticism and the national media seeking responses will cause little York to do something. I highly doubt he feels no pressure from the fan base, media, and investors to put out a winning product.

              4. Maybe you are right Hammer but this looks a lot like when the 49ers fired Singletary and then hired a legit coach in Jim Harbaugh. They had no choice but to get someone who could reenergize the team and the fan base.

              5. Fans don’t sway an owners opinion. All you have to do is look at the lousy organizations that have permeated the league for years. Mike Brown, Bill Bidwell, Bud Adams, Al Davis in later years are examples off the top of my head. There is enough money being made regardless of attendance or merchandise sales in the stadium to allow an owner to live in his own fantasy ego infested world quite happily.

              6. Rocket,

                Fans may not “sway owners’ opinion”, but I suspect that they can affect these opinions, especially in these social media-driven age.

                The general consensus among many fans seems to be that the Yorks are evil overlords who want to cut their nose (of the Niner franchise) to spite the face (Niners fans). There is apparently a deep-seated complex conspiracy to defraud the Santa Clara City by bringing in Harbaugh for temporary success on the field and build the stadium. I don’t see these opinions reflected in data. I see an insulated, incompetent ownership who have made several mistakes and do not have sufficient in-house football knowledge to turn the franchise around. I think the Yorks do care how the Niners community think of them.

              7. Mood,

                I agree with you on the incompetence being the result of ignorance rather than a premeditated plan, but nothing the fans say or do will force York to sell the team. Jed believes he knows more than he does and until he realizes he doesn’t, nothing will change.

              8. His track record provides 99% assurance to those of us that have already jumped ship that his decision will be the wrong one. He’s made one right decision, and that was in order to get the stadium (and because luckily Harbaugh lived in the area). The rest of his decisions were comedically bad. A monkey with a dartboard would make better decisions. And now, any available GM or coaching candidates would choose to work for a monkey over Jed, so it’s over. The 49ers are destroyed, and it will take new ownership to reverse the damage.

                There is no NFL team with a proven incompetent owner that wins Superbowls. With Jed, the 49ers are the Cleveland Browns, who just happen to share a uniform with the team that Debartolo once owned.

    2. 10’dollars well spent in my eyes. It may not get him to sell, but the publicity isn’t good. And maybe.. Juuuuust maybe he will think about taking a new approach.

  3. Great idea, just won’t work. I’ve been a fan since the cold wet kezar days. A fish rots from the head down, and the Yorks do indeed smell. But they have us, the NFL tv package, the stadium , means those Yorks in Ohio will lol all the way to the bank. Cheaper coaching salaries and players getting dumped I’d ” good bussiness”. The team will never let Tomsula go , as he came cheap , and is frightened by the little emperor. York will have his or people merely say the team is getting better and most fans will say ” yeah he’s right” and forget he and baalke made them bad in the first place. ( see 10 yrs of misery post mooch) this s the newest version of Cohan/Rowell that fans endured through, but the Yorks aren’t selling.

    1. You’re on to something, Niner. Indeed, 10 yrs. of post-Mooch will tarnish memories and people will gradually accept the “New and Improved” 49ers, which, of course the York’s are “banking on.”

    2. And New Yorkers are considered some of the biggest sports fans. The Bay Area not so much. Well this stunt is a black eye on that thought.

  4. 132 / 162 – Regular season records of the Debartolo Yorks without Walsh mentored quarterbacks.

    Notes:
    Dates 1977, 1978, 1999-Present.
    Steve Young out for season in game three of 1999.

    134 / 176 – Regular season records of the Debartolo Yorks without Walsh mentored or recruited quarterbacks.

    Notes:
    Subtracting Deberg 1979 season
    Dates 1977, 1978, 1979, 1999-Present.
    Steve Young out for season in game three of 1999.

    90 / 157 – Regular season records of the Debartolo Yorks without Walsh mentored/recruited quarterbacks or Harbaugh

    Notes:
    Subtracting Deberg 1979 season
    Dates 1978, 1979, 1979, 1999-2010, 2015 so far
    Steve Young out for season in game three of 1999

    Its true there’s a little cherry picking, but the big picture is startling. A terrible winning percentage and zero Super Bowl wins.

    1. And the 49ers initially ignored Walsh’s urgings to take a look at that Jeff Garcia guy. They finally relented and gave him a try.

      Debartolo – Impulsive owner. Tried to fire Walsh eight times. Cared greatly about his players. Paid them well too.

      York – Impulsive owner. Fired Harbaugh.

  5. @timkawakami Tim, Doesn’t this all point to another mid season firing next year? Another York move to fire mid season and love the interm

    Tim Kawakami ‏@timkawakami · 12h12 hours ago

    Tim Kawakami Retweeted Paul Bosson
    Short answer: Yes, that would be the Yorkian pattern.

  6. Sparano seems to be running the show on the sidelines more than Tomfula, is a Parcells disciple (something Baalke loves), so would be the 49ers logical next run minded head coach.

  7. Waste of time and money. Jed York isn’t going to care about some banner. And even if he did, it’s not going to effect his job status. He’s not going anywhere. He has no incentive to sell the team. They could fly 100 banners over that stadium and still wouldn’t make a difference.

    I’m all for fan passion and showing your dissatisfaction, but save your money and use it on a better cause.

  8. I’m tired of hearing that Jed just doesn’t care or he is cheap. Jed gives a damn and our salary for coaches during his reign has been competitive. He is just football stupid. A lot like his uncle Eddie early on, he has surrounded himself with no front office football knowledge. It wasn’t until Eddie started listening to Al Davis [back when Al was on top of his game} and he hired J. McVay and C. Policy that things started to turn around. Jed needs a front office “cabinet” of knowledgeable football minds to guide him and it doesn’t have to include Holmgen or Shannahan. I believe the only way that would happen is if a group of 49er alumni got together with Eddies blessing and went to Jed with their concerns about the teams legacy. Lott, Montana,Jones would be a good trio to start with. My choice for a president of football operations would be Bill Cowher, he is not to old and by working for the NFL network he has stayed close to the game. imho

    1. What about Analytics, the new elixir dejour that determines salaries, and now play calling–the modern football cure-all that will eventually call plays for 49er coaches in the future.?
      Do you think Jed will let Paarage and his formuala that saves the York Corp. so much money will sit idley by?

    2. FYI, Policy didnt come to SF until 83…team had already won and starting to become the dynasty by that point (didnt become Pres/CEO until 91).McVay and Walsh were the true architects of the dynasty.

      1. MJ I wasn’t saying that Policy was part of putting the dynasty together but when McVay left he became Eddie D’s main sounding board and filter to the coaching staff.

      2. Policy was a lawyer for the Debartolo interests and had no football knowledge. He is a great negotiator and political guy.

        By the way, Denise traded those interests to Eddie for the 49ers. His personal wealth is now at 3.5 Billion so he could buy the team.

    3. Old Coach

      I agree with you pretty much (except for the Policy bit which MJ corrected).

      The Yorks may be”football-dumb”, cocooned from the public, excessively ego-driven and have repeated management-level mistakes. But they are not certifiable idiots. Like normal people, I don’t think they enjoy the level of antipathy and vitriol that is being directed towards them by the fans. Most normal people care what other people think or feel about them. The Yorks are no different.

      More important, the Yorks have been successful in their real estate business and they wouldn’t want to be seen as perpetual failures by the other members of the exclusive club of NFL franchise owners. In the modern parity-driven NFL, even erstwhile sad sack franchise like the Cardinals and Bengals have finally had their owners Bill Bidwill and Mike Brown do the needful.

      I won’t be surprised to see some front office moves in the off season.

  9. The Yorks need to sell the team to an owner, or owners, that actually does give a damn about where this franchise is going instead of what next concert or attracrion will net them more money.

    1. Jed is in league with all of Silicon Valley and any executivae mathematical formula that is suggested…They received the Wi-Fi contract from Jed….Silicon Valley is not going anywhere fans…They already run some of the team from Marathe’s office and now call the plays, and throw challenge flags from the coaching booth.

      1. Silicon Valley gives Tours, while sipping Martinis through the 49er locker room during and after game day offices, until Harbaugh told them to get there asses out of here…That did not sit well with Jed, and neither did pulling the team off the field during Levi’s initial practice in front of a who’s who of Silicon Valley

      2. Jed is in league with all of Silicon Valley and any executivae mathematical formula that is suggested…

        I know that. It’s one of the main reasons the stadium seats are empty.

    2. I wonder if Jed understands that a widely successful football team could make him and his loving family even richer, more respected; egos more deeply stored… Guess not…

  10. One bad season (Nov 2014 to Nov 2015) and everyone loses their minds.

    Theres a term for people who flip like that…fairweather. If you only root for the team when they are good, if you talk about boycotts and not supporting the team (and some even so far as choosing a new team to follow) when things get bad, then you’re nothing but fairweather and bandwagon.

    Really…just 1 season thats gone poorly and everyone forgets the previous 4. Was it this bad in 99 & 00…was it this bad in 2004 and 05? 3 years ago Baalke could do no wrong. Now he’s the worst GM in all of sports. Its pretty embarrassing…I’d hate to imagine if this team were the Jags, Browns, Raiders, Lions…or a team like the 76ers.

    1. MJ,

      Before Harbaugh was hired the Niners were a terrible team for almost a decade. That is what many fans see happening again and are dreading. It has nothing to do with being fairweather and anybody who comes in here to talk about the team day after day does not fit that description anyway. The Yorks ownership has consisted of mostly losing seasons with bad Coaches and personnel decisions. The one HC who ended that trend was fired after a 500 season on the heels of 3 NFCCG appearances and a SB. That is why people are angry and fearful of what the future holds.

      1. I wouldn’t categorize that time from 2003-2010 as being terrible. I’d say they were average at best. 2004 & 2005 were horrible, yes, but from there they were just under .500, so close to making the playoffs, building the franchise up with picks and free agents (j. smith). They hired and fired coaches with the intent on getting better. They gave Nolan 3 and a half years, gave Sing 2 and a half, and then finally got it right with Harb. It shows that they want to win, shows that they want to improve the team. High draft picks and free agents aren’t cheap.

        I’m willing to give them more than an offseason to turn this around. The wave of retirees was not to be expected (outside of J. Smith). Aldon being an idiot…AGAIN, was not expected. I know that if either Willis or Borland had stayed and Davis hadn’t retired, this team would be better…a .500 team, and in this years NFL, thats playoff contention (and maybe had all 3 of them not left, J. Smith would have stuck).

        This year has been exceptionally tough, but I rode through 99 and 00, I rode through 03-10, and you know what, the winning in 2011 and beyond was just that much more enjoyable.

        *we can’t blame Mooch for Ericsson on the Yorks since it was Donahue who made that move (since Mooch was rumored for a power grab) and it was Walsh who suggested Donahue…

        1. So, all this lets Jed (and John…) off the hook? Being a fan gives one the right to call out crappy ownership and buffoonish coaching. I’ve followed Bay Area football going on six decades. I’m not a fair weather fan. Have the personnel on this squad play for solid ownership and first rate coaching? You’d see a difference.

      2. And when fans were supporting a team BEFORE new ownership came in a destroyed it. I think fans have every right to be upset. Especially when the greatest dynasty in football history was reduced to rubble for over a decade. They say a broken clock is right twice a day, or every dog has its day… Well they got very lucky when they hired Harbaugh. An unknown to the NFL coaching circuit and blew that. Their only winning formula they stumbled upon. And what do they do? Now I’m not talking about them firing him only. I’m talking about the “plan” they had to move forward. The 2000′ were a dark time. And that’s when I pounced on my tickets… I don’t know if I can go through another decade of garbage at this price. So I don’t want to hear about fair weather fans. The stick always had a huge group of faithful there. And to be honest the tailgate party’s during those times were the best, but now that I’m a little older and wiser is my “investment” producing the results I pay for? He’s got a year with tons of cap money and sprinkled talent to secure my decision. I’m learning I can still be a fan at home and have folks over for games. Clock is ticking Jed!

  11. I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment , but the tactics are off. Jed does not attend nor even watch niner games. I doubt he read this. The only way we will be able to get his attention is to boycott the next Lady Gaga concert he promotes at Levis stadium.

  12. It’s not the content of the message it’s the public nature of the event. You’re only fooling yourself if you think Jed looks up at that banner and actually enjoys seeing it or is completely unaffected by it. It’s not about what the banner says, it’s that the banner exists. It’s there to be seen on the TV and photographed and displayed in the newspapers and each time York sees a copy of it I promise you it burns his ass.

    Now are the 49ers and Jed going to part ways because of a banner flying over head? No, of course not. I’ve already said that any energy spent trying to pry Jed away from this organization is futile. However If the goal was to infuriate the owner, and I’m sure a good part of the motivation in that banner was to do just that, then I think it’s mission accomplished. Do you honestly think it doesn’t bother young Mr York that when you do a google search for his name the top response is a mention of the banner flying over his new stadium? It does, it really does.

    Now, just doing it at one game isn’t pointless but it wouldn’t carry half the impact if they were able to continue it each game until the organization starts making some sweeping changes. I just wouldn’t count on a new team President as one of those changes and I wouldn’t go patting myself on the back either because they didn’t make the changes because of your banner. Won’t make York any less happy when it goes away though.

    1. However If the goal was to infuriate the owner
      ————-
      *edit* However If the goal was to infuriate and embarrass Jed and the organization…

    2. Agree… Seeing the banner on Sports Center makes it worth while. Wonder how awkward it will get the week running up to Super Bowl 50…right in the York’s backyard. Ouch!

  13. These fans were just trying to piss him off and they succeeded. Of course it’s humiliating for Jed, it’s also deserving. Poor Jed looked up at that very public diss and had visions of his tombstone being urinated on by angry fans. He has nobody to blame but himself.

    1. Jed York’s shaming didn’t just begin with that banner flying over Levi’s on Sunday…No Sir! Jed York should have been humiliated during that 1st game against the Seahawks, when after the game Deion Sanders ripped Jed, and the Management of the 49ers on National TV! And placed the blame solely on Jed for the demise of the 49ers, by the firing Jim Harbaugh.

      The whole League, the 31 other Ownership’s, and the Nation now know that we have crappy Ownership. Its time for Jed to step down as CEO of the 49ers, the League has always wanted them to hire “real” Football people, and the Yorks have continued to refused to do so.

  14. Stupid. Teams win and teams lose. The fans who paid for the banner should have donated their excess cash to a good charity.

  15. Before the 49ers were invited to join the NFL there was false hope every year. Once they were in the NFL things went down hill until the 57 season, but Detroit ruined that with a big come back in the second half. They also shut down a “great” offense.

    Brodie got done in by Staubach’s three touchdowns in the forth quarter. Staubach was helped by a second string receiver who couldn’t hold on to an on side kick in the last two minutes.

    Then it was more average play until Eddie brought in Joe Thomas for two years of hell.

    Then the Walsh, Seifert, Mariucci string started and John York came on board. Five Superbowl wins before John.

    You have to give the York’s credit because, except for Harbaugh, they haven’t subjected their fans to false hopes — at least not the rational fans. Of course Seb will always suffer from false hopes where the 49ers are concerned. More power to him.

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