The 49ers yesterday promoted COO PARAAG MARATHE to President to replace GIDEON YU, who is stepping down from the role. Yu will remain as a co-owner of the team. Legends Senior VP/Sales & Marketing AL GUIDO will replace Marathe as COO (49ers). ESPN.com's Bill Williamson noted Marathe's promotion was "not totally unexpected." He has been a "respected part of the team for 13 years and has been vital to the organization because of his business and football knowledge." 49ers GM TRENT BAALKE's role "will not change," as he will "continue to run the football operations" (ESPN.com, 1/21). In San Jose, Tim Kawakami wrote the new Levi's Stadium "would not have been possible without Yu’s expertise and guidance." Before he "took over the project, it wasn’t funded and the 49ers were stalemated." The stadium will "serve as Yu’s grand contribution to the 49ers." Meanwhile, Marathe’s promotion has "been in the works for several weeks." He was the "automatic candidate because he is and always has been" CEO JED YORK's "most trusted lieutenant." Marathe will "get more responsibility as president but York will expand his oversight, too, and essentially York will serve as a CEO/president in many ways, which is how the hierarchy was structured before Yu’s arrival two years ago" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 1/21).
