Our History
Born in the Yellow Lot. Built for the Road.
The Spartan Niner Empire didn't start in a boardroom — it started in a parking lot. From Candlestick Park to cities across America, we've been carrying the Faithful's fire to every away game, earning recognition from coaches, players, and the owner.
Timeline
The First Invasion
Dave Kahn sets up the first Candlestick Park-style 49er tailgate in Atlanta, Georgia. The Spartan Niner Empire is born.
Carolina NFC Championship
The Empire travels to Charlotte for the NFC Championship Game and meets Dr. John York on the field.
Growing the Empire
The Spartan Niner Empire expands its reach, inspiring 49er booster clubs across the country to follow the invasion blueprint.
Bourbon Street Takeover
New Orleans falls to the Faithful. The SNE Bourbon Street invasion becomes one of the most celebrated moments in the club's history.
The Empire Grows
From coast to coast, the Spartan Niner Empire continues to lead the way — setting the standard for 49er away game support.
Super Bowl Bound
The 49ers return to the Super Bowl and the Empire is there — loud, proud, and representing the Faithful away from the Bay.
Pedro — Father Sparta
Pedro Torales, known throughout the Niner Empire as Father Sparta, is the co-founder and the heartbeat of the Spartan Niner Empire. His passion for the 49ers runs as deep as the roots of the organization itself.
From the earliest invasions to the most recent takeovers, Pedro has been the energy that keeps the Empire moving. His dedication to the Faithful and his commitment to the mission of supporting the 49ers away from the Bay is unmatched.
Invasion Roots
Atlanta, GA — January 2013
The first 49er Invasion — a full Candlestick Park-style tailgate set up in Atlanta, Georgia. The blueprint was born.
Charlotte, NC — January 2014
The Spartan Niner Empire traveled to Carolina for the NFC Championship Game, bringing the invasion to the East Coast.
New Orleans, LA — 2019
Bourbon Street turned gold and red as the Empire descended on New Orleans for one of the most memorable invasions in SNE history.
Dr. John York with the Spartan Niner Empire — Carolina 2014
Dr. John York — Carolina 2014
49ers owner Dr. John York stopped by the Spartan Niner Empire tailgate before the NFC Championship Game — a moment that showed just how far the Empire's reputation had reached.
Dallas, TX — 2014
The Empire took over Dallas in 2014, proving the invasion blueprint worked in any city, any stadium, any crowd.
The Beginning
Long before the 49er Invasion became a movement, Dave Kahn was already living it. A die-hard season ticket holder at Candlestick Park, Dave earned Tailgater of the Week honors in the early 2000s — his setup with close friends was the most welcoming spot in the parking lot, where no 49er fan was ever a stranger. Flags flying high, 49er music pumping, and a crowd that felt the energy from the parking lot to the upper deck. That was the standard he set, and he never lowered it.
When Dave relocated to Georgia in 2006, he didn't leave the Faithful behind — he brought the Candlestick Park experience with him. In January 2013, he set up a full-scale 49er tailgate in Atlanta for the first time, and it was a massive success. Nobody was doing away game tailgates at that level before him. Dave Kahn is the pioneer — the one who proved that the Faithful could show up anywhere in the country and take over.
Today, years later, 49er booster clubs across the US and around the world follow the blueprint he laid down. And the impact goes beyond the fans — the team feels it directly. When the Faithful travel in force, they make more noise, they pump the players up, and they create a real home-field advantage on the road. The Spartan Niner Empire doesn't just support the 49ers away from the Bay — we make a difference.
Watch Our Story on YouTube
49er Invasion Pioneer & die-hard 49er fan, Dave Kahn
Be Part of the Story
The Spartan Niner Empire's history is still being written. Join us as we continue to support the 49ers at Levi's Stadium and invade cities across the country.