10 tips for choosing between sports agent companies

Website design By BotEap.comIs the agent or agency that is recruiting you registered to act as an agent or agency in your state?

Website design By BotEap.comFor the NFL, sports agent firms must be registered with the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) to negotiate a contract for a player. The Uniform Athletes Agents Act, or UAAA, is a state law currently recognized by 40 states (as of April 2011), in addition to Washington DC and the U.S. Virgin Islands, that regulates the recruitment actions of agents.

Website design By BotEap.comThe purpose of the law is to create uniformity in the way sports agent firms recruit and communicate with potential clients. Part of the law requires sports agents to register in each state in which they choose to recruit athletes.

Website design By BotEap.comIf you are in a state where UAAA is not recognized, ask them if they are registered in that particular state (if applicable). If you are already a professional athlete, prospective agents do not have to register with your state.

Website design By BotEap.comHave you ever been disbarred, suspended or sanctioned as an attorney or agent?

Website design By BotEap.comWhile bad things happen to good people sometimes, it’s good to know if the sports agent firm you are considering has ever been sanctioned, suspended, or disbarred (if you’re also an attorney). Research the attorney or agent and feel free to mention what you have learned. There may be a good explanation for what happened, but it is important that you feel comfortable with them and their history.

Website design By BotEap.comWhat is your rate? Is your rate negotiable? How and when do you bill me for your services?

Website design By BotEap.comDo you provide some type of annual account statement to your clients?

Website design By BotEap.comSports agent companies typically bill a percentage of the contract value that they negotiate on behalf of the players. Very often, this fee is capped. For example, in the NFL (National Football League) and the UFL (United Football League), these fees are capped at 3%, which means that agent commissions cannot exceed 3% of the total value of the negotiated contract. .

Website design By BotEap.comYou can still request to pay the agent an hourly rate, if agreed. It has been said that Ray Allen, now of the Boston Celtics (NBA), saved more than $ 2.8 million by paying Johnny Cochran $ 500 an hour instead of paying a 4% commission in 1999 when he was negotiating his own contract with Milwaukee. . Bucks.

Website design By BotEap.comAs for athletic training, who do you work with? Who have you trained for the Combine in the past? Who pays for my training?

Website design By BotEap.comToday, sports agent firms often pay the bill for pro and conjoint prep training for safe draft picks. Some athletes choose to stay in school and train for these events, while others prefer to go to a remote location to train.

Website design By BotEap.comIt is important to ensure that you and your prospective representatives clearly understand where you are training, who is training you, and how much it will cost, as well as whether any of the related fees are your own financial responsibility.

Website design By BotEap.comYour career is at stake, so it is vital that you research the experience and track record of the entity in which you will be training.

Website design By BotEap.comWhat kind of financial services do they provide? Do you receive a referral fee from the financial advisor you recommend? Can I use my own financial planner or accountant?

Website design By BotEap.comSports agent firms sometimes receive kickbacks or commissions for referring clients to specific financial advisers. Obviously, this practice should raise concerns about whether or not the agency is referring that financial advisor due to their performance and quality of services.

Website design By BotEap.comAsk if they recommend a financial advisor. If they do, check their background. If you discover any red flags, raise your concerns with the agency or agent to see what they say. Sports agent firms recommending financial advisers with questionable backgrounds should not necessarily be disqualified from consideration, as they are (or should be) two separate entities. It is also possible that they did not know about the crimes themselves or that there is a good explanation behind what you found, unless it is criminal activity.

Website design By BotEap.comWhen interviewing potential financial advisers, find out their opinion of you by employing risk managers to assess the level of risk involved with your recommended investments. If your best interest is your true concern, you shouldn’t have a problem with having a third party review your recommendations. Financial advisers representing NFL players must register with the NFLPA in the same way as agents.

Website design By BotEap.comNOTE: Never choose a financial advisor or sports agent companies just because they are highly hired! Find the one that’s best for YOU.

Website design By BotEap.comHow many clients do you currently have? How do you plan to address my needs while dealing with your other clients?

Website design By BotEap.comThe number of current clients of sports agent firms can vary greatly. You need to make sure that you are comfortable with the number of clientele they currently have and will have in the near future. Such information can be helpful in determining the amount of attention and time they can devote to their career.

Website design By BotEap.comBy contrast, larger sports agent firms have the infrastructure to provide quality time and attention to individual clients, so be sure to educate yourself on your firm’s structure in this regard.

Website design By BotEap.comIf for some reason I’m not recruited, how can you help me increase my chances of being part of a team?

Website design By BotEap.comUnfortunately, each year the outlook is not written as expected. There are also players who were expected to be undrafted free agents who end up undrafted. Experienced sports agent firms will work with you to create an action plan to evaluate worst-case scenarios.

Website design By BotEap.comAsk what kind of plan they would put in place to assess a situation where you weren’t selected, or ended up receiving undrafted free agent offers if you expected to be drafted.

Website design By BotEap.comAsk if situations like this happened in the past and how they handled it.

Website design By BotEap.comWhat are your strategies regarding endorsement deals for a player like me?

Website design By BotEap.comEndorsement deals are much more difficult to come by in professional football today than in previous years. The best ones are reserved for star quarterbacks, especially those who play in the big market cities. Marketing opportunities for average players in small markets are very rare.

Website design By BotEap.comHow much weight you put on the experience of sports agent firms with client endorsements is up to you, however, it is wise to consider how scarce they are when judging sports agent firms.

Website design By BotEap.comHow can you help me earn extra money from other opportunities?

Website design By BotEap.comAlthough endorsements are rare, the opportunities are still there. The main factor in finding these opportunities is superior performance in the field, but there are other factors, such as image and accessibility, that will increase your chances.

Website design By BotEap.comThe best sports agent firms have resources, whether internal or external, that help clients optimize their public appeal through community service, free public speaking opportunities, social media strategies, interviews, and other opportunities to make it accessible. , pleasant and memorable in the eyes of the public.

Website design By BotEap.comHow can you help me prepare for life after sport, in addition to having good financial management? What other clients have you helped with your post-career?

Website design By BotEap.comPost-career guidance and assistance is a fairly standard offering in today’s sports agent businesses. The key is whether or not you are prepared to listen and follow the guidance provided. It’s one thing to say you’ll listen and be smart with your money, but it’s a completely different reality when you start getting those huge checks. Ask the 75% of former NFL players who are bankrupt within 3-5 years of leaving the NFL.

Website design By BotEap.comFor more guidance and tips to help you become an informed and intelligent professional soccer player (at Y off the field, visit Get 2 The League today!

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