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Canadian Football League Players Association Considering Ban On Dual Representation

On January 19, 2011, I wrote that the NFL should look into the NBA’s conflict of interest regulations, which currently prohibit agents from representing management personnel and players.  This dual representation is currently permitted by the NFLPA as long as there is full disclosure of all entities represented to each client.  As of the publishing of this post, the Canadian Football League Players Association (CFLPA) also permits the dual representation with the same type of disclosure.  However, on March 20, 2012, CFLPA President Stu Laird distributed a memorandum to all CFLPA Contract Advisors stating that the CFLPA is “considering amending the Regulations to prohibit a Contract Advisor from representing Management Personnel when he/she represents one or more Players.”

The CFLPA will not make a decision regarding the potential rule change until it receives comments from certified Contract Advisors.  Laird requests that Contract Advisors contact the CFLPA’s legal counsel, Edward H. Molstad, Q.C. at [email protected].  I personally believe it would be a prudent move and would encourage the NFLPA to follow suit.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Heitner created Sports Agent Blog as a New Year's Resolution on December 31, 2005. Originally titled, "I Want To Be A Sports Agent," the website was founded with the intention of causing Heitner to learn more about the profession that he wanted to join, meet reputable individuals in the space and force himself to stay on top of the latest news and trends.

Heitner now runs Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., which is a law firm with many practice areas, including sports law and contract law. Heitner has represented numerous athletes and sports agents as legal counsel. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington from 2011-2014, where he created and taught a course titled, Sport Agency Management, which included subjects ranging from NCAA regulations to athlete agent certification and the rules governing the profession. Heitner serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he teaches a Sports Law class that includes case law surrounding athlete agents and the NCAA rules.