It was only yesterday, June 6th, that crowdseats.com officially launched its website. Crowd Seats is a daily deals site that offers sports tickets at HUGE discounts.  The discounts range anywhere from 50-90% off face value with no fees. This is a benefit for both the consumer and the sports organization. These time-sensitive, daily deals offer fans an opportunity to get in the crowd at a fraction of face value, while teams benefit from generating significant revenue from otherwise perishable inventory. The  inherent overages (i.e. additional revenue streams) that are guaranteed for each ticket sold on Crowd Seats are what makes sports tickets a perfect fit for this business model.  Popular group buying sites get merchants on board by promising new customers in exchange for huge discounts.  Crowd Seats’ merchants can expect more – each ticket sold on Crowd Seats will lead to more revenue through supplementary purchases such as parking at the stadium, concessions such as beer, soda, and hot dogs, and merchandise like jerseys and hats.  These additional revenues make daily deals ideal for sports teams.

A handful of teams have thought about this already and have utilized group buying websites for the past two years. Many sports organizations, including the Dallas Mavericks, have experimented wtih Groupon and LivingSocial and had great results. In a case study produced by Crowd Seats, deals involving tickets for NBA, NHL, and MLS games were reviewed.  The combination of revenue generated through ticket sales via various daily deals sites and supplemental revenue generated at the stadium (Fan Cost Index) has resulted in NBA teams taking in an average of over $50,000/deal.  The NHL and MLS based deals also did tremendously well.

Notable Deals:

• Dallas Mavericks, October 2010, 4819 Tickets Sold, $173,000 Revenue
• Toronto Raptors, March 2011, 2368 Tickets Sold, $101,000 Revenue
• Toronto Raptors, November 2010, 3049 Tickets Sold, $97,000 Revenue
• Colorado Avalanche, February 2011, 1784 Tickets Sold, $51,000 Revenue
• New England Revolution, August 2010, 2515 Tickets Sold, $45,000 Revenue

The Fan Cost Index is the sports industry metric of measuring what a fan spends once he/she buys the ticket.  This includes parking, food, beverages, beer, souvenirs, programs, etc. Each time a ticket is sold on Crowd Seats, the team will generate revenue from the ticket sale (minus Crowd Seats’ cut, which varies) on top of the guaranteed additional “overage” revenue from parking, concessions, etc.  This model makes Crowd Seats very attractive to teams and sporting events of all levels (pro, minor league, local).

According to Justin Cener, Founder and CEO of Crowd Seats,  “Sports ticket inventory is very similar to hotel inventory – if you don’t sell it, you lose it.  Crowd Seats enables teams to generate significant revenue from otherwise perishable inventory.  Moreover, unlike traditional businesses, sports teams generate large supplementary revenues after the ticket is sold through parking, concessions, and merchandise, making the sports industry the perfect partner for daily deals.”

It is clear that consumers will benefit, receiving discounts at 50- 90% off the face value of tickets to their favorite teams. Teams will also greatly benefit from the first group buying site specifically targeted towards their product. With the website now officially online as of Monday, June 6th, you can now go and check it out yourself. Fans who want to receive future offers for local events can sign up for the” Deals Newsletter” at http://www.crowdseats.com.

Crowd Seats Brings Group-Buying and Sports Tickets Into the Same Arena from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

I have been in the market for a new pair of headphones for quite a while now.  I had heard that Bose brings the best sound to your eardrums, but that Beats by Dr. Dre are close to Bose’s quality with a kick of style.  One thing that both products have in common is that they come with a hefty price-tag.  Beats Studio Headphones are $349.50 retail.  Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones are $299.95 retail.  But what if you want strong sound with noise isolation, along with enough style to make a few people stop and stare, all for an affordable price?  I could not find the right product.

Then I received an email about a brand new range of durable headphones from a couple of companies that you would probably never guess would be working together.  Philips, known as a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle, and lighting teamed up with O’Neill, a Californian surf, snow, and lifestyle brand, to bring a kick-ass pair of headphones to my door.

The headphones were actually designed with athletes in mind.  They are made to be able to withstand the rigors of an active lifestyle.  They are also extremely customizable, coming in different shapes, sizes, and colors.  The headphones I received are called “The Stretch” in Black Bordeaux (black and red).  They are tough, flexible, and include a really cool tangle-free red and black cable that matches the headphones.  And they really feel good on my ears.

I am not a big fan of ear bud headphones, but if that is your play, Philips | O’Neill offers a pair called “The Covert” and 6 color options in a line called “The Specked.”

My “Stretch” pair has made me very happy, but if I could try another pair from the Philips | O’Neill line, it would be a pair of “The Snug.”  Like The Stretch, The Snug is a durable headphone.  It also had the capacity of folding up, which is perfect for someone who is always on the go.  They have the same powerful sound as The Stretch, but might even look more comfortable than my pair, which happens to be pretty damn comfortable.

I found a pair of The Stretch on Amazon for a fraction of the price of a pair of Bose or Beats by Dr. Dre headphones (click here for the link to the Amazon page).  With the holidays coming up, it might be a good purchase for a loved one or a good client!

More pictures, below.

Product Review: Philips | O’Neill Headphones from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

It cannot just be me who thinks that something is being hidden in this entire A.J. Green situation.  Admittedly, as much as I have gleaned over the past few months regarding student-athletes, agents, runners, and even coaches all in bed with each other, people kept asking me if I had heard anything about Green, and my answer was no.  Yet, everyone was searching for dirt on the Georgia Bulldog.

Then yesterday, word broke that Green will be ineligible for an additional 3 games (on top of the 1 game he already sat out) because he sold a game jersey to an individual who meets the organization’s definition of an agent.  Why even say that the person meets the organization’s definition of an agent instead of calling the person an agent, point blank?  And with so much out there across the country to investigate, could there really have been such a large focus on A.J. Green because he sold a jersey to an agent?

Either way, this “agent” should be concerned if he is not registered in the State of Georgia.  University of Georgia’s official athletic website provides the following:

GEORGIA STATE LAWS

Agents must register with the State Regulatory Commission and are required to post a surety bond of $10,000. No athlete agent may contact an athlete, either directly or indirectly, or otherwise engage in or carry on the occupation of an athlete agent without first registering with the commission.

The state’s athlete agent law, recently revised in 2003, expanded the power of a university to bring civil action against athlete agents in the event their actions cause the institution to be brought before a governing body and penalized. It also provides for civil action against enrolled student-athletes should their actions cause the institution to be brought before a governing body and penalized.

Penalties for violating state laws are felonies incurring fines no less than $5,000 and no more than $100,000 or by imprisonment from 1 to 5 years, or both.

Why A.J. Green, And Who Was The Agent? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Anyway, while reading one of my favorite websites (TechCrunch.com), I found out about Bring TIM!, which is short for “Time is Money!”  It is advertised as a “cost calculator”, which also serves as a clock when you are not reminding people how much money they are wasting by making you sit through a meeting.  I saw a picture of the item, and immediately thought that it could be used for many purposes other than bugging executives about the money they are costing themselves by being managers instead of entrepreneurs.

For instance, yesterday, upon opening the package containing Bring TIM!, I brought it outside with me as I soaked up the sun.  An hour after hitting the easy start button, I realized just how much money I could have been making had I been productive instead of laying out.  But it’s also very useful for any lawyer who bills on an hourly basis.  All you have to do is set your hourly rate and start it up.  It will do all the calculations for you.  Next, the inventors need to add a button that transfers the result to an invoice – now we’re talking!  This product would also be useful for an agent who bills by the hour instead of asking for commissions from his clients.  I talked about using such a fee structure (which is used by basketball agent, Lon Babby) 3 1/2 years ago on SportsAgentBlog.com.

I like the fact that Bring TIM! also functions as a clock when it is not being used to count the money you are making (or could be making).  It costs only $25, so if you are billing at an hourly rate of $300, you can pay for a Bring TIM! in only 5 minutes of work.  I also like that the people behind Bring TIM! have a sense of humor.  See the video, below.

If you are interested in having your product reviewed on this website, please contact us for further information.

Product Review: Bring TIM! from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The event will be attended by Anthony Davis (Rutgers), William Beatty (Giants), Andre Dixon (UCONN), Eric Berry (Tennessee), Trent Williams (Oklahoma) , Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska),  Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss), Kerry Rhodes (Cardinals) and Fantasia among others.

Guests will dance the night away with Just Dance, where up to four players can grab their Wii Remote and dance simultaneously to the hottest dance jams over the past four decades by following the professional choreography on the TV screens that will be set inside the venue. To top it all off, NFL Runningback, Larry Johnson (who is also apparently a DeeJay), will spin on the one’s and two’s and American Idol star, Fantasia will perform at the after-party.

This event will take place at Quo Nightclub located at 511 W. 28th Street between 10th and 11th Avenue (map). The host will be Anthony Davis, a left tackle out of Rutgers University, one of the biggest recruits in Scarlet Knights History. Proceeds from the annual event will benefit After-school All-Stars, a charity founded by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California in which athletes donate time and money, providing opportunities for inner city youth throughout the United States. A silent auction will be held where invited guests will bid on exclusive autographed items donated by athletes including Kobe Bryant who provided a pair of limited edition Nike’s in the charity’s themed colors in addition to a gorgeous dress that was donated by designer, Karen Millen.

Guests are expected to arrive early and dressed to impress.

Mandatory RSVP to draft2010@fashionandfootball.com.

*All media requests must be pre-approved

For red carpet and media inquiries, contact: Ra-Fael Blanco, 2R’s Entertainment & Media PR - (646) 326-4803 Ra-Fael@2RsEntandMedia.com

3rd Annual Fashion and Football Event from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Steve Herz

More than three dozen suspected thieves have been cleaning out Manhattan health clubs, busting locks and snatching cash and valuables as victims work out, the NYPD says.

Victims include sports agent Steve Herz, who reps Mets GM Omar Minaya and whose $7,000 Panerai diving watch was swiped from the Reebok Sports Club on Columbus Avenue in May. [NYPost.com]

Good luck getting that watch back!  By the way, readers, IF Management has a very impressive list of News & Entertainment and Sports Broadcasting & Marketing clients.  Not all agents restrict themselves to representing professional athletes.  If you want to look into a different type of agency, I suggest taking a peek at IF Management’s website.

Steve Herz Would Like His Watch Back from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

One company that has been particularly generous to Dynasty is America’s Bat Company.  The first step in building a relationship with the company was to have our clients test out their products.  It is important that new relationships are built with an understand of the quality of product being exchanged.  America’s Bat Company was willing to send many of our position players with a free bat (maple or ash – the choice of our players) to see if they enjoy the product.  Our boys just received their bats and will be testing them out now and in Spring Training.

What I really enjoy about America’s Bat Company are their competitive pricing and immense number of options.  There are a lot of models to choose from and multiple colors for each bat.

I hope that our clients enjoy the bats that have been provided to them.  We have some very talented position players and we are in talks to bring a few more guys into the fold.  I will report back with what our guys think of the product and hopefully will be able to announce some individual player deals with America’s Bat Company in the future.  At this point, I already heard from Tommy Johnson, who revealed that he is enjoying the bat he received.

Dynasty’s Deal With America’s Bat Company from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

So what exactly is the Motorola Endeavor HX1?  Don’t like the name fool you, this “endeavor” is the size of my thumb.  It happens to be the most comfortable, best audio, most non-douche-looking earpiece I have ever experienced in my life.  Since bluetooth earpieces hit the market, I have been one of its most stringent non-supporters.  Every time I talk to my mother and she is wearing her earpiece, I make her turn it off and call me back.  The quality is that bad.  But not with the Motorola Endeavor HX1.  Everyone hears me better than when I actually talk right into the phone.  And the quality on my end is outstanding.  Somehow, I even get better service in my own room (where I am known to drop quite a few calls), when I am wearing the earpiece.

My absolute favorite part about the Motorola Endeavor HX1, is that it fits my ear.  I have never been able to use Apple’s ear-buds.  I can’t wear any type of headphones that does not have some sort of apparatus that goes around my head.  I had no control over the size of my ear holes when I was born, but for some reason nothing ever fits in them…except for the Motorola Endeavor HX1.  And they take it a step further.  In the package, there is an additional attachment in case you have a different ear hole size than me.

The Motorola Endeavor HX1 is an excellent accessory for anybody that is constantly on the go.  Sports agents are traveling all the time…to the airport, to catch a game, to the office, to the gym, etc.  Athletes are always on the move as well.  Traveling from city to city to play their games.  And we are all very busy people.  Snap the Motorola Endeavor HX1 in your ear and life suddenly becomes much easier to manage.  An added feature is that the headset is a charm at noise cancellation, so if you are in a noise spot, the caller on the other end will only hear your voice.  And I promise, this headset does not scream “douchebag” like many competing products on the market.

For the official fact sheet and another picture of the headset, click here.

If you are interested in having your product reviewed on this website, please contact us for further information.

Product Review: Motorola Endeavor HX1 from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Are the NFL and its member teams a single entity or do all teams act in a joint venture (similar to a partnership)?  The NFL wants the Supremes to hold that the teams and the NFL as a whole, is a single entity for all purposes and exempt from Section 1, not just in the licensing of intellectual property.  American Needle wants the Court to hold that the teams do not act as a single entity, and should not be restrained from trade under Section 1 of the Antitrust Act.

I tried to wrap up the case in one paragraph, which obviously did not do justice to the breadth of the issue.  So luckily for everyone, one of our favorite Sports Law professors, Michael McCann, has put together a law review note to appear in a future edition of the Yale Law Journal.

The United State Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit has held that the NFL and its teams operate as a single entity when it comes to apparel sales.  Unless the U.S. Supreme Court reverses that decision, the holding will serve as solid precedent.  McCann believes that the Court should reverse and reject the NFL’s single entity defense.  As McCann notes in Part IV., A Recommendation to the United States Supreme Court,

The Court should reject a general availability of the single entity defense for professional sports leagues. Those leagues, however, should retain an opportunity to obtain exemption from section 1 in limited and carefully-defined circumstances.

Give the paper a read.  Do you agree?

What The Supremes Should Be Thinking When They Review American Needle from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

How many guys do you know who can pull of the blue double breasted now-a-days?  The guy is dead sexy.  You need to vote Dildy.

And when the ladies are not staring at Tracy, Kareem is stopping people in their shoes.  Look how focused his player is on that grey suit.  Forget the play, that outfit is stunning, coach!

Waste no more time.  Submit your votes for Didly and Richardson.  Let’s get two from Dynasty into the Fashionable 4!  Click here to cast your vote for Dildy and Richardson.

Dynasty’s Trek To The Fashionable 4 from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules