Darren Heitner: What prompted you to start AthletePromotions.com?

Ryan Totka: The combination of my passion for business, sports and the Internet. There comes a day when you realize you may not make it to the pros in sports, so taking my knowledge of the Internet and being around sports on any everyday basis was the best way to fulfill this dream. Many agents don’t recognize the marketability of retired athletes because they aren’t getting that big contract anymore. Our company specializes in marketing recently retired players in all sports building them official websites and booking them for corporate appearances, speaking engagements, autograph signings and other events.

Darren Heitner: What are the positives and negatives of running your own company, specifically in the sports business?

Ryan Totka: The positives are of course working with athletes and celebrities you grew up watching and idolizing. Like I tell people, if you love what you are doing for a living, you don’t work a day in your life. Being able to bring them paid opportunities is rewarding. As far as the negatives, there really aren’t too many. I would say just screening through the numerous requests you get from people. Like any business, when you put yourself out there on the Internet, it’s just something that you learn to deal with.

Darren Heitner: AthletePromotions.com brands itself as a full-service sports marketing agency, speakers bureau, and PR agency. Since you work in a variety of capacities, does it ever make it difficult to work alongside others in the athlete’s business team?

Ryan Totka: If the athlete and their management team are smart, they realize we are bringing them opportunities that were not there before. Often times, we create new revenue streams that weren’t there before. We get numerous agents and managers that are looking for a company to really market their clients on the web and that is our speciality, making sure they get maximum exposure from potential clients as well as loyal fans.

Darren Heitner: How did you get access to thousands of retired and current athletes and how do you manage to stay in contact with such a large number of clients?

Ryan Totka: Years of building relationships. These things don’t come overnight. We only really contact the athlete or celebrity when we have a paid opportunity for them. We don’t waste anyone’s time asking them for a donation, autograph request, etc which you get everyday. Occasionally you get a charity that they may be close to and pass along to their team. There are some athletes that we work very close with and like to pitch more often to potential clients, because we know what to expect.

Darren Heitner: What is the most successful division of AthletePromotions.com?

Ryan Totka: We pride ourselves as the best out there when it comes to getting an athlete exposure on the Internet. Website development, search engine marketing, athlete branding and of course appearance booking is our core. Athletes have spent years getting where they are today from hard work along the way and we pride ourselves as doing the same. Nothing is ever handed to you. We truly understand what it took to get to the top, which is why it makes it easier to show them the attention they deserve.

Darren Heitner: AthletePromotions.com has to be one of the most extensive Search Engine Optimized sites I have ever seen. Did you build the site yourself? Do you also build sites for athletes? How did you learn about SEO?

Ryan Totka: I’ve spent over twelve years working on the Internet, building web businesses and learning how search engines work. Technology changes everyday and you gotta stay on top of it. Building sites for athletes is our specialty. We built, market and manage websites for names such as Spud Webb, Steve Garvey, William “The Fridge” Perry, Dan Fouts, Ray Lankford, Brady Anderson, Pat Williams, Dwight Howard, Nick Anderson, Dan Hampton, Danny White, Sam Fuld, Sheryl Swoopes, Thomas Hitman Hearns and more.

Darren Heitner: You have booked appearance and speaking engagements for Mark Cuban, Spud Webb, and Steve Garvey. What is it like dealing with such a variety of personalities on a day-to-day basis?

Ryan Totka: Just like the real business world, you deal with all types of unique personalities. That’s what makes life fun.

Darren Heitner: How much time do you spend traveling for business? What type of work do you accomplish on your travels?

Ryan Totka: I would say at least twice a month I am traveling. Along with our appearance bookings, I try to hit the major sporting events. Constantly being around the game creates opportunities. There is a time to be in front of a computer screen and a time to hit the field. Everyday is an opportunity to network and that’s how I’ve build my businesses along the way. You gotta move and shake.

Darren Heitner: What other businesses do you operate other than AthletePromotions.com?

Ryan Totka: My first business out of college was TornadoPromotions, a website development / search engine consulting firm. This let me work in a number of industries until I truly found my passion. Back in 2006, I also founded, RedCarpetMonday, a social business network bringing together like minded entrepreneurs and business owners, both online and offline. We host live networking events in markets such as Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta and Dallas.

Darren Heitner: For those looking for advice regarding breaking into the sports business, what can you offer?

Ryan Totka: I recently wrote a blog on my site, RyanTotka.com. This outlined the best ways to get involved in sports and possibly make it a career. This was based on my experiences along the way. Enjoy: http://www.ryantotka.com/tips-for-finding-your-dream-career-in-sports/

Interview With The Agent: Ryan Totka from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The film “The Dotted Line” was aired on ESPN roughly a month ago.  The documentary about the world of sports agents focused on a few figures within the industry.  One of those individuals was Eugene T. Lee of ETL Associates, Inc.  Admittedly, I had never heard of Eugene Lee prior to the airing of the film.  However, I immediately took interest in Lee and his company upon watching the documentary and seeing the drive and commitment that the young agent displayed through the cameras.  I have been following his story ever since.  The following is an interview that I recently conducted with Lee.  Additionally, feel free to check out an op-ed that Lee published on Sports Agent Blog earlier this week.

Darren Heitner: You are a double Irishman, graduating from Notre Dame undergrad and law school. What made you decide to go from the world of practicing law to dedicating your entire practice on representing athletes?

Eugene T. Lee: I met my first clients while in law school playing pickup basketball at Notre Dame. I became friends with some of the players on the football team and they had asked me to become certified with the NFLPA (they knew I had already accepted a job offer with a top law firm and that I would be specializing in intellectual property and contractual law). As I practiced law in the city (for four years), all the while gaining a tremendous skill set and invaluable experience in contract negotiation, I began to represent only Notre Dame players on the side. Over time, I realized that not only did I have an aptitude for NFL player contract negotiation, I absolutely loved the work. There was nothing more fulfilling to me than working with young men of character to achieve a common goal and a lifelong dream.

Darren Heitner: One question many people probably have is how do you make money? It seems like there are so many costs involved with being an NFL agent and low margins based on a 3% cap on fees. How do you and your company survive?

Eugene T. Lee: We are very diligent and thorough in terms of scouting and recruiting players who not only have the ability to get drafted, but who will play on Sundays for many years to come. As long as pre-draft expenses are outweighed by revenues on the back end (i.e., contract and endorsement commissions), you are able to stay afloat. Obviously, some years are better than others in terms of 53 man roster percentage, but the painstaking methodology of investing the time upfront does work consistently over time. Being a relatively new agency, we have already endured the start up pains of the first few years and are now on the cusp of experiencing major breakthroughs on the net income side.

Darren Heitner: Just how brutal is the competition in the world of representing football players? How do you separate yourself from the competition, and what do you do to prevent clients from leaving?

Eugene T. Lee: NFL player representation is an absolutely cutthroat industry. Like any other professional sport, competition is fierce for top level talent. We separate ourselves from the other agencies by offering clients “big” agency benefits (i.e., access to top resources, NFL contacts and negotiation expertise) combined with “small” agency responsiveness and personalized attention. The foundation for anything we do is built on integrity and undying loyalty to our clients. Over time, the service, responsiveness and character found in each one of our team members helps build a strong bond with each one of our clients – one that is stronger than any standard representation agreement.

Darren Heitner: You began developing your sports law practice while working at various law firms. Did they know that you were developing this side practice at the time? If so, what were their thoughts regarding same? How did you manage both your hourly obligations to the firm and growing your own venture at the same time?

Eugene T. Lee: Although I was upfront about my side venture, these firms never took any particular interest in the work I was doing for my NFL clients. It was very difficult to manage my obligations to my firm and dedicate the time necessary to grow my side venture. I had not yet branched out at the time from my Notre Dame clients so the demands were less taxing than they would’ve been if I would’ve been recruiting nationally. I would essentially work a full day at the firm, then work on my agency matters at night. There was definitely a lot of work involved, but it was well worth it in the end.

Darren Heitner: Describe the process of being asked to be a part of the ESPN documentary, “The Dotted Line,” and some of the positives and negatives that you considered before deciding to offer the cameras into your life.

Eugene T. Lee: After returning from a recruiting trip to Chicago last December, I received a voicemail from one of the producers of the film, Matthew Galkin, explaining the concept behind the project. We met up the next day and I discussed what I had done to build my agency, my visions for the future and my current state of recruiting clients for the coming draft. I felt very good about my meeting with Matthew and had a very good feeling about the project which I expressed to my wife at dinner that evening. The very next day I received an e-mail from Matthew and we began shooting two days later (the first scene of the movie with Brandon Hogan). The main benefit of deciding to appear in the film was the phenomenal exposure I anticipated it would provide. Any apprehension was based on how I would be portrayed in the movie (everyone knows Morgan Spurlock’s track record), however, as we shot more and more footage and I became friends with Matthew and the rest of the production team, I felt confident that I would be portrayed truthfully and in a positive light. There are times in life when you need to have the courage to take a calculated risk and that is exactly what I did.

Darren Heitner: What kind of responses did you receive after the documentary was first aired? How did you think it has/will benefit your practice? In what ways may it set you back?

Eugene T. Lee: The feedback and positive response from the movie has been nothing short of overwhelming. I’ve been so touched by how many people were moved, encouraged or otherwise inspired by the film. The movie has allowed us to stand on our merits with some of the more well-known, “big-name” agencies in the industry – which was all I ever wanted in the first place. The movie has been a tremendous blessing to both myself and my team. There have been no negative ramifications whatsoever.

Darren Heitner: ETL Associates recently became the first agency (that I know of) to create a mobile application. How did you come up with that idea? What is the purpose for creating such an application? What has been the response thus far?

Eugene T. Lee: I was speaking with a buddy of mine (who works at the flagship Apple store in NYC) about a year ago and he brought up the idea. I thought it made perfect sense and was totally consistent with our cutting-edge, dynamic approach to representation. I teamed up with Channel V Media to help design, develop and program the app. We came up with five different categories – On The Field, On The Path, On The Know, On The Road and On The Town – each of which we considered an integral part of the NFL lifestyle. The app allows draft-eligible players to learn more about the Combine and other pertinent matters (signing bonus amounts and default language, footwear and apparel endorsements) while simultaneously allowing current NFL players the ability to enhance their travel, entertainment and career progression. We licensed 40 songs from Jingle Punks for an original ETL playlist as well. The response has been tremendous so far. People absolutely love the app.

Darren Heitner: You come off as quite the entrepreneur. Should we be on the lookout for anything else from ETL in the near future?

Eugene T. Lee: I have begun hosting a weekly online radio show on the Voice America Sports Network called “Enter The League” every Thursday at 7:00pm EST. We are also in the process of developing, pitching and producing an NFL-based reality television show. Stay tuned for more in 2012!

Darren Heitner: What advice would you give to those who are interested in becoming sports agents?

Eugene T. Lee: You must work extremely hard and make yourself a valuable commodity. Apart from the educational skill set needed to thrive in the industry (business courses, marketing, law), make it a priority to network with anyone involved, directly or indirectly, with your sport of choice (scouts, coaches, trainers). By building relationships and connections with the right people, you will be able to leverage those connections to build credibility within the industry…which leads to my final point. Always speak and act with integrity. Do what you say you are going to do when you say you are going to do it.

Darren Heitner: Does your company currently offer any internships?

Eugene T. Lee: We are currently not looking for unpaid interns, but we do file all resumes received for possible future openings.

Interview With The Agent: Eugene T. Lee from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The NBA Lockout has taken its toll on a lot more people that you may think.  Other than owners forfeiting earnings due to missed games and NBA players out of jobs, there are many other team employees looking for work.  Scott Lauer, the subject of this interview, was one of those team employees who suddenly found himself without job.  After many years of working as a play-by-play broadcaster in the NBA, Lauer was wondering how he could leverage his talents in a new business venture.  The result of his brainstorming was the creation of a company called “Winning Broadcasting.”  Read on to learn more about Lauer, and his role as a broadcaster agent within his new company.

Darren Heitner: What inspired you to create Winning Broadcasting?

Scott Lauer: Unemployment…ha!  I was unexpectedly laid off as the radio play-by-play broadcaster of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats at the outset of the lockout.  The germination of this growth began over a year ago.  I initially wanted to consult and coach younger broadcasters, and this year I had the time to launch the website WinningBroadcasting.com.  The service model quickly evolved into the role of an agent, representing clients, in addition to coaching them.  I want to parlay my knowledge of the industry and connections, into helping other broadcasters achieve their goal in an accelerated fashion.

Darren Heitner: How do you recruit your clients?

Scott Lauer: I’m focusing on “up-and-comers” in broadcasting; mainly in sports, but also in news and weather.  Many of my clients are people that I’ve helped in the past, and others have been on-line connections, through Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  I believe referrals will start trickling in after I work with clients over a few months.  The younger or less established broadcasters comprise an untapped market.  I’m giving them the attention that few agencies will.  I was once a part of that group; I know what it’s like to be dismissed by agents – including my own, when I had one.  Hopefully I can help position them for their big break; that’ll be extremely satisfying.

Scott Lauer: I just spoke at a local high school tv/radio class in fact.  Getting involved with those school stations is quite beneficial.  When I went to high school, it was rare to hear of studios and tv/radio electives.  It’s never too early to plan your steps.  Gaining valuable internships in college can speed up the job hunting process after school ends.  High schoolers should start networking with organizations that they may want to intern with.

Darren Heitner: How does your experience in the industry benefit your agency and clients?

Scott Lauer: I’m the only broadcasting agent who is merely a few months removed from calling top level games.  I have a perspective that few other agents possess.  I can feel the spirit of a client, and have an appreciation for what matters to them.  I spent close to a decade trying to navigate my way to the NBA; I understand what it takes to become proficient as a broadcaster, and more importantly, how to network.  The irony is that I’ve spent so many years cultivating relationships, and now my priority is to have those same people assist my clients; not me!

Darren Heitner: How do you manage Winning Broadcasting while focusing on advancing your own career as a broadcaster?

Scott Lauer: Being an agent & consultant for Winning Broadcasting is now what I do full-time.  I wake up and go to bed thinking about how I’m going to help my clients.  I’ll be broadcasting a college basketball game on ESPN 3 in November, but I’m now dedicated to growing a quality client base, and assisting them in getting jobs, rather than looking for myself.  My business is exploding so quickly with fine young talent, and I’m having so much fun molding and promoting them.  I can say with conviction, that I’ll be doing this for the long-term.  This suits my drive, entrepreneurial spirit, and independent nature.  This has been an easy transition, and I’m fortunate to have reinvented myself within the industry.

Scott Lauer: I concentrate on broadcasters who are generally in their 20′s and 30′s.  Although I wouldn’t turn down Joe Buck as a client, I’m not going after the network level announcers.  I look for the younger version of him, when others don’t see him/her as worth their time at this point in their careers.  Additionally, I consult and coach clients; improving their sound - enhancing their chances to land jobs.  Many times bigger agents will bury the younger clients under the rest of their clientele, and don’t take active roles in serving their clients.  I immerse myself in the agent/client relationship; it’s a concierge service for broadcasters.  Whatever they need, I’ll do for them.  I’m committed to making sure that they position themselves for the jobs that they desire.

Interview With The Agent: Scott Lauer from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Darren Heitner: I want to start off by learning some information about your background.  Where did you grow up?  Where did you go to school?  Where do you currently live?

Marlon Sullivan: I was born and raised in the great city of San Francisco and I’ve never left.  I grew up in a neighborhood that had a sense of community compared to the neighborhoods right around the corner.  The area was named “The Western Edition.”  Four blocks from me were city projects where crime rose to its height in the 90′s.  I’ve spoken in a numerous amount of settings to different people and I’ve always stated that the only difference between me and my other African American peers, is that I had a two parent household and the influence my father had over me.  All young men need their fathers to be ACTIVE fathers and guide them to success.  I’m a true believer that if I did not have my father I would not be where I’m at today.

My early years were absolutely awesome.  The parenting I received in my young life shaped and molded me into the man I am today. I’m forever grateful to my mom Fatima Sullivan and father Marion Sullivan.  My grades were average and I was a student athlete until high school ended. Once high school ended, my life changed for the better.  I woke up one day and realized I had nothing going on.  It was time to realize my talent.  I applied to DeVry University as I was always great with computers.  I learned visual basic and C++ at the age of 14.  I launched my first basic website at the age of 14, which made DeVry University so appealing and only made sense.  I applied for the business program with a concentration on business information systems.  Let me tell you everything I learned at DeVry prepared me for my new venture SPANATIX.  It was at DeVry University I came across a young woman who dated WR Sean Dawkins who in turn got me an internship with his agent, Angelo Wright.

I currently live in San Francisco. My office is in the heart of SOMA Downtown SF.  I have two handsome boys Armani and Tristan Sullivan age 4 years old and 2 months old.  My girlfriend and mother of both my children, Natalie Logan has been instrumental to my success since the day I met her.  She has taken care of my boys including her son Aaron like no woman could.  She is supportive and has made many sacrifices to ensure my career ascends and that I maximize my full potential.  Natalie, I want to take this time to say “I Love You”.

What prompted you to want to become a football agent?

This is an interesting question as it starts back in my high school days.  My old high school classmates who I run into on Facebook or around town always tell me, “Marlon you said you would become a sports agent and you made your dreams come true.”  While in high school, I realized my talents on the field weren’t enough to go professional, but my talents off the field were.  I would have debates every single day about football, who would win, who is the best players at certain positions, best coaches, systems and schemes, etc…  I would find myself following the daily transactions, injury reports, news stories, collegiate prospects, on every team in football. Truthfully it only made sense to me to stay in sports, something I loved, and to have direct access with professional athletes, guys who look, talk, and share the same outlook on life, that I should become a sports agent.  What’s not to like about being a sports agent?  The income can be substantial (keyword: can be?), live a life on the road, deal with the sports media, build relationships with athletes who shape and make the leagues run, and be a part, while making a contribution, to the sport that I’ve loved since I was 3 years old.

When did you first become certified as an NFLPA Contract Advisor?  Tell me a little bit about the process of becoming certified.  Any fond/not-so-great memories of the NFLPA Contract Advisor examination?

I received my agent license in the summer of 2009 at the age of 24 (Youngest Certified Agent at the time).  The ironic thing is this was the first year DeMaurice Smith took over as the head of the NFLPA.  He did his induction speech, addressed the upcoming applicants and let me tell you, I was truly amazed.  He’s able to grab your attention right from the beginning and maintain it throughout his speech.  One thing Mr. Smith said that has stuck with me: “To the ones that become certified, hold your position in life as an agent as if it was holy.  You are guiding the lives of young athletes not only related to football, but outside of it as well.”  That stuck with me and ever since, and I have vowed to myself to ensure proper guidance and lead all my clients/friends in this thing we call life.

The process of becoming a sports agent differs by league/sport as you know, but it’s all very simple.  For the NFL, per se, the current requirement is to have either a Graduate’s degree or sufficient negotiating experience.  These requirements were changed in 2006 when the new Bargaining Agreement at the time was introduced.  Again this was ironic, as in 2006 I graduated from DeVry University and had been interning with Angelo Wright for 6 months, I was ready to take the written exam and multiple question test to become licensed, but they changed the rules requiring a Graduate’s Degree.  Not to let it deter me or give up, I hurried and applied for USF’s Sports Management (Which I heard was phenomenal) Graduate’s program. Upon graduation I applied for my agent license.

When I traveled to DC to take the examination, I had no worry what so ever.  I knew every aspect of being a sports agent and every rule in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  My internship with Angelo Wright was very hands on and I was so prepared I did not need the 2 day seminar to refresh my memory.  This is what I had dreamed of since high school.  Angelo had entrusted me on multiple occasions to head the negotiating process with teams for our late round draft picks, un-drafted free agents and liaison on some of the bigger negotiations.  I had been through three recruiting seasons, multiple presentations to players and parents, and the due diligence I did on my own part ensured I would pass.  The greatest memories to me while preparing and taking the exam, was the amount of lawyers and other individuals taking the test who had NO experience in the industry were picking my brain on all the nuances and small things that a person could NEVER know because they have no practical experience in the industry.  There are a ton of people out there who qualify to become an agent, but have no idea what the scope of job is and have no experience in the industry and want to become an agent because they think it’s an easy large paycheck.

Please describe your working relationship with agent Angelo Wright.  Do the two of you co-represent any players?  If so, how does the split on expenses and commissions work?

My current working relationship is pretty standard comparative to other agencies.  Obviously I’m not an intern anymore.  Angelo is the principle agent and we co-represent all players that I bring in or that we recruit together.  We co-represent DE Jonathan Fanene (Bengals), DT Matt Toeaina (Bears), and WR Bakari Grant who is in the CFL.  Angelo and I split all direct expenses on prospects/players that we are actively recruiting or co-representing.  After all expenses are calculated and paid back, we split the commissions 50/50.

Who do you currently represent?  Do you have a particular geographical focus when it comes to recruiting players?

As a firm “SportsWest Football” we have a numerous amount of NFL, UFL, and CFL clients.  Some of the big names include Matt Toeaina, Jonathan Fanene, Pat Williams, and many more.

We are a national firm as we recruit collegiate prospects all over the country. Agencies such as ours do tend to recruit in their region for two reasons: (1) Recruiting Expenses; the cost of flying to games, meetings with parents, hotel, game tickets, rentals cars, and other expenses come into play.  Simply, it’s cheaper and cost effective to primarily recruit in your area, but if you have a “IN” with a guy from Ohio State you do what you must to get there and actively try and sign the kid.  (2) Notoriety; as a sports agent you tend to have a name/reputation in the area your agency is based. With the number of great football schools in our area (Cal, Stanford, San Jose State, etc.) it’s easy to recruit from whereas we will get a meeting based on reputation alone.

I am told that you also represent a boxer named Karim Mayfield.  What do I need to know about Mayfield, and how did you come about representing him?

Karim Mayfield is an interesting story as he and I grew up in the same neighborhood.  He is older than me by four years and I grew up looking up to him and other peers in the neighborhood.  6 months ago Karim came to me after parting ways with his current manager and asked for me to just help look over some promotional deals. Boxing is different, whereas most boxers have a manager/agent and sign with a promotional company to secure fights on their behalf.  He knew I was a sports agent and just wanted my advice to look over the deals on the table and give advice on which one made sense for him.  I had followed his career since he started boxing as we were friends and I had an opinion on what was needed to ascend his career and get to the next level.  After speaking to all the promotional heads for each company, I made the recommendation to Karim to sign with Prize Fight Boxing.  This was the less known smaller company out the bunch, but after speaking to them they had a clear sense of strategy and knew exactly what Karim was missing to get him to a world title shot.  After the negotiations, Karim liked my business acumen approach and asked me to come on as a co-manager with his brother and friend Laron Mayfield.  Laron and I are great friends and have been in business together for a long time so I happily accepted.  In 6 months since we’ve been together, Karim Mayfield has fought Steve Forbes on ESPN 2 (First guy to defeat Forbes by way of TKO) and is scheduled to fight 2-time Olympian Patrick Lopez for the NABO 140 Jr. Welterweight title on the 1st of October at Fitzgerald’s Casino.  I truly owe both Karim and Laron for giving me this shot, as representing a boxer has given me a new prospective on representing professional athletes.  Boxing is different than Football as it’s not governed as heavily by a union.  I’m able to use stricter negotiating tactics, solicit more endorsements/sponsorships, and build my overall sporting network.  More importantly, I’ve been able to build a greater personal relationship with Karim as we are striving towards the goal of making him World Champion and a great human being.

I want all sports fans, boxing enthusiasts to be on the lookout for future World Champion Karim Mayfield. Some say his style is unorthodox; I call it unique.  He has the punching power of a heavyweight but he weighs only 140 lbs.  He’s exciting and he has what you call the “IT” factor.  He’s handsome, has personality, caring, respectful and is truly a one of a kind athlete compared to his peers.

Pittsburgh and Syracuse were recently accepted to join the ACC.  What are your thoughts about the recent shifting in conference alignment?

Two things come to mind when this topic is aroused.  First, there is no governing body overseeing the re-alignments and controlling college football.  When a team(s) is realigned for revenue purposes I see the benefits, but things that make college football great will be missed.  The great rivalries that have been created, the college football traditions, and now there will be 2-3 great conferences and every other conference will be drastically below in terms of competition.  Second, what about the other sports? Syracuse and Pittsburgh are the driving forces of the big east in Basketball and since the shifting, that conference will be dramatically affected.  So when these decisions are being made, they need to think about the fans, traditions, rivalries and how this affects teams across all the sports.

I have also heard that you developed a new social networking platform for sports fans.  You sound like quite the entrepreneur.  Tell me some about this social networking site.

I was wondering when we were going to get to this question. Thanks for the compliment!  Yes I have developed a social platform tailored for sports fans named SPANATIX (Sports + Fanatics).  It was at the University of San Francisco where this idea was realized.  My partner Ajit Sane and I were in a class taught by Professor Keir on Entrepreneurial Brand Management and the project was to create a company to pitch to potential VC’s (Investors).  Most people create your standard sporting company: T-Shirts, Tournament, Sponsorship etc. but we wanted to do something innovative and different.  This was when Twitter, Facebook and other social mediums were becoming widely popular in the mainstream with their growing user bases and valuations.  Then it hit us; create a niche platform where the fanatical sports fans could give their opinion on their favorite teams/athletes or any popular sports topic currently trending.  Most platforms are built for the league entities such as ESPN, CNNSI, Fox Sports, etc. but none is built for the SPORTS FAN.  As a sports fan, who is my favorite team, who is my favorite athlete?  What memorable moment made me fall in love with that the team?  There are millions and millions of fans who share this passion for their interests in sports and want to talk about it.  For me it was the first time I saw Marvin Harrison play Wide Receiver and I fell in love.

Our platform would still provide news, injuries, transactions, scores and things that these other platforms provide, but the key is how we provide it and why?  If I’m a user and my favorite team is the San Francisco 49ers, we would provide the 49ers updates to that user.  The user has access to all content, but it’s filtered and delivered based on user interest.  Users can connect with other sports fans with similar or total opposite interest to have friendly banter and your normal sports trash talk.  We consider our platform an extension of sports talk radio, but we allow ALL users to connect at the same time.  More importantly, at the end of the day, at the end of all the trash talking, sports fans want to say who’s going to win and why?

This is where our signature application/feature was born.  FanMeter is where we rank sports fans based on that very question.  Users decide who’s going to win/lose based on their knowledge of the game (Injuries, Match-ups, Weather, History) and if correct they can brag and win points.  If wrong, they lose points and credibility/rank as a sports fan.  BTW, as an additional incentive users can also win prizes by trading in their accumulated points.

We are still in the BETA stage with 10,000 current users, and things are looking great.  This platform was built by sports fans for sports fans as our mission is to change the way sports fans experience sports socially and online. Go to facebook.com/fanmeter, connect with your Facebook account and enjoy sports the way you like it.

What advice can you give to those who are interested in representing professional athletes?

To any and all aspiring sports agents, I recommend finding a mentor or acquiring an extensive internship with a well-known agent.  The industry and business as it stands today is too difficult to start on your own.  You need the hands-on experience, dealing with athletes, recruiting, dealing with teams/scouts/GM’s/ to ensure that becoming a sports agent is for you.  The recruiting process alone is something a person should go through at least twice.  Understanding the nuances of travel, cold calling, building relationships, analyzing talent (10k seniors only 200+ draft picks), and the cut throat competition. 90% of the players are represented by 15-20% of agents.  Understand that this business is very costly and the cost to operate as a Self Employed agent is insanely high.  Most agents are out the business after a couple of years or have other means to generate income because of this very reason.  Remember you do NOT get paid, unless you have clients that are on the ACTIVE roster.  If you fight through adversity, stay strong and do your job optimally then you have the qualities to succeed in this business.  Remember, “chance favors the prepared mind”.

Interview With The Agent: Marlon Sullivan from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

I first learned about Ken Staninger and Stinger Sports Group over 4 years ago, when I covered the NFL agent and his company in an Agent Spotlight piece on this website.  The obvious thing that sticks out about Staninger is that he is based in Missoula, Montana, which is the 2nd largest city in Montana, but certainly not a hotbed for athletic talent.  Yet even though Staninger is not surrounded by 5-star, blue chip athletes in his backyard, he has done a remarkable job attracting new clientele through decades of operating as a sports agent.  The following is an interview that I recently conducted with Staninger.

Darren Heitner: What initially inspired you to create Stinger Sports Group?

Ken Staninger: I initially got interested in the sports representation business back in the 70′s when few NFL teams would scout or consider small college players.  I felt there was a need to market and promote these athletes even though they were not playing at USC or Ohio State.  Having a business degree motivated me to dive into this and see what I could accomplish.

Darren Heitner: What are the positives and negatives of operating a football agency out of Missoula, Montana?

Ken Staninger: There are many positives in working out of Missoula, Montana.  The qualities of the people are unmatched for honesty and work ethic.  Living in Montana keeps me centered.  The foundation for my business has always been about trust, transparency, honesty, and integrity and that will never change.  The negative part of living where I do is that I need to recruit harder then maybe some of the other agencies that have a blue chip I-A program or an NFL team in their back yard.

Darren Heitner: How much work do you do outside of the NFL?  What are your thoughts on the current state of the UFL after the Hartford team recently folded?

Ken Staninger: I have for worked 25 years with the CFL and currently have 5 clients playing in that league.  I have also worked with the USFL, World FB League, Arena 1 and 2, XFL, NFL Europe as well.

I am not sure what to think about the current situation regarding the UFL.  It is very good football and is watched closely by the NFL personal.  I do think they will play even with only 4 teams.  It is unfortunate that Hartford has backed out.

Darren Heitner: What is your schedule like during the NFL season?  Do you make it a point to visit all of your clients during at least 1 regular season game?

Ken Staninger: My schedule changes from year to year.  I try to see all of my active players during the season, however some years scheduling this is difficult.  I watch most all of the games during the year.  This keeps me up to date with players, teams and injuries.

Darren Heitner: I see that you represented one of my favorite players – Mark Rypien.  Can you provide me with some stories about your relationship with Mark that I may not know?  For instance, how did you go about recruiting him, and what was your most interesting contract negotiation involving Mark?

Ken Staninger: Mark and I remain very close friends.  You might say he and I have been through almost everything together.  It has been a relationship of peaks and valleys.  I will always remember when I had to make the call to tell him his dad had died of a massive heart attack at the age of 54.  I was involved in Mark and Annette’s wedding and I was there for them when they went thru the painful 2 years while their son Andrew suffered with brain cancer, who eventually passed away.

I recruited Mark out of Washington State University.  He and I connected very quickly and I connected well with his mom and dad.  That was an important factor to Mark as they were a close family unit.  I won out over some very big names at the time and felt very fortunate to get the opportunity to work with Mark and his family.  Mark liked to take chances so when the Redskins would not give us a long term deal after the 1990 season, we rolled the dice and did a one year deal going into the 1991 season.  Needless to say that paid off big time as that was the year Mark led the Redskins to a Super Bowl victory and Mark was named MVP.  The following spring year contract negotiations with Charley Casserly and Mr. Jack Kent Cook were interesting.  At one point I took Annette, who is a fiery red head, to one of our meetings.  She had the opportunity to speak her mind and Charley took note. Charley will always remember when Annette showed up at the meeting.

Darren Heitner: Where do you have your clients go through preparation for the NFL Draft?  How involved are you in that preparation process?

Ken Staninger: Some of my clients decide to stay on campus and prepare for the combine.  A good number have worked with Athletes Performance, Plex Performance, and Velocity Training.  I make sure that the players are training hard and stress the importance of them being prepared.  I help them focus on some of the different skill sets that will help them show themselves well.  This time of the year I am doing a lot of pre-draft marketing, staying in close communication to the network of NFL personnel I have established over the past 30 years.

Darren Heitner: How many players do you currently have on NFL rosters?  Which players are entering their final year before free agency?

Ken Staninger: I currently have 10 players on active rosters. I have three players who are entering their last year of their contracts.  Jake Scott–OG–Tenn, Pat McQuistan–OT–Tenn., and Bear Pascoe–TE–NY Giants

Darren Heitner: What do you do for your clients in the area of Social Media Strategies?  What kind of off-field opportunities have you been able to procure for your clients?

Ken Staninger: For Stinger Sports Group offering social media strategies to our clients is a new element of our overall marketing strategy for those players who wish to participate. Building social media strategies for athletes requires understanding your client’s personality and finding opportunities for them to connect with the online community as well as activating sponsors.

Darren Heitner: What suggestions would you give to those hoping to one day be successful NFL agents?

Ken Staninger: For anyone who wants to go into this business I recommend some formal training.  Business, Marketing, Law, PR, and any sales training are all good foundations for the business.  Then go to work for one of the respected agencies in the business to learn how it all works.  Many of them offer internships prior to hiring. It is a relationship business.  It takes time to learn the recruiting process and even more time to get to know the NFL personnel that you must deal with on a daily basis.

Darren Heitner: Do you currently offer any internship opportunities?

Ken Staninger: I have offered internships in the past, however, as of right now we currently do not have any internship opportunities.

Interview With The Agent: Ken Staninger from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Renegade.  Athlete’s rights advocate.  Evangelist for the Olympics.  Difficult.  Exacting.  Argumentative.  Brash.  Insane.  Hyper-Active.  These are all slogans and adjectives that sports agent, Evan Morgenstein, President and CEO of Premier Management Group in Cary, North Carolina, has been tagged with at one time or another in his 19 year-long career.

I had the opportunity of hearing Morgenstein first speak at the Variety Sports Business Summit back in July 2011.  He immediately stuck out to me as someone “different” from the rest.  He sat extremely relaxed and would casually whip his hair back and forth (Willow Smith style).  The panel that he was on consisted of other agents and one of his clients, Olympic Gold Medalist, Janet Evans.  The conversation went in a direction that brought forth the question “Are agents expendable?”  Morgenstein sweetly reached his arm out and rested it on Evans’ shoulder, looked at her and said, “Oh.  We’re family.”  Although he said this in a playful manner, that truly exemplifies Morgenstein’s approach to his clients; they are family.

I have been fortunate enough to further build a friendship with Morgenstein over the past couple of months.  Never at a loss for words or desire to give his opinion, Morgenstein shared with me some of his philosophies on being an agent, representing iconic athletes and soon to be champions, life on the road and how he hopes to be remembered.

Heather Brittany: Evan, how did you start in this business?

Evan Morgenstein: I was fired from my last job in technology selling computer systems to the healthcare industry.

Heather Brittany: Why?

Evan Morgenstein: I was partying too much.  I didn’t take the opportunity seriously.  I was out 7 nights a week with a passion!  I knew selling systems to doctors who mostly were arrogant and insanely uninformed was not my future and this “career” choice was not going to end well.  I deserved to be fired.  But the truth is the company was full of ass kissers who never had a free thought in their life!

Heather Brittany: So you basically committed career suicide?

Evan Morgenstein: Perfectly worded!  It was time to bury that sad episode of an otherwise extraordinary life!

Heather Brittany: Tell us why being a sports agent was your passion.

Evan Morgenstein: My dad was an average football player who got a partial scholarship to play at Syracuse, my alma mater.   Sports were always part of my life and truthfully it was the only thing that strung two days together for me.

Heather Brittany: What do you mean?

Evan Morgenstein: Most people just meander through their day, through their life.   Never stop long enough to identify what makes them happy or eliminate what makes them sad.  Sports defined everything for me.   Seasons.  Activities.   Family time.  Friend time.   If I wasn’t playing it, I was talking smack.  Btw, the Dolphins sucked when I was a kid and they suck now! J-E-T-S!  JETS JETS JETS!

Heather Brittany: Well, I’m a Mark Sanchez fan, so I’m alright with that.  Where did Premier Management Group or PMG Sports come from?

Evan Morgenstein: I worked for a sports marketing agency that repped NBA athletes.  I did that for a couple of years, thought that 99 percent of the NBA athletes that I met or worked with were utter worthless, thankless assholes, so I quit and started my own company.  No NBA ATHLETES ALLOWED!  Truth is Charles Smith, the former NY Knick was that 1 percent.  He gave me a chance.  Treated me like family.  I owe him almost everything because he believed in me.  Can never thank him enough!

Heather Brittany: Why Olympic athletes?

Evan Morgenstein: Because in 1995/96, there was only one agency that focused on Olympic athletes and they only repped the icons!  Michael Johnson, Amy Van Dyken, etc.   I wanted to make a difference in the rank and file in the Olympic movement.  They work just as hard.  They deserved someone going out and singing their praises.

Heather Brittany: What has been the most rewarding partnership that you’ve had the opportunity to facilitate?

Evan Morgenstein: Here’s the problem, if I answer that, another athlete is going to see that… it’s like dealing with kids.  There’s nothing like cereal boxes… you know?  Walking down an aisle and seeing your athlete on the cover of a Wheaties box, it’s pretty incredible.

Heather Brittany: What would you like people to remember you for (in association with being an agent)?

Evan Morgenstein: I actually think about this a lot.   I’d like to be remembered for the guy that helped create a middle class in the Olympic movement in the US.  For all of those athletes who wanted to make representing their country, their sport and their family a career, I helped make that a reality.  That would make me feel like all the bullshit was worth it!

Interview With The Agent: Evan Morgenstein from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Darren Heitner: When did you start Meister Sports Management (MSM)? Had you represented athletes prior to starting your own firm? What inspired you to set up your own shop?

Barry Meister: I started MSM on February 1, 1992.  I was a partner in the 100 lawyer firm of D’Ancona and Pflaum specializing in labor law.  I had started representing players through the firm in 1987, but the practice grew exponentially and become a full time job.  I realized to have a full service agency I would need to specialize and set up my own shop.  My first client was 1983 St. Louis Cardinals first rounder Jim Lindeman, who was a summer teammate of mine on a Chicago semipro team.  I had graduated law school in 1979, but continued to play in the college summer league in Chicago.

Darren Heitner: Tell me a little bit about your educational background.

Barry Meister: I graduated from the University of Illinois with a BA in accounting and passed the CPA exam.  I attended law school at Northwestern and received my JD from Northwestern.

Darren Heitner: How has working at a prominent law firm, specifically in its Labor Department, helped you in your sports agency practice?

Barry Meister: Having practiced “large firm,” law gave me a great legal background to understand the needs of my clients and also gave me a broad understanding of MLBPA legal issues…invaluable in understanding the Basic Agreement and how it affects players’ individual rights.

Darren Heitner: Tell me a bit about your two baseball player sons. Any chance that you will represent them some day?

Barry Meister: My wife was a professional figure skater and we were blessed with two athletic sons.  My oldest graduated from the Farmer School of Business at Miami of Ohio where he pitched for 4 years.  He signed with the Washington Nationals and in his first year had a 1.86 era without issuing a walk all year!  My youngest accepted a scholarship at St Louis University and is a RHP.  We are just happy to have healthy boys and want them to follow their dreams, in or out of baseball.

Darren Heitner: I recently covered the sad story of Dick Robinson’s passing.  Dick had been a member of your team at Meister Sports Management.  What can you tell my readers about Dick that they may not know from what has recently been written about him?

Barry Meister: I was devastated to lose Dick Robinson as a friend and colleague.  He was rich in life experience and always saw all sides of every issue.  Lincoln said, “it’s not the years in your life but the life in your years” and Dick lived a life!  In his life, he ran and biked 30000+ miles and is a legendary presence in Lexington Kentucky.  Players lost a true friend.  Dick was 71, but still involved in mentoring young men

Darren Heitner: Tell us about some of the other members of the team that makes up Meister Sports Management.

Barry Meister: Former client and major leaguer Jim Bullinger has recruited some of our bright young stars like Cory Luebke, Jonny Giavotella and Joe Smith.  Bill Taylor is a former college coach who recruits the East and has found players like Anthony Varvarro and Steve Garrison.  Former client Ben Shaffer has worked with Todd Wellemeyer and a number of our Kentucky clients.  We also maintain a full service agency for our 90+ baseball clients and Broadcasters.

Darren Heitner: You represent a lot of very talented, big name players including Casey McGehee, Roy Oswalt, and Edgar Renteria.  What went into recruiting your more talented clientele and what types of services do you offer them now?

Barry Meister: The best part of my work is representing players of character.  I have promised players honest and heartfelt advice, and that has always been the touchstone of what players like Wakefield, Johnson, Counsell, Mcgeehee and others have sought.  We offer our partnership and friendship, and players seem to appreciate we will do whatever it takes to provide them the resources they need to succeed in baseball and life

Darren Heitner: What are your thoughts on the MLB Winter Meetings?  What are some of the better moments and the not so great parts of attending?

Barry Meister: I enjoy the Winter Meetings because it gives me the opportunity to connect face-to-face with colleagues and club officials.  It is by far my favorite time of year and the free agent process is especially challenging there.  I also like how quickly deals can come together.  Recent free agent deals for Brandon Lyon and Kyle Farnsworth came together in a few hours.  There is nothing better than calling a client and starting a conversation with the words, “you better sit down for this.”  I can’t tell you how great it is to set a player and his family for life with a long term Winter Meeting deal.

Darren Heitner: Have any of your players been through an arbitration hearing?  If so, how involved were you in the process leading up to the hearing and at the hearing itself.  Any good arbitration stories?

Barry Meister: I have prepared over 100 arbitration cases and have been fortunate to settle most without hearing, since the process is designed to foster agreement.  I have not participated in a losing case since 1997 and am often asked by other agents to present and help prepare cases.  It’s a throwback to my days as a labor lawyer and I reply enjoy it.  My favorite arbitration case involved an Astros pitcher in the 90s.  The Astros were determined to go to trial and no settlement seemed possible.  After the case, but before decision, the Astros GM pulled me aside told me we had absolutely made our case, and as I remember, they settled way on our side of the midpoint.  It reinforced how preparation results in success and makes arbitration a real weapon for our clients!

Darren Heitner: How big of an issue is agents paying young players from Latin America in order to strengthen their chances at signing them as clients?  What can be done to correct the situation?

Barry Meister: What is going on in providing things of value and loans to clients is a travesty and an embarrassment to our profession.  It certainly violates legal ethics and the spirit of all the MLBPA Regulations.  There should be zero tolerance and expulsion for any agent who does it, no matter who they are.

Darren Heitner: What advice would you give to anyone hoping to become an agent, specifically in baseball?

Barry Meister: My best advice to anyone interested in becoming a representative is to go to law school and go to work in the business world first.  There is no substitute for life experience.  The more life experience you have, the better you can determine what a client needs and how to solve his issues.  I have a plaque on my desk which reads, “treat every client as your only client,” and that is our mantra.  Learn to focus your attention and there is a solid place for a committed young person in our profession.  We do not have internship because of the way we are structured, but I always am available to help direct someone who is interested.

Interview With The Agent: Barry Meister from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Darren Heitner: You were a partner in two other sports agencies before starting your own, Norton Sports Management (NSM). What agencies? Who did you work with? Who were some of your clients?

Scott Norton: I began in the business by working with Buddy Meyers at Sunset Coast Sports Management (SCSM) where we repped some NHL players including Igor Kravtchouk as an NHL All-Star and Olympian, as well as Alexei Morozov. I then was a partner in GAME Hockey for a few years.

Darren Heitner: What made you decide to start your own agency? What are the positives and negatives of setting up your own shop as opposed to working for an established agency?

Scott Norton: I originally bought Buddy Meyers out from SCSM when he decided to leave the business and focus on his partnership in the Chicago Wolves. Ever since then I have always enjoyed the freedom of being my own boss. I am very concerned about my morals and reputation, and that is not always the case in this business.

Darren Heitner: What were some of your biggest challenges when you started NSM?

Scott Norton: The biggest challenges have mainly been getting the company name out there and well recognized. Finding the right people to fill out my staff has also been a major point which has had to be addressed properly.

Darren Heitner: What is your family’s involvement with the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago White Sox? With a tie to basketball and baseball, you chose to represent hockey players. Explain that one!

Scott Norton: My father owns a piece of the White Sox, and my mother owns a piece of the White Sox and the Bulls. It has been something that I have been blessed with since I was a teenager, and allowed me to learn a lot about the business of sports. I chose to represent hockey players because 1. I was a hockey player so I think I understand my clients the best and 2. I wanted to stay away from baseball and basketball so that I could make a name for myself.

Darren Heitner: Do you place any hockey players overseas? Can you describe how the placing of players and negotiation of their contracts is different overseas?

Scott Norton: Yes, amongst others, I represent Kevin Dallman who is known to be the most successful North American to play in the KHL. I have partnered with an agency which assists me in this process. The placement is difficult because many times the teams have not actually seen the players so they are going off of referrals and/statistics. The negotiations are not a lot different other than the language barriers which can cause some issues.

Darren Heitner: I love to see that you are extremely charitable and that you have leveraged Twitter to increase your charitable efforts. Tell me about “Make My Day Mondays” (MMDM).

Scott Norton: Make My Day Mondays is a charity movement which I began 11 months ago on Twitter. It is the 1st ever Twitter-driven charity, and has now branched out to Facebook as well as live events. With the assistance of many of my clients, MMDM is about giving back and helping others. Each and every Monday the hope is that every person will do some random act of kindness to make ourselves feel good, whether its donating to a charity, helping a homeless person or carrying a woman’s groceries. If the person has social media accounts, they are to then post their act of kindness on Twitter or Facebook so that others can follow. It has been a great success, and something myself and clients are all very proud of since it started at the grassroots of our family.

Darren Heitner: Other than MMDM, how have you used social media to benefit you, your company, and your clients? How involved are you with your clients’ social media presence?

Scott Norton: Social Media, and Twitter especially, has been a huge benefit to all of the above. I have made many business and media contacts thru Twitter. Some of my clients’ endorsement deals have begun through my reaching out via SM.

With regards to my clients, I attempt to be very involved with their use of SM. I encourage all of my clients to use SM and show their personalities to the fans. I also try to educate them on the do’s and dont’s when using SM.

Darren Heitner: Who has the best Twitter account and why – you or Allan Walsh of Octagon?

Scott Norton: I hope you are not asking this question in a serious tone. I dont need to be a self-promoting, pompous ____. Octagon is a very successful company and I am sure that Allan is a big part of that, but I do not believe that Twitter or any other public forum is the place for conflicts between player and team.

Darren Heitner: Do you have a specific strategy with regards to recruiting new clients? Do you continue to work on behalf of clients after their retirement from professional hockey?

Scott Norton:Not really a specific strategy, I would say more a certain target for recruiting. For example – after I moved to Southern California, I began recruiting more local players, and that has lead me to working more in the WHL.

I have strong relationships with many of my retired clients, and attempt to assist them in many facets of their lives after retirement.

Darren Heitner: What suggestions would you give to people who aspire to be hockey agents?

Scott Norton: Dont do it! It’s competitve enough. But, seriously – education and experience are the two most important aspects. Schooling is great, but if you dont get out there and work, it will only take you so far.

Darren Heitner: Do you currently offer any internships?

Scott Norton: I do. I currently have one intern helping me, and I am open to others as well. Now that I have branched out into other sports including tennis and golf, I have more work to be done, and many more facets of marketing, so I appreciate the assistance and am happy to help hard working, motivated students who want to learn.

Interview With The Agent: Scott Norton from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Tony Dutt is the President of Dutt Sports Services, Inc. (DSSI), a basketball agency based in The Woodland, Texas.  DSSI’s website’s catchy phrase states, “With Dutt, it’s a done deal.”  Dutt has negotiated deals for many NBA players, including Marcus Camby, Rashard Lewis, Raymond Felton, and Brandon Bass.  Throughout his career, Dutt has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts on behalf of his clients.  Dutt represents three players selected in the 2011 NBA Draft – Markieff Morris, Marcus Morris, and Tyler Honeycutt.  Interestingly, he represents them in conjunction with a new company named Rival Sports Group.  I recently interviewed Dutt about his relationship with Rival Sports Group, his start in the industry, and many more topics.  The result of that interview is below.

Darren Heitner: What enticed you to become a basketball agent, and where did you originally get your start?

Tony Dutt: I started in 1985.  I worked with Bill Blakley in Dallas.  We signed Karl Malone, Joe Dumars, and Spud Webb.

Darren Heitner: At what point in time did you create your own agency, Dutt Sports Services?  What has been the most rewarding and toughest part of running your own company?

Tony Dutt: I started Dutt Sports Services, Inc. (DSSI) in 1990.  A really good friend of mine and one of the founders of DHL, Bill Robinson, was discussing what I did and he asked me how much money I would need to start my own company. We agreed upon an amount and he loaned me the money to start DSSI, and I’m proud to say I was able to pay him back. Bill Robinson is still a very close friend and is the Godfather to my two kids.

The most rewarding part of building a company for me is the relationships with the clients and their families, and watching the clients grow not only as professional athletes but as good citizens.  I tell every client that you may be a great athlete and make a lot of money, but you can’t buy respect of your teammates, family, etc. – you have to earn it.  The hardest part of running a business is finding people who you can truly trust.

Darren Heitner: Have you ever represented any professional athletes in anything other than basketball?  Do you have any future plans to expand your agency to include other divisions?

Tony Dutt: Yes, with the first firm I worked with I was able to do football and baseball as well.  Mark Adicks was an offensive tackle from Baylor who we worked with.  He told us he wanted to be a surgeon.  Fast forward to about a year ago and I was talking to a doctor friend of mine, and he told me about an orthopedic surgeon that was working in the medical center.  Well it was Mark Adicks, who is now the person I use for myself and my clients.

I am working on expanding DSSI.

Darren Heitner: I noted that you are working in conjunction with a start-up agency titled, Rival Sports Group, to represent the Morris twins from Kansas and Tyler Honeycutt from UCLA.  How did you form a relationship with Rival Sports Group?  What does the relationship entail?

Tony Dutt: I am working with Rival Sports Group as a Consultant.  I handle all basketball contracts for the company.  I must say that so many people try to get into this business and spend alot of money and usually do not succeed for one reason or another, as it is extreamly competitive.  I have spent 25 plus years building relationships with owners, general managers, coaches, etc., and I go back to TRUST – it’s developed over time. Rival Sports Group has a lot of business success along with really good people working with them, and I’m really excited about the relationship going forward.

Darren Heitner: Marcus Spears of Yahoo! Sports first reported that the Morris twins were close with a man named Jason Martin.  Who is Jason Martin, and how are the two of you connected, if at all?

Tony Dutt: Jason Martin works for Rival Sports Group and has been involved in basketball his whole life.  He truly cares for the clients he works with, and has been successful in business outside of working with players.  Jason and I are getting to know each other better as we spend more time together.

Darren Heitner: Let’s talk about another one of your clients – Rashard Lewis.  A lot of people are talking about how he has the worst NBA contract (which means that you actually did a great job in the negotiation).  What do you say to anyone who is calling Lewis’ contract atrocious?

Tony Dutt: First let me say that I really feel Rashard is worth every penny.  In doing any deal, the one thing that I try to do find is a “fit,” meaning, where can a player have the biggest impact if a free agent is considering leaving his current team, and I do a really in-depth calculation as to where a client will fit.  Rashard was a perfect fit in Orlando.  If you look back, when you have someone like Dwight in the middle, they needed someone to spread the floor and someone who could shoot the three and drive to the basket and create his own shot.  Orlando had given up two first round picks to Detroit for a big man, so I knew I had to be well prepared to give them an option in Rashard.  And don’t forget, they did get to the finals.  I think sometimes teams forget the importance of keeping a team together, but it’s also hard for GMs under the cap to keep players together. And I personally would rather be overpaid than underpaid.

Darren Heitner: Other than Lewis and the 2011 Draft class, you have a lot of big name players with very large contracts.  Do you also handle your clients’ marketing in-house or do you work with particular marketing agencies out of house?  What are some of the more creative deals you have negotiated?

Tony Dutt: I would like to think that all my deals are creative.  We do a lot of marketing in-house, but we also use outside marketing groups as long as it benefits the player.

Darren Heitner: Are any of your clients considering playing overseas based on the presence of an NBA Lockout?  If so, which players and where are they thinking about playing?

Tony Dutt: We are always looking for jobs overseas, again by having years of experience, we know the market, but there are so many issues overseas that have to be considered because of players having problems getting payed, the city, etc.  You have to look at it as a case-by-case situation.

Darren Heitner: What piece(s) of advice would you give to someone who is looking to break in as a basketball agent or break into another part of the basketball industry.

Tony Dutt: It has always been a tough business to break into.  Getting an internship or working in a certain area like local marketing deals – anything to get your foot in the door – is important.  And it’s important to know that it’s a lot harder than people think, but if you have the right game plan and are willing to work long hours and do it the honest way, you can succeed.  There are no shortcuts.

A lot of new agents might have one or two clients, and I know are afraid to give up any possible income.  But I will say I have spoken to a lot of agents when I hear a certain player might be looking for a new agent.  I would go to the agent to try and help, but they always say, “my guy is not leaving me.”  Then, prior to a kid’s free agent year, he leaves and the small agent/friend of the player does all the work for nothing.  So young agents should remember that in the end, players want to get paid.  Rival Sports Group is an example of doing it the right way and everyone wins.

Interview With The Agent: Tony Dutt from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Darren Heitner: How difficult is it to juggle life as a criminal defense attorney and life as a sports agent?

Joe Tacopina: It doesn’t give you much time for anything else, including sleep.  But it truly depends on the circumstances. There are times when I need to spend a majority of my efforts on a case and less on the on the agency, and vice-versa.  Fortunately, I have a great support team in both areas.

Darren Heitner: Which job takes up more of your time?

Joe Tacopina: Depends on the day of the week.  When I’m in a trial it can be upwards of 20 hour days.  It is the same though, when we are on recruiting trips.  Nice to have a blackberry!

Darren Heitner: I’m an HTC EVO fan, but I won’t hold it against you. Compare as to difficulty: Closing statement at high-profile criminal trial vs. recruiting a blue chip athlete to be a client.

Joe Tacopina: There is pressure in both. And the philosophies behind both are similar.  If a closing statement does not go well, my client is going to jail for a long time.  At MadAve we are a young company, so there is pressure to build our client base.  So a successful pitch to a family becomes quite important.  In both situations you have to believe in what you are saying, so authenticity is paramount.  We pride ourselves on that and believe it distinguishes us from others.

Darren Heitner: What inspired you to create Madison Avenue Sports and Entertainment?

Joe Tacopina: I have always been passionate about sports. Initially, I represented some athletes and they always asked me to handle their contract negotiations.  I always thought the criminal defense attorney skills were transferable.  There is constant negotiating throughout a case, especially if you are negotiating a plea deal for a client.  When I connected with Ed we saw that we could be much more.

Darren Heitner: Have you ever represented a sports/entertainment client in court?  Is it a service you offer to your athlete/entertainment clients?

Joe Tacopina: Yes.  I was hired by Michael Jackson to defend his manager and alledged co-conspirator in the 2004 criminal trial.  I have also represented many entertainers and Hip-Hop artists such as Sticky Fingaz and Foxy Brown.  I don’t pitch the service to them as I think it has to be more of a natural process.  I am much more comfortable with it that way.

Darren Heitner: Do you believe that a law degree is necessary/preferable for an aspiring agent to have before beginning to recruit athletes?

Joe Tacopina: Is it necessary?  Not really. But it is an asset, both practically and from a presentation standpoint.  Practically it certainly helps when you are negotiating contracts.  From a presentation standpoint a client always knows that if they get themselves in trouble, they can call me I can handle it.  It becomes a one-stop shop.

Darren Heitner: Who are some of your clients at Madison Avenue Sports and Entertainment?  What is the most interesting/creative deal you have brokered while working there?

Joe Tacopina: In just a couple of years we have amassed a nice roster of NHL caliber players including David Desharnais who plays with the Montreal Canadians and some nice NFL prospects who we believe have a nice future ahead of them. Each deal is different and interesting.  But it is everything from negotiating contracts for an established NHL player to helping a linebacker make his way onto an NFL roster that make it all interesting and creative..

Darren Heitner: What is it like working alongside Ed Horne, who was formerly an executive at the NFL and NHL?

Joe Tacopina: He is a leader in the industry and has been a bit of a mentor.  I may be able to negotiate a contract, but Ed has really helped me navigate the world of sports.  His demeanor really defines us at MadAve.  Whenever we hit alarm bells around here Ed is the calming influence and steady voice.  We have complementary skills and that is what will make this work for the long term.

Darren Heitner: Did you ever consider working at an already established agency instead of starting up your own?  Why did you determine it was best to start from scratch?

Joe Tacopina: No.  It was never a thought.  I have always wanted to put my own finger print on it – mold the clay myself.  Very similar to how I started my own law practice. I’m not a terrific employee.  I have my own style.

Darren Heitner: What should we expect from you and your company in the future?

Joe Tacopina: Our objective is to be a meaningful, suggestive agency that never loses the ability to put the client first.  We do expect that we will have considerable growth and we intend to do it the right way.

Darren Heitner: What advice can you give to aspiring agents and/or attorneys?

Joe Tacopina: I don’t know if there is any real advice I can give anyone.  But what I always tell my kids is to be passionate about what you do.  If you are not passionate about it you won’t get others to be passionate about you.

Interview With The Agent: Joe Tacopina from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules