Darren Heitner: When did you start Walton Sports Management Group (WSMG), and what drove you to create your own company?

Austin Walton: I started Walton Sports in the middle of 2009. I decided to start WSMG at that point because I felt as though I had enough experience, the requisite contacts, and ultimately I wanted to create and run an agency according to my values and core beliefs.

Darren Heitner: How old were you when you started WSMG?  Were there a lot of people who doubted you?  What were common things that people said to you?

Austin Walton: I was 25 when I started Walton Sports, which is extremely young in this business. I have been told that I am the youngest CEO of a basketball agency and with that comes a lot of doubters. Many people thought that I should have continued to gain experience learning from others. Others thought that I would not be able to compete against big agencies for top prospects and they would use my age against me. Last, in this business where being unethical is the norm and having runners recruit for you is commonplace, people thought that it was silly for me to think that I could do this honestly and on my own essentially.

Darren Heitner: Tell us about your educational background, which includes a bachelor’s degree, Masters, and J.D.

Austin Walton: I received my Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of South Florida. Then, I went on to receive my Master’s in Sports Administration from Valparaiso University before finally getting my law degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas.

Darren Heitner: Prior to starting up WSMG you interned at Dynasty Athlete Representation and then ran its basketball division.  What would you tell others looking to break into the industry with regards to internships with an agency?

Austin Walton: I think that an internship is the only way that you can break into this business unless you were a former athlete or have countless of connections with athletes. As an intern you truly get to see how an agency is run from the inside. You get to see how hard this business truly is. It is nothing like it is portrayed on television. It is a dog-eat-dog industry and I would venture to say that after many people finish an internship they are turned off by the profession. I will say that it is very tough to break into this business, everyone wants to work in sports. You should start early and work anywhere you can in this industry.

Darren Heitner: You have placed a number of basketball players overseas.  Please describe the process you go through when seeking an opening and then pitching a player to that team.

Austin Walton: Well, I work with numerous of European agents who aide me in helping to place my players overseas. This is the most effective way, because they have formed established relationships in their country and/or region and can communicate much easier than myself with teams for numerous reasons. Now, due to my experience and the amount of players that I have been able to place overseas over the years, I have garnered many relationships with teams as well, so that helps.

Darren Heitner: Many people are reporting that one of your clients has a good chance of being selected in the 2011 NBA Draft.  Tell us a little bit about that man, Andrew Goudelock.

Austin Walton: Plain and simple Andrew Goudelock has a NBA skill. He is the BEST shooter in this year’s draft class. He has unlimited range, a quick release, flawless mechanics, and he shoots a very high percentage given the amount of three’s that he took over the course of his career at the College of Charleston. However, Andrew is not just a one-dimensional player. He has shown time and time again throughout this process that he is a scorer who can fill it up in a multitude of ways, he is one of the best athletes in the draft as evidenced by his NBA combine athletic testing scores, and he is an underrated passer and defender. On June 23rd Andrew should be a late first round pick based on the feedback that I have gotten from NBA teams. That is amazing considering the fact that he was not on a single mock draft; not one when he signed with me nor was he even in the top 100 prospects. Everyone considered him an overseas player, but I knew he was more than that. Then, he was dominant at the Portsmouth Invitational and then the New Jersey mega workout. That translated to an invitation to Chicago which allowed him to perform against the elite prospects and he performed admirably. He tested well and had the best shooting performance there over the likes of Jimmer Fredette and Klay Thompson. We worked really hard and have secured him 17 NBA workouts so that he can be seen by every team from picks 17 through 41 essentially. Now, I am confident that he goes somewhere between 23-38 overall.

Darren Heitner: Take us through the recruitment process leading up to signing Andrew Goudelock.

Austin Walton: It was a similar process to anyone that I recruit, but each client/prospect is unique in different ways. As for Drew, we have a very similar demeanor and approach. We are very confident and do not believe in backing down from a challenge. We wanted to take on the “top” prospects head on every chance that we got. From that a personality standpoint and philosophical standpoint we clicked and due to that he and his family selected me to represent him. Everything else has been history. As for my typical recruiting practices,  I do not recruit a ton of players like all of the big agencies, but the guys that I target are players that I have seen personally a bunch of times and I believe in very much. I start the process early and then show consistency throughout the entire process. I talk to them almost daily to build a relationship and show them that I will be by their side regardless. I go to watch them play a few times and then when the season is over I give them a formal presentation that talks about the agency, our plan for them if they were to sign with Walton Sports, and how we will get them to where they want to be. I am honest and straighy forward. That’s it!

Darren Heitner: How tough is it to recruit against the larger agencies?  What kind of tactics do you employ to separate yourself from the rest of the pack?

Austin Walton: I don’t think that it‘s tough recruiting against larger agencies because I know that I will sign at least 1 NBA player from here on out. I simply sell myself; I don’t have anyone else do it for me. I believe in my abilities and I am confident that I can help every kid that I recruit achieve their maximum potential and get them drafted as high as humanly possible because I know their game, make them a priority which is essential during this process because you only get one chance to make the NBA, and I have the time to dedicate myself to them because I do not represent a ton of guys like these other huge agencies. Last, I believe in them as NBA players which is why I invest in them whereas many other agencies do not push that hard for a guy who is labeled fringe player (Not a top 20-25 player) at the conclusion of his college season to make the NBA because they know how much work is required and the amount of money and time that is required. Look at what has happened with Andrew Goudelock for example, almost every big agency recruited him and they all told him that he was going to ultimately be an overseas player so he signed with me because we (him, his family and I) had a great relationship and I thought he had a legitimate shot of making the NBA and I laid out a plan for him which could make that a reality and it will be in a week. He went from a no name to be mentioned in a lot of publications as a first round pick.

Darren Heitner: Does WSMG represent anybody else who may have a shot of being drafted this year?

Austin Walton: Yes, Randy Culpepper out of UTEP has a legitimate shot of getting drafted this year. He too has had a bunch of workouts and has performed extremely well in all of them. He has gone head-to-head with Jimmer Fredette, Diante Garrett, BenHansborough, Brad Wannamaker, etc. and he was impressive in every single workout thus far. Randy is world-class athlete (43 inch vertical jump), dynamic scorer, good defender and he is an underrated passer and playmaker. At UTEP he played primarily off the ball, but he has shown in workouts that he is a scoring PG who is unguardable in the pick and roll due to his speed and athleticism. He is a very good shooter as well. With the recent success of players like J.J. Barea, Will Bynum and Nate Robinson, the NBA has a place for a diminutive scoring guard like Culpepper. He is one to watch in the last 15 picks.

Darren Heitner: Do you think that there will be a 2011-12 NBA season?  What concessions need to be made by players and owners in order for a new collective bargaining agreement to be signed before the planned start of next season?

Austin Walton: I certainly think that there will be an NBA season in 2011-12. I would expect the lockout to last no longer than the end of December. However, both sides seem to be very far apart at the moment so the next few weeks are very important. There needs to be concessions on both sides for sure. I will not get into what issues need to be dealt with because that is an entire conversation by itself, but there are many issues that need to be hashed out for the NBA to move forward.

Darren Heitner: Last, what should we expect from you and WSMG in the future?

Austin Walton: Expect very big things! Next year is going to be huge for Walton Sports. I fully expect to have a few guys drafted next season and I hope that will be a trend going forward. We only recruit who I consider to be elite athletes and high character individuals because those are the types of player’s that have long NBA careers. Hopefully, in a few years people will consider WSMG as an agency with power yet still be considered a family-based agency.

Interview With The Agent: Austin Walton from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

At the time, I was pissed.  I had pumped money into Rulon’s travel and the start of his training, only for him to leave my company for someone else.  It also gave me a bad impression of Caric, although, now I realize that he probably had no ill will.  I think it is important to realize that just because a player leaves an agent, that does not mean that it was a case of client stealing.  In fact, Caric had no obligation to be cordial after the switch, yet he went out of his way to even pay back a portion of the money we laid out for Rulon prior to his switch.

Thus, I have great pleasure in seeing Caric’s rise up the ranks as a football agent.  He and his company were recently favorably featured in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.  The article talks about his current NFL clients and his five NFL Draft eligible clients, including University of Washington’s Mason Foster, who is likely to be a 2nd or 3rd rounder.  Not bad for a guy who started his own company only 3 years ago.  And about working out of Las Vegas…

Operating a sports agency in Las Vegas has its benefits.

“Clients love to come here. It’s a great place to entertain,” Caric said.

Steve Caric Making His Mark In Las Vegas from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

When: Friday, April 15 (6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.)

Where: Suffolk University Law School

This panel discussion will focus on the ethical dilemmas amateur athletes, agents, and Universities face in today’s society.  The panel’s ultimate goal is to open up a dialogue that is aimed at curtailing unscrupulous agent behavior and creating a system that protects amateur athletics simultaneously.  I am excited to be a part of this event.

• Moderator: Greg Bedard (NFL Columnist of the Boston Globe)
• Panelist: Josh Luchs (Former NFL Agent and Cover of SI)
• Panelist: Darren Heitner (CEO of Dynasty Athlete Representation, Creator of SportsAgentBlog.com)
• Panelist: Mook Williams (NFL Agent at National Sports Management)
• Panelist: Carlene Pariseau (Associate Athletic Director-Compliance at Boston College)

Cost: Free.

Suffolk University Law School Sports Law Panel from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

“The same rules apply to the extent that an agent can’t even buy a player a sandwich at Subway,” said Darren Heitner, chief executive of Dynasty Athlete Representation and a sports attorney with the law office of Koch, Parafinczuk & Wolf in South Florida. “But it definitely picks up around this time in terms of communication and really that’s why you see so many athletes choosing their agent the night of or the day after their bowl game. They have their mind set.”

Heitner said runners are usually the first form of contact between an agent and a player, and tend to be in the same demographic and close in age so they can relate more easily.

Earlier this year, the spotlight focused on the agent industry when North Carolina became embroiled in a scandal surrounding some of its players and coaches potentially receiving improper benefits from agent Gary Wichard. Then, in a recent Sports Illustrated article, former NFL agent and Wichard runner Josh Luchs alleged he paid more than 30 college players during his career.

The NFL Players Association subsequently suspended Wichard’s license for a year. Heitner said these revelations have made agents more careful in the short term, but the only way to initiate real change in the industry will involve the full enforcement of state and federal laws concerning agents.

“Certain states, their secretary of state, their attorney general have stated that they will go to the full extent of enforcing their laws,” Heitner said. “Will it actually happen? That remains to be seen. It’s funny because the sports agent profession is glorified in some ways, and in other ways, we’re seen as a bunch of slimeballs. But everyone wants to be an agent, so it’s an interesting disparity.”

Heitner said his biggest piece of advice to college players looking for representation is to take advantage of having so many suitors. He says players should ask questions about the best contract an agent has ever negotiated, how many deals have they been a part of or whether they have a legal background.

Virginia Tech Players Tell Their Agent/Runner Stories from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Friday, November 19, is the deadline for Major League Baseball teams to finalize their 40 Man Rosters leading up to the Baseball Winter Meetings and the Rule 5 Draft.  Many players will be “protected” on their organization’s 40 Man Roster in the final hour leading up to the deadline, as a preventative measure, so that other teams will not be able to pry away someone who has Major League potential.

My eye is on Dynasty Athlete Representation client Clint Robinson, who is a part of the Kansas City Royals‘ deep and talented farm system.  Robinson accomplished the following this past year, as a member of the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals:

• Triple Crown – The third player in Texas League history to hit for the Triple Crown (.335 AVG, 29 HR, and 98 RBI).
• Led the Double-A Texas League in doubles (41), total bases (298), slugging (.625), and on-base-plus-slugging (1.035).  2nd in the league in hits (160) and runs (90).
• Texas League Player of the Week three times and Texas League Player of the Month twice.
• Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star.
• Northwest Arkansas Naturals Player of the Year.
• Northwest Arkansas Naturals Unsung Hero in 2010.
• Broke the Northwest Arkansas Naturals hitting streak after hitting safely in 20 consecutive games.

Many people have correctly pointed out to me that in the history of the Rule 5 Draft very few first-basemen have been selected, and while I always like to take history into account, how many of those Rule 5 eligible first-basemen just came off of a Triple Crown year?  And how many of them have the character of Clint Robinson, a guy who won the organization’s Mike Sweeney Award, which is given to the player that best represents the Royals organization on and off the field?  Maybe teams will take a pass on Robinson in the Rule 5 Draft, but do the Royals really want to wait and see?

I talk to Clint almost every single day, and he continues to reinforce the fact that he loves the Kansas City Royals organization and hopes to stay there.  He continues to say that to me even though he understands that other very talented first-basemen exist within the organization (Billy Butler, Kila Ka’aihue, Eric Hosmer).

Royals Assistant General Manager, J.J. Picollo, recently stated, “You try to play the guessing game a little bit,” in reference to choosing who to protect leading up to the November 19 deadline.  Their General Manager, Dayton Moore, said that he anticipates adding 3-5 players to the 40 Man prior to the deadline.  All of us at the Dynasty family are waiting with anticipation.  But whether Robinson is added to the 40 Man roster or not, he will be ready to play in 2011.

November 19 – 40 Man Roster Deadline from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

I also surround myself with like-minded people.  When I am looking to bring someone new into Dynasty, I look for passion, hunger, intelligence, but also selflessness.  Sure, all of us are inherently selfish to an extent, but we can also aim to enable future leaders with the knowledge and power to succeed.  There should not be a fear that they will surpass us someday.  They will.  Acknowledge it now.  Once they do, it would be nice if they remember who helped them along the way.

Anyway, I decided to write this post because I was copied on a Q&A between a student at Bradley University and Dynasty baseball agent, Bryan Swalley.  Before the student asked his questions, he wrote the following:

Dear Mr. Swalley,

I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about your job. I am in a sports marketing class at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. We are doing a project over a potential job that we would like to do with our sports marketing degree. I chose Athletic Representation. After searching around my own town I couldn’t really find many sports agents. So I went to the web and emailed out a couple things and your firm was the only one to email me back so I thank you for that. If you can help me with this interview, I will type the questions at the bottom of this page. If not, well thank you anyway for being the only firm for emailing me back!

Thanks!

We were the only firm to respond.  And Swalley did not just send one-liners back to the student; he sent in-depth answers.  I have copied the final Q&A below:

7. How do you get your firm known around professional sports? What are your advertising strategies?

One of the very first things I do when I get a new client is call their farm director (the person in charge of assigning and development of players) and inform him that I am player X’s agent. I feel communication with the farm director is very critical. If the player is in an organization you haven’t worked with before, it allows you to begin to form a working relationship with them. You also have to keep in mind the farm director is responsible for overseeing 200 players. Speaking with him every so often helps keep your client’s name fresh in his mind. Another element of communication with him is finding out how to better help your player. You are both working toward the same goal; getting your player developed and into the Major Leagues.

Dynasty has a very strong web presence. Darren promotes the company through very popular website he runs, SportsAgentBlog.com. We also promote heavily via social media (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.). As I mentioned before, players are a huge source for marketing. Players in the Minor Leagues talk a lot amongst each other. There are long bus rides and a little downtime in the clubhouse before and after games. I’ve been there, a lot of subjects are talked about, the happiness with an agent or firm is sometimes a subject of discussion.

A lot of people ask me how does one become successful in this industry.  I’ll answer with how to become successful in life: When no one else cares, be the only one to respond.

Shout When No One Is Speaking from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

When you are a 6’5, 225 lb left-handed power hitter, and teams take a pass on you through 24 rounds of a draft, you might have a chip on your shoulder.  When you hear people talk about you and they say, “He’s a great player, but he’s a little old to be playing in Double-A,” you become motivated to play your way to a higher level.  Clint Robinson has had his doubters since being drafted in the 25th round (756 overall) in the 2007 MLB Rule 4 Draft.  Every year, he has shown that he is capable of being in the big leagues, but his 2010 season is truly something special.

Dynasty Athlete Representation signed Robinson as a client in the offseason prior to his 2010 campaign, where he would start at Double-A for the first time in his life.  The agency immediately found Robinson an equipment deal with XPROTEX, which has provided Robinson with everything he needs to excel offensively, and more.  Focused on being a solid contributor in the Kansas City Royals organization, Robinson went to work at the beginning of the 2010 season, and every day since, he is writing a new page in for a storybook season tale.

Before we look at the numbers, let’s not forget that Clint Robinson is also a model citizen and an excellent teammate.  The fact that he won the Mike Sweeney award (which recognizes a player best representing the Royals organization on and off the field) last season should not take anything away from the focus on Robinson as a ball masher.  Instead, it should only increase his value as a push is made for Robinson to make the big league Royals roster sometime in the near future.

But what about those numbers?  They have been enough to get Robinson selected to the Double-A Texas League All-Star Game as a starter (where he played the entire game), an invitation to the All-Star Game’s Home Run Derby, and recently named as the Texas League’s Player of the Month of June.

In June, alone, Robinson had a .409 batting average, .461 on-base-percentage, .796 slugging percentage, and an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of 1.256.  19 of his 24 hits (in 93 at-bats) were for extra bases – 10 doubles, 1 triple, and 8 homeruns.  He scored 24 runs and 22 RBI.  People assume that a power hitter cannot run, but he has already amassed 2 more triples in the month of July.

Robinson is starting July the same way he finished June.  On the year, Robinson is hovering right around a 1.000 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

Robinson was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, which is roughly 150 miles and about 2 1/2 hours away from Kansas City.  It may not be long until he is playing professional baseball near his birthplace.

Clint Robinson: A Royal Player In Double-A from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Robert Smith

Robert will be partnering with Mr. Perry Ko, who owns Contact Pro Shop in Hong Kong. Bruce Falcon of Dynasty Athlete Representation (Smith’s agent) is very excited for the opportunity presented to Robert.  “We have gone to Hong Kong the past 2 years for clinics with Mr. Ko.  This just seemed like the next logical step.  The bowlers go crazy for Robert as well as all the PBA professionals that go overseas.  This will be a great experience.”  The initial deal is done for 2 years with a 1 year option after that.  Falcon added, “We will see what happens.”  Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

For more information email bfalcon@dynstyreps.com

Robert Smith To Take Teaching Skills To Hong Kong from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Basketball

• My MUST READ for the week [NBA Labor Negotiations Breakdown].
• I really liked that I saw out of this kid in the NCAA Tournament [BYU basketball: By not hiring agent, guard remains eligible for return to Cougars.].

Football

• Brian Urlacher sure has nice things to say about him [Franklin-based sports agent Bill Johnson enjoys all phases of profession].

Baseball

• Strong interest in preventing an “international draft” [Dominican Prospects Protest Reform].
• It is becoming quite popular for teams to sign young pitchers to long deals [Data On Locking Up Young Pitchers].
• The guys who will finally be making their agents some real money [First Time Arbitration-Eligibles].

Soccer

• The CEO of Athlete Resource Management (ARM) [Rote Jr. elected to US Soccer Hall of Fame].

Sports Business

• Conglomerate discussion may soon have a newcomer in Lagardère [Saddlebrook may partner with French firm Lagardère].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (4/23/2010) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

We had assumed that Johnny would be starting the year with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, but as Spring Training came to a close, he was instead assigned to the Double-A Binghamton Mets.  The Mets organization’s bullpen impressed a lot of people during Spring Training, and unfortunately for Johnny, he would have to start the year at the same level that he ended last season.  He would not be in Binghamton for long, though.

Last night, after striking out two batters and giving up no hits or walks in one inning of work, Johnny was told to pack his bags, because he was being promoted to Triple-A Buffalo.  With Binghamton, Johnny had a 2.89 ERA.  In 6 games and 9.1 innings, he had 2 saves, 11 strikeouts, and only 3 walks.

Binghamton’s manager, Tim Teufel, had this to say about Lujan:

“It’s a matter of stuff.  I don’t care how long you’ve been in the game, if you don’t have the stuff, you’re not going to get the ball in the later innings. But (Lujan) has been one of the better pitchers out of the pen.”

Johnny becomes the third Triple-A player represented by Dynasty Athlete Representation.  We wish Johnny the best in his new home and hope that he is called up to the big league sooner than later.

Johnny Lujan Promoted To Triple-A Buffalo from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules