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: 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

Throughout the week and weekend, the three aforementioned contributors will be interviewing guests and hosts of the events, taking pictures and videos, and Tweeting content from @SportsAgentBlog.  Be sure to follow all the action on the Sports Agent Blog Twitter page and keep checking the website for updates.

Last night, the crew attended The Gala hosted by Tony and Janet Dorsett on behalf of The Ron Springs and Everson Walls Gift For Life Foundation at The Fashion Industry Gallery.  Guests included Tony and Janet Dorsett, The Black Eyed Peas, Staff of Jerry Mcguire, Leigh Steinberg, Alicia Landry (wife of Tom Landry), Earl Campbelle, Roger Staubach, Tim Brown, Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, and Drew Rosenhaus.

Our contributors were able to interview Everson Walls and Leigh Steinberg on video camera.  Note that it is tough to make out all of their words, due to the loud surrounding noise, so be sure to turn your volume up before playing them.  Walls talks about the event they are at and Steinberg plugs his event, which we will be attending this week as well.  At the end of his video, Steinberg throws in his advice to people interested in representing athletes.  Many thanks to Walls and Steinberg for the SAB shout-outs at the end.

Follow Sports Agent Blog Live In Dallas, Texas from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Even with that beautiful roster of clients, Cook’s job is not easy by any stretch of the imagination.  He recently had a client who was cut by a team and then was busted for a substantial amount of marijuana, a client who was in a car wreck and killed his wife who was in the car, and a client who just found out that he is the father of a child who is 10 years old.  He also had to deal with aftermath of Steve McNair’s death, when his mistress, shot and killed him back in 2009.

Last Tuesday, Cook was the featured speaker at the Tallahassee Quarterback Club.  Click here for the interview, which is broken up into two segments.

Bus Cook Speaks At The Tallahassee Quarterback Club from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Here is a summary of what transpired:

• Falk believes that LeBron took a quick hit on his brand equity.  After watching LeBron’s new Nike spot, I have to think that his brand is already in the rebuilding stage.
• Falk doesn’t think that a basketball player should announce something before it actually happens.  He calls it “a little too modern, a little too social media.”  He would have preferred that LeBron signed with Miami and then had his big press conference about his decision.
• On Worldwide Wes: “early on in his career had a lot more influence than people gave him credit for and now probably doesn’t have as much influence as people give him credit for.”
• Falk really does not like the limitations placed on max contracts.  He thinks it limits what the best players deserve and allows much less talented players to earn more than they are worth.
• Falk does not seem to be a big fan of Isiah Thomas or the fact that the current union is not involving agents much in collective bargaining negotiations.
• Falk’s client Evan Turner is the highest draft pick to ever sign with a Chinese shoe company.
• Falk’s first big shoe deal was with New Balance for James Worthy back in 1982.
• Falk thinks players should stay in school longer.
• He has no desire to grow a big agency, and calls his operation an “ultra-boutique.”

David Falk’s Interview With SLAM Magazine from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Richard Deitsch: Do you have any kind of sense of how you think this story will resonate?  Are people so immune to the idea that college kids are taking money that Josh Luchs will be an interesting story but have no effect?…What’s your sense at least of where this is going to go after this piece comes out?

George Dohrmann: I think, I hope, and I have a sense that maybe some of the states and maybe even the feds will take a look at this and say ‘gosh these agent laws are not being enforced and maybe we need to do something about that’.  You know with a federal statute or something that could create a little more bite so that when agents break the rules they have to pay for it kind of like we see Gary Wichard in North Carolina is under investigation…

I also think it is worth pointing out that Dohrmann is not attacking the sports agent industry.  In fact, he notes that many athletes have their hands out.  It is not agents and others praying on innocent kids.  It is a two-way street.

Will Dohrmann’s Article Lead To Any Change? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The interview with Dunn is short, so go ahead and check it out.  As for the aforementioned school subject question..

What was your favorite subject in school?

History.  One of my partners and I celebrated the signing of Ray Lewis and Todd Heap by going to Gettysburg.  History still fascinates me.  Whether it is a place, person, or time – it all effects how you think of things today.  If you can ever get to Europe, you can see so much of it right in front of your eyes.

David Dunn Is Interviewed By A Middle School Student 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

Darren Heitner: How did you get the nickname, “Big Daddy”?

Richard “Big Daddy” Salgado: It was given to me by a college teammate at the University of Maryland where I played offensive guard (1985-89) who was a lot bigger than me.  Thinking back he was about 6’9 and well over 300 pounds.

Heitner: Tell us about your company, Coastal Advisors, and what sets it apart from the competition.

Big Daddy: I developed Coastal Advisors LLC (www.coastaladvisorsllc.com) about 15 years ago and it’s become a niche market, which is now a growing trend in locker rooms across the country. It was important for me in the early years to stress that disability and life insurance is a serious issue and needs to be handled by people who specialize in it.  In recent years through clients, networking and my reputation, my business has grown to where now 20-30% of my clients find me.  My biggest battle can be discussing these issues with agents or the players’ “money guy” because they don’t want to give up control and they don’t specialize in the industry.  As I tell them, they won’t see me negotiating any player contracts or investing players’ money in the stock market, but to leave the disability and life insurance to me. You can visit www.coastaladvisorsllc.com for additional information and see me with my clients.

Heitner: How big of a gamble is it for a professional player to perform without proper insurance?  What about an amateur athlete?

Big Daddy: It depends on where the player is at with his contract status.  If it’s a player who’s going into the last year of a contract or going to become a free agent and they were to get hurt and can’t perform to the best of their ability, a new contract will be highly unlikely.  Having disability will let the player sleep better at night knowing that if something, God forbid, were to happen, then the disability insurance is in place to compensate for the loss of income on the field.

Heitner: Many players come to you for advice outside of insurance questions. What would you tell a player to look for who asks about hiring a particular agent?

Big Daddy: In regards to the amateur athlete… it depends on the athlete and where they expect to be drafted.  If it’s a player that’s a first or second round draft pick in the NFL, then he’s a guy that should look at disability insurance.  If it’s a guy who will be a late rounder or a free agent, they’ll probably not qualify for disability insurance.  For example Willis McGahee is a guy who took out a “loss of value” policy and unfortunately was injured in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.  So even though he was drafted late in the first round, he wasn’t a top 10 pick so the “loss of value” policy was in place to compensate for lost money.  Willis was not a client of mine, but his injury combined with the quality of player he was and that he was at a recognizable school like the University of Miami playing on National television in the Fiesta Bowl, shed light on how important my business is for future top prospects in any sport.  In fact, the following year I signed my first top college athlete in Larry Fitzgerald (3^rd pick overall for the Arizona Cardinals in 2004) while he was a senior at the University of Pittsburgh.  A few years later Chris Long out of the University of Virginia and 2^nd overall pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2008 came to me for protection for his senior year.

Heitner: How closely do you work with player agents?  Are there any, in particular, that you have worked with more than others?

Big Daddy: I work with a lot of agents who represent players in all areas of professional sports.  As the business has grown and I’ve become known as the guy when it comes to disability insurance for professional athletes, I get a lot of referrals from agents telling other agents within their agency or telling the parents of an athlete.  As far as agents I work with, I’ve worked with Octagon’s Doug Hendrickson, CAA’s Tom Condon and Ben Dogra, as well as Neil Schwartz and Jonathon Feinsod of Schwartz & Feinsod.

Heitner: Do you have any interesting stories to share from your insurance work with many players on the New York Giants club?

Big Daddy: I have several current and former New York Giants as clients.  To name a few, Michael Strahan, Jeremy Shockey, William Joseph, Shaun Williams, Justin Tuck, Chris Snee, Shaun O’Hara.  As far as interesting stories, all I can say is it was fun following my clients during their Super Bowl XLII run and knowing that I had taken care of their off-the-field business allowing them to concentrate on everything else.

Heitner: Justin Tuck says that playing without a policy is akin to “Russian Roulette.”  Is that true, and if so, why?

Big Daddy: Playing NFL football without insurance is like “Russian Roulette.”  However it depends on the situation, everything is on a case by case basis, there’s some guys who need it and some that don’t.  I’m not someone who will sell any player insurance just for the sake of selling them something.  As I mentioned earlier, a player entering the draft or about to renew a contract would be in the market for disability insurance, whereas a player nearing the end of their career may not be.

Heitner: Should sports agents look into their own insurance?  What types?  How common is it for agents to pass up on getting insurance and regret it later on?

Big Daddy: Yes, I’ve done business with some of the sports agents themselves, they’re just like everyone else.  Along the same lines, I’ve done work with coaches in the NFL and at the college level as well as members of the media.  When dealing with agents and non-athletes, it’s mostly with life insurance and future estate and financial planning, which are two other large part of my business.  Disability and life insurance is important whether you’re a school teacher, a police officer, lawyer or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.  I’ve just developed a niche where 80% of my clientele are professional athletes or elite college athletes who will be entering the pro ranks in the coming years.

Q&A With Richard “Big Daddy” Salgado from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Darren Heitner: With the NBA Draft only 3 days away, where is the highest you reasonably see your client, Patrick Patterson being drafted, and why?

Odell McCants: It’s always difficult trying to forecast what will happen on draft night.  We all know how each draft seems to bring surprises in the way of trades or particular players rising or falling from their projected spots.  Having said that, Patrick has worked out for every team with picks 6-14.  We went into the pre-draft phase with that as our strategy and let’s just say we’re hoping for the top half of that range.

Heitner: Speaking of Patrick Patterson, he is your first athlete client ever.  How did you end up becoming his agent of record?

McCants: The opportunity to work with Patrick came from establishing a trusting relationship with both Patrick and the Patterson family.

Heitner: Tell us a little bit about what you have done professionally prior to landing Patrick Patterson as a client.

McCants: Out of college I served on the staff of a U.S. Congressman for three years.  I led the start-up of a business process outsourcing company, spent several years as a project management consultant with a global business management consulting firm, and most recently, led business development and major account management for a $100 million division of a human resources consulting firm.

Heitner:What skills do you have that will translate well into becoming an athlete advisor?

McCants: In addition to my love and passion for the game of basketball, my political experience, project management skills, entrepreneurial spirit, and experience selling to and managing relationships with senior executives at Fortune 500 companies provide all of the skills needed to successfully advise professional athletes.

Heitner: Are you recruiting other potential clients now that you have your first big client under contract?  If so, what is your recruitment strategy and what tactics have you employed?

McCants: Right now the main focus of Capitol Sports Management is preparing Patrick for the upcoming draft and supporting his transition to life as a professional athlete.

It is truly a blessing to have Patrick as a client and we will actively recruit other potential clients.  Our strategy is to pursue individuals who are high caliber athletes and outstanding individuals.  We are implementing an agency model that will engage clients in business, personal and professional development opportunities that are unique and different to the traditional sports agency model, and have the potential to extend beyond their sports careers.  So with that, there must be the right fit for both the athlete and Capitol Sports Management.

Heitner: I would imagine that rival agents see a new entrant representing a potential lottery pick as his first client and figure that it would be easy for them to poach Patterson from you.  Have any particularly interesting stories to share about that?

McCants: Really don’t have any stories to share in that regard.

Heitner: What have you done for Patterson since signing him as a client?  What kind of costs have you had to incur?  How have you afforded those costs?

McCants: Since Patrick selected Capitol Sports Management to represent him, my time has been spent executing his pre-draft strategy.  This has included selecting his personal training location, St. Vincent Sports Performance for strength, conditioning and nutrition, and coach Ed Schilling for basketball skills.  Both based in Indianapolis.  I have been monitoring his personal workouts, scheduling team workouts and holding daily conversations with team executives to keep a finger on the pulse of the draft.

In addition to draft preparation, I have been busy scheduling media appearances and interviews, working with our online marketing partner to launch phase one of Patrick’s website (www.PatrickPatterson.com) and pursing potential marketing and endorsement opportunities for Patrick.

It’s my personal policy not to discuss financial details.  But recognizing that many visitors of your site are seeking industry education, as I first did and continue to do, I will say that most of the costs in this start-up phase have been in building the agency infrastructure, client training, and in travel.

Heitner: What is something special about Patrick Patterson that most people don’t yet know?  It can be something off-the-court.

McCants: First, he is truly the honorable person that he is known to be.  What you see and what he is known as is the real Patrick.  What people may not know is he’s a follower of technology and is a huge movie fan.

Heitner: Give a piece of advice to our readers who hope to one day break into the business of representing athletes.

McCants: My career advice is always to follow your passion.  After doing many things, I have been blessed to have the opportunity to do just that.  But assuming that’s why your followers visit your site, I know it’s an old cliché, but this is a business.  It’s a multi-billion dollar industry and your career comes with lots of personal and professional responsibilities that are 24/7.  I believe success in business comes from finding a niche, be it by sport, geography, type of athlete/personality you want to work with, or service you want to provide.  Then prepare, deliver what you say you will, and work hard.

Interview With The Agent: Odell McCants from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules