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The SMWW NFL Combine Career Conference Will Make Its Return In Indy

SMWW
SMWW

The best part of the NFL Combine for people in the business of sports has nothing to do with the grown men in their underwear running 40-yards or benchpressing 225 lbs as many times as possible. It’s the events that are taking place around the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on an annual basis.

One such event that has been offered for quite some time is put on by a company named Sports Management Worldwide (SMWW). For those in the business, the name SMWW is quite well known. It has been around for as long as you can remember.

For potential newcomers, SMWW is an entity that strives to make it simpler for entrants to have success, whether it be with regard to the business of football, basketball, soccer or otherwise. It is probably best known for the way it prepares people to work in the business of football, and one of its premier events occurs right around the NFL Combine.

From February 28 through March 2, SMWW will be hosting its annual NFL Combine Career Conference. The agenda includes networking with NFL executives and others in the industry, career guidance, insights on how to get hired and being matched with mentors to assist with your choice of career.

Last year, SMWW had some heavy-hitter speakers and it is surely to have prominent people join again. Its website displays 2018 featured speakers such as ESPN’s Adam Schefter, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Minnesota Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman.

The Career Conference kicks off with a Networking reception the night before, followed by a full-day conference and workshop sessions and then actual entrance into the 2019 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. General admission is $275, with students, faculty and SMWW alumni pricing at $225. Team, agency employees and SMWW agents pay $250 to attend.

SMWW is offering Sports Agent Blog readers a discount of $50 off registration at any of the tiers listed above. This will be my first time heading to Indianapolis for NFL Combine events, so maybe I will stop by as well. You can register here and put in SAB50 for a discount code.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.