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Tennessee Experiencing A Surge In Athlete Agent Registrations

There have been 22 new athlete agent registrations in the State of Tennessee since July 1, 2011, which is about double the average number of registrations the state typically receives every year.  That date just happens to be when The Athlete Agent Reform Act of 2011 went into effect.

The Athlete Agent Reform Act of 2011 falls in line with new athlete agent laws of other states, including Texas, which are either trying to scare agents with potential heavy jail sentences, appeasing their constituencies who continue to read about sports agent atrocities in the news, and/or trying to protect colleges from being sanctioned by the NCAA.  However, Tennessee’s new law also addresses recruiters like Will Lyles, parents like Cecil Newton, runners, and financial planners, even if it fails to provide any punishment for athletes and/or universities who are involved in the illegal activities.

Like the new Act or not, this post is not about its efficacies.  Instead, I am wondering whether it is the Act that should be given credit for the rise in athlete agent registrations.

I am taking no credit away from the men and women who stood behind the Athlete Agent Reform bill in Tennessee’s House and Senate, but perhaps credit for the rise in registrations should be given to Collegiate Sports Advisors (CSA), which assisted in organizing and running The University of Memphis’ first ever Agent Day on December 3, 2011 as well as the creation of the university’s first Professional Sports Counseling Panel.  I distinctly recall a conversation I had with Andrew Dodd, athlete agent registrar in the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office, who told me about the rise in registrations leading up to that particular event.  If the state wants to get even more registrations, it should implore other schools within its borders to hire CSA.  And if other states wish to mimic Tennessee’s success, they should follow suit.

Disclosure: The author of this post is a co-founder of the aforementioned Collegiate Sports Advisors

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.