Categories
Sports Law

The Sports Agent’s Constitution

The UAAA...add another A and it starts getting crazy
The UAAA, otherwise known as the Uniform Athlete Agents Act is a document that you should become familiar with if you have not already become accustomed to it.

Created in 2000, it has been adopted by 33 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands as of July 20, 2005. Those states can be seen here. If you are licensed in any of those states, you must adhere to the UAAA.

The act has brought increased uniformity for the Sports Agent registration process along with a standard regulations among all states that have adopted the UAAA. The following comes directly from Carol A. Cartwright, chair of the NCAA executive committee and Myles Brand, President of the NCAA:

the UAAA provides the following:
* Uniformity of state laws. Uniformity increases the likelihood that agents will register with the appropriate state agency. The UAAA is designed to provide a single set of regulations and registration requirements for athlete agents.
* Reciprocal registration. Reciprocal registration and a reasonable fee schedule create an efficient registration process in UAAA states, which increases the likelihood that athlete agents will register. Reciprocal registration also diminishes agent confusion over individualized state agency requirements, while at the same time facilitating efficient multistate agent registration.
* Consumer information. The UAAA ensures that student-athletes, parents and institutions have access to agent information, both professional and criminal, which allows the consumer to make an educated decision before entering into an agency contract.
* Notice. The UAAA provides notice to institutions when a student-athlete signs an agency contract. This provision ensures that institutions do not allow an athlete to participate in an activity that would subject the institution to damaging sanctions.
* Subpoena power. The UAAA authorizes the secretary of state, or another appropriate agency, to issue subpoenas in an effort to obtain materials relevant to enforcement of the Act.
* Penalties. The UAAA provides for criminal, civil and administrative penalties at the state level.

The actual UAAA can be read here. I encourage that all Sports Agents read it at least once, because it is an important piece of legislation that should be adopted by more states in the future (33 is already a substantial amount).

And while you are at it…check out the NCAA Bylaws governing Athlete Agents.

[tags]UAAA, Uniform Athlete Agent Act, Sports Agent, Athlete Agent, NCAA[/tags]

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.

4 replies on “The Sports Agent’s Constitution”

[…] Since the post made about the UAAA (Uniform Athlete Agents Agent) on January 6th, one new state has passed the act, making it 34 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S Virgin Islands as adherents. Alabama is one of those states. Section 8-26A-4 of Alabama’s state act under the UAAA says: (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), an individual may not act as an athlete agent in this state without holding a certificate of registration under Section 8-26A-6 or Section 8-26A-8. […]

Comments are closed.