Categories
Contract Negotiation Sports Agents

“This Is Not a Game” by CFO Magazine

Find more about Anna's contract negotiation in the article

I happened to stumble across a superb article over at CFO Magazine. Many prominent Sports Agents took part in making 4-page piece possible. It is from the current, January 2006 Issue, and is definitely worth taking a look at. (btw: Anna’s picture was not only placed on this thread for eye-candy…but also because her contract negotiation is discussed in the CFO article)
Here are some important negotation tidbits that was brought to light by the article:

  • You have to be willing to “push the envelope,” but to try to avoid confrontation.
  • First step for a negotiation = catalog what you want.
  • Rely heavily on two-way communication. Try to make the other party disclose the offer that you settle on.
  • Research the negotation history of the person you will be in conversation with (ex: does the person actually have authority or will he/she have to get approval?)
  • Find out how you are going to prove that your client exceeds the competition.
  • The best deals are often brokered when your client has alternatives (free agency and many teams looking to acquire him/her).
  • THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO BUILD GOOD RELATIONSHIPS (let’s just say that I capped that message because I am 100% in support of it)…do not burn your bridges as some agents have done in the past.

The entire article may be viewed by clicking here

[tags]sports agent, cfo, negotiation, contracts, clients[/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.