Categories
Video Gamers

Representation of “Cyber Athletes”?

Don't hate the player, hate the game

On Sunday, 60 minutes ran a story on Johnathan Wendel, who they proclaim is the best video gamer in the world. He makes his living playing video games, has been a pro for 6 years, and has won over $300,000 from tournaments alone.

But how is this a sport and where is the money to be made?

Well, at a tournament in San Fransisco in 2004, the winning purse was $400,000, and the grand prize is growing constantly as the days keep moving on. In Asia, pro video gamers make over $100,000 per year, date celebrities, and need bodyguards. Apparently that lifestyle is not far from America.
Many say that the video game events have the “Look and feel of a sporting event.” Even coaches exist to prepare the players for battle.

A professor in Economics from Indiana University said that there are enough people out there wishing to watch the pros play video games to make it a spectator sport.

Johnathan Wendel’s marketing agent says that he will make millions of dollars through the sale of his own products and endorsements with gaming companies, soft drink companies, etc.
Agents are already jumping on top of a 7 year old who has won over $2,000 in tournaments against adults.

So if you are interested in the video gaming market and want to think outside of the box when it comes to representing “athletes”, this may be a venue for your to excersize a role as an Agent. It seems as though the money will be there in a couple of years to make huge profits, and I would take a guess and say that these “Video Gamers” could use the help of a pro when it comes to negotiating endorsement deals.

If you are interested in taking a look at the CBS 60 Minutes Video yourself, you may do so by clicking here.

[tags]agent, video game, 60 minutes, cbs, sport, endorsement[/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.

2 replies on “Representation of “Cyber Athletes”?”

[…] On January 25th, 2006, I posted on the potential for Sports Agents to become involved in representing “Video Gamers” in the future. If Video Gaming becomes an Olympic Sport, Sports Agents may be thrust upon the scene sooner than thought. […]

[…] Maybe representation of video gamers is in our future. Maybe competitive video gaming will become an Olympic sport. One thing is definite; competitive video gaming is a rapidly growing market. The market has grown to the point that teenage video gaming tutors are earning up to $65 per hour for individual lessons [Want to Get Good At Videogames? Hire a Kid Online]. At Gaming-lessons.com, their youngest tutor is 8 years old and earning $25 for each hour of service. Even NBA forward, Richard Jefferson, has used tutors to improve his skills in Halo 2. […]

Comments are closed.