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.
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3 replies on “Football Minor Leagues”
I for one am pretty excited about it. To me it’s a link to the college atmoshphere and a high spirited style of game. They will have the cheerleaders and bands of the host schoool. I would watch football 52 weeks a year if it were possible. This is the league’s site: http://www.allamericanfootballleague.com/
The Anniston Star ran a column about it in yesterday’s paper. The Birmingham News ran an upbeat article on Friday:
http://www.al.com/sports/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/sports/1157707132259410.xml&coll=2
What do you all think? Would you support it? I’m trying to find out more. They are apparently having teams from NCS, Purdue, Florida, Florida St., Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas to play in the Alamo Dome.
http://www.annistonstar.com/spor…sports.htm
Start-up pro league hopefully won’t be another W-Laugh
09-09-2006
When you watch Auburn play Mississippi State this morning and then take in the Alabama-Vanderbilt game this afternoon, you’ll be seeing several players who’ll be in the NFL next season.
And you could be seeing several players who’ll be in the fledgling All-American Football League next season, as well.
Reports are that Birmingham’s Legion Field likely will host one of the eight flagship franchises when the league kicks off in the spring of 2007. The AAFL is designed to be something of a post-graduate pro league; the players must have college degrees to be eligible, and the teams, for the most part, will play on college campuses.
West Lafayette, Ind., home of Purdue University, has secured a franchise, while Gainesville, Fla., and Knoxville, Tenn. — where the NCAA’s Gators and Volunteers, respectively, call home — also are sure bets.
Legion Field is not located on a college campus. However, it qualifies as a venue because it’s the site of a college bowl game. Any team that played there primarily would be made up of Alabama, Auburn and UAB graduates, although I’m sure former Jacksonville State Gamecocks and Troy Trojans also will be on the field — as long as they have degrees, of course.
On the one hand the AAFL has potential. With players making $100,000 per season, the league will attract far better athletes than those who toil in semi-pro leagues. And with the blessings of the NCAA, it has credibility right out of the gate.
But …
While quite a few football nuts like myself gladly would watch the gridiron game 52 weeks out of the year, the only non-NFL pro football circuit that has thrived in the United States is the Arena Football League.
And let’s be honest: The AFL can be fun to watch, but it’s not “real†football. It’s a niche sport stocked mostly with minor league-caliber athletes.
A real 11-on-11 outdoor league is a long shot.
In 1974 and 1975 the World Football League was in operation, but owners with shallow pockets and a public that quickly tired of the novelty of an alternative league spelled its doom.
The 1980s marked the evolution of the United States Football League, which was solid and popular — until it inexplicably decided to move to the fall and compete with the NFL.
Next thing you know the USFL is fodder for trivia aficionados.
Really, no spring league since the USFL has been viable.
The World League of American Football — WLAF for short (and, perhaps, to its detriment) — flopped and now primarily is a German-based farm system for the NFL known as NFL Europe.
The Canadian Football League’s expansion to the Lower 48 was short-lived, as the CFL quickly contracted back to the Great White North where fans could appreciate three downs and 25-yards-deep end zones.
The last spring league, of course, was the XFL — one of the greatest disasters in pro sports history.
So what do we make of the All-American Football League? It’s a nice idea with credible people behind it. It’s something I’d watch and likely enjoy.
Yet considering all other spring leagues that have come before it died, I’m not convinced it’ll live. Heck, I’m not even convinced it’ll get beyond the point of conception.
I guess we’ll see.
Meantime, enjoy watching the Tide and Tigers play today. You probably can tell which seniors, and perhaps juniors, will be performing on Sundays in 2007.
As for the ones not good enough for the NFL, well, those degrees will come in handy with or without the AAFL.
[…] August 6, 2006, I reported (with excitement) that there was a new football league sprouting up in college towns across the country called the […]
[…] August 6, 2006, I reported (with excitement) that there was a new football league sprouting up in college towns across the country called the […]