IMG Expands, Kobe Stays, and Condon Leaves

I would have spread each topic into its own post, but I have been busy all day and just got around to reading all of the relevant sports agent news for the day.  In the interest of time, I will post in the Darren Rovell form, and give you different stories in one jumble of joy.

IMG Expands

I have mentioned before that IMG is no longer interested in delving into the team sports arena, and will instead focus on representing athletes in individual sports (i.e. tennis and golf) along with buying every sports and entertainment company that it can get its hands onto.  Focusing on the sports side of the company, IMG has just signed Spanish golfer, Pablo Martin, the day that he turned pro [Pablo Martin Signs With IMG].  This is another big signing for the company.  Martin holds the title of being the only amateur to ever win an event on the European Tour.

Kobe Stays 

Calm down.  This has nothing to do with the Los Angeles Lakers.  Instead, Kobe Bryant has officially signed a multi-year extension to his previous endorsement contract with Nike [The Shoe Edition].  Many believed that Bryant would possibly make a switch to Chinese shoemaker, Li-Ning.  After all, even including Yao Ming in the mix, Kobe’s jersey has been more popular in China than any other basketball player [Let’s Do Chinese].  It seems like Nike did the best that it could over the past 4 years with the hand that Bryant dealt.  Now that he has cleared up his past and rebuilt his reputation, Nike and Kobe seem like a happy team once again.  As for the Lakers…I’ll save that for a later post.

Condon Leaves

Kansas City weeps as Tom Condon leaves thriving teams like the Royals and Chiefs to move to his new home right outside of St. Louis Missouri.  I tend to believe that the Kansas City Star is a little biased in saying that “to a sports agent like Tom Condon, there’s no place like middle America to base your business,” but then again what do I know?  South Florida works for me.  But back to the subject!

Tom Condon and Ken Kremer are moving Clayton, Mo. as part of the shift to becoming members of CAA [Top agent moves east, but not too far].  Kansas City may miss you, but Matt Leinart still thinks you suck.

-Darren Heitner