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Dynasty Athlete Representation

Dynasty Notes – Part 7

Dynasty Notes will take you through the days when Darren and I (Matthew Vuckovich) did not even know each other, to Dynasty becoming an LLC, to signing our first client, and beyond. If you have not yet read Dynasty Notes – Part 6, go ahead and read it. Enjoy Dynasty Notes – Part 7.

With the signing of Mike DeVaney, Dynasty grew its roster to 2 clients and had more to follow. Darren and I continued to update the blog, added on more contributors and worked as hard as we could to keep Dynasty growing. DeVaney was really beginning to like the services that Dynasty had to offer. He was nice enough to get us in contact with his friend and fellow bowler, Bruce Falcon. Bruce soon joined Dynasty as the head of it Bowling Division. He helped Dynasty bring on 2 more clients, Robert Smith and Mike Machuga. Robert smith is a 6-Time PBA National Champion and recently signed a new deal with Elite bowling that turned many heads. Bruce also helped Dynasty sign Mike Machuga. Machuga is nationally known for the famous “Machuga Flop”. With the signing of these 2 bowlers, Dynasty’s Bowling Division grew to 3 clients, with more on the way. It’s great to look back at one small move and see it spiral into a large success. In this industry, each client you take on is going to be a risk. You have to decide what risks you are willing to take and go to work as hard as you can and never look back. We are currently in the process, with the help of Bruce, to market our bowlers in a mega deal. Make sure to follow along as we proceed with these new ventures.

Back to the blog. Darren always envisioned that one benefit of founding I Want to be a Sports Agent would be to eventually help his agency sign clients. We accomplished that with the signing of DeVaney, but it didn’t stop there. We received a comment from a post on the blog. The source was the father of Barbara Bonic. Barbara is a 15-year-old Serbian tennis prodigy. That caught my eye right away since I am Serbian as well. I knew this was a sign of something good. Darren and I jumped on another opportunity in which we saw great potential. Dynasty soon signed this tennis prodigy and Dynasty’s roster grew to 5 clients. At this time, Darren started AccessAthletes along with fellow contributor on the blog, Matthew Allinson.

Darren and I have been very happy with the growth of Dynasty, but understand that we need to keep working harder and longer to outdo our competition. We need to manage our time with studying and surviving as first year law students and running Dynasty concurrently. This is no easy task, but it was the risk we were willing to make since day 1 of the game. That is exactly what this industry is, a game. You either play the game or the game will play you. Until you can fully understand this concept, I would not advise you to enter this industry. As I have said in the past, this business is not for everyone. But if you really want to jump in and hit the ground running, make sure to do your research and bring you’re A-game or you will not survive in these waters.

Barbara was a great addition to Dynasty’s family. She is our youngest client and we admire her for having great success at such a young age. Next year, when she is 16 years old, she will be playing in all 18 and under professional tournaments. We are very excited for what the future holds for her career. We have been in contact with many companies as we try to land her some nice sponsorship and endorsement deals. Please continue to follow Barbara’s progress as we help her reach her goals and bring Dynasty to the top; you will not be disappointed!

-Matthew Vuckovich

Thank you for reading this edition of Dynasty Notes. Make sure to be on the lookout for Dynasty Notes – Part 8.

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.

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