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Writers Strike. New York Yankees Sitcom Prevails.

I was sitting through a lecture today when my friend highlighted something as he was doing his daily read of ESPN.com. He and I were initially shocked to read that an undisclosed Yankees source said that the Yankees have been negotiating with A-Rod about his possible return and that, “We [the Yankees] will not negotiate with Scott Boras…He cannot be in the room.” [Report: Yanks willing to talk to A-Rod, but without Boras].

And then I thought about the whole report. First of all, we are dealing with a “high ranking” undisclosed source. Big deal. People say this kind of stuff all the time. In fact, the Yankees could have planned having this “secret source” come out and say such a thing to make the team look better. Second, just because the Yankees will not negotiate with Scott Boras does not mean that they will not negotiate with Scott Boras Corp. I would have to imagine that A-Rod signed away his negotiation rights to Scott Boras Corp in a Standard Representation Agreement (SRA) and that they must be involved in any deal made on his behalf. Then again, as a principal, A-Rod could most likely fire his agent at any time and get away with it.

But dissect the statement a little bit further, and all the source is saying really is that Boras cannot be in the room. In a world full of deals brokered over the phone, internet, and videoconferencing, this probably does not worry Boras much. In fact, I bet he is laughing about all the press that this initial New York Daily News report has mustered.

He may not be laughing, however, if it is true that A-Rod is disappointed in the way that Boras’ antics have ripped apart the slugger’s image. Maybe A-Rod is going through a third-party. I would have to imagine that the third-party is somehow linked to Boras, though.

Another thing to think about. Why would a high ranking official within the Yankees ever reveal this: “The Yankees don’t have a choice. How are they going to compete without Alex? They need him back” without some alternate motive?

The soap opera continues…

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The super bowl excitement always goes up quite a few notches when the name of chicago bears is spoken. Same is true for the oakland raiders as well.

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.

One reply on “Writers Strike. New York Yankees Sitcom Prevails.”

This was Boras’ plan all along. Opt out, publicly you seek other teams, but if the market is soft you can always play this “A-Rod” wants to talk and get the Yankees back in the game. Publicly you take a hit if you are Boras, but you still get paid at the end of the day…

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