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Introducing Kenji Summers

Kenji SummersWhile I am definitely not pursuing the addition of new contributors to SportsAgentBlog.com – I Want to be a Sports Agent, occasionally, a perfect fit falls into my lap and I am unable to say no. While I am happy to be introducing a new contributor, I will unfortunately at the same time be saying goodbye to one of our SportsAgentBlog.com All-Stars. First of all, it is my pleasure to introduce you all to Kenji Summers. Kenji will be mostly focusing on the intersection between sports and entertainment and will add a twist of popular culture to his writings.

He will be taking the place of Erin Kane, who wrote a couple of excellent posts, but was unable to fit writing for SportsAgentBlog.com into her busy life. Luckily for us, she intends to send me a post whenever she gets the time. We will miss her insight.

Anyway, back to Kenji. The guy is a happy man after this weekend, because his native Giants won the ‘ship. He was born in Brooklyn, NY and has always been a student of the court. He grew up playing basketball with the top AAU basketball teams and players in NY. He is 21-years-old and has a degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Sport Management program. The man also has a lot of experience in the sports industry. He has worked for Madison Square Garden/The Knicks, Game Over Athletic Wear, Viper Records, Converse, and STRATEGIC sports and entertainment marketing agency. Kenji is currently the business director of a modeling company and the creator of the video series, “So you want to be in the Sports Industry?” We are happy to add him to our team.

Last, did you know you can get posts from the previous day sent to you every morning when you wake up? Click here to sign up for a free email subscription to SportsAgentBlog.com.

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.