No, I’m not Darren. I’m not even Jewish. But I needed something to post on Friday. Following are some prominent pieces and sports headlines that we neglected to cover during the week.
* Rick Karcher’s post, “Ethics and Agent Fees” over at Sports Law Blog (Happy 2000th Anniversary to them, by the way) touches on a touchy subject for sports agents, and one that we’ve alluded to on the blog at various times. Specifically, Karcher asks, “is it ‘reasonable’ for agents to charge fees on a commission basis?” The post also links to a recent ABA Journal piece on lawyer fees pursuant to the infamous Rule 1.5, as well as Karcher’s own Willamette Law Review article. Enjoy.
* Yao Ming’s endorsement contracts remain “very much intact” leading to this summer’s Beijing Olympics despite a foot injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the NBA season.
* The All American Football League (AAFL) announced the postponement of its inaugural season until 2009. The league’s corporate partnerships with New Balance, Baden Sports and Rogers Athletic remain intact, however, as does a national radio deal with Touchdown Radio & SportsDay Productions, and an internet broadcast partnership with Turner’s PlayOn Sports. Fans who have purchased tickets for games in ’08 will receive a full refund.
* SI’s Jack McCallum writes one of the best pieces on steroid use in America thus far, and places the blame for the “abuse” of performance enhancing drugs squarely on the shoulders of “a juiced nation…a nation on dope…a nation looking for enhancement…a way to age gracefully, perform better and longer…” Sports, McCallum writes, “do not define the culture–they reflect it.” Finally, someone gets it.
* Gisele and LeBron will be on the next Vogue cover. James joins Richard Gere and George Clooney as the only men to do so in the fashion magazine’s 116-year history.
* During a one-on-one interview at this week’s IMG World Congress of Sports, New York Giants Co-Owner Steve Tisch said that the NFL’s labor deal made him feel “queasy,” and that it’s the biggest issue facing the league ahead of owners meetings at the end of the month. “We need to see beyond it, what our options are,” Tisch said. “It’s complicated. Roger (Goodell’s) going to have to bring everyone together with a united front.”
* NBA Commissioner David Stern said that he is “not thrilled with how teams and players are using the buyout,” according to Geoffrey Arnold of the Portland Oregonian. “An increasing number of NBA players are using it to “force their way off lottery-bound teams and onto a championship contender,” lamented Stern. “Right now, our [CBA] doesn’t really have the teeth that would deal with it effectively,” NBPA Director of Communications Dan Wasserman countered. “Any proposed changes to the rules on buyouts that would limit player movement more than it already is, I’m sure we would [oppose] that.”
4 replies on “Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up”
Haha, thanks for keeping with the Shabbat tradition. I think everyone needs to give Jason some huge kudos for making sure that this site did not skip a beat while I was off soaking up sun and sipping on Tequila!
That’s about right. Stick to bloging your not an agent. Everything you post is on espn or is easy to access information. I am sure this will be deleted. Cause neither Janice or Darralick are man enough to leave it and also love to talk about people behind there backs.
Thanks, but a real man would not hide behind a fake name/email address.
Regarding Karcher’s article, I guess it’s provocative, but it’s also stupid. It almost sounds as if there’s an ulterior motive to it.
If the 3 percent commission was eliminated — and the NFLPA is doing everything it can to reduce it to 2 percent — and contracts went to a straight hourly proposal, you will see even FEWER honest agents out there because it will become a dog-eat-dog proposition to get clients. That’s Point A.
Point B is that players can already find agents to do hourly work for them. Every year, some kid agent comes in and says he’s got this innovative idea to charge hourly. He doesn’t realize that ‘innovation’ has been tried dozens of times before, to little success.
The players, as well as the NFLPA, get so much money they don’t know what to do with it. What’s more, players are continually doing everything they can to cut their agents out of the loop when it comes to marketing deals and any off-the-field things that come their way, in addition to the fact that I’ve had several players make it clear that, though they have signed exclusive signing deals with specific card companies, they’ll be glad to work around that for a fee in a private setting.
It’s always exciting to propose fighting the status quo; it’s sexy and it makes one feel like a devil-may-care agent of change. In this case, as in most, it’s also stupid. Fees should and hopefully will remain the standard way for agents to charge their players.