Categories
Book Reviews

Book Review: An Athlete’s Guide to Agents (Fourth Edition)

In the past, I have recommended Kenneth Shropshire’s and Timonthy Davis’ The Business of Sports Agents as a must read for any aspiring or current sports agent.  In fact, I have referred to the book as The Sports Agent Bible in prior discussions.  I still recommend that it should be on any sports agent’s bookshelf; however, a requirement should be that right next to it lay Robert H. Ruxin’s An Athlete’s Guide to Agents (Fourth Edition).  The title may lead you to believe that it was written purely for an athlete to learn about the process of selecting an agent and what an agent’s job should entail.  It definitely touches on such issues, but is also an invaluable resource for agents to learn about their own profession.

An Athlete’s Guide to Agents (Fourth Edition) was published in 2003, but most of the type is still relevant in today’s sports landscape.  Important topics include what an agent and athlete can and cannot do according to the NCAA in terms of recruitment, what an athlete should look for when searching for an agent (and what questions an agent should be prepared to answer), the process of getting certified in each major professional players’ union, whether an athlete should hand over power of attorney to his/her agent, and much more.

An Athlete's Guide to Agents (Fourth Edition)The most useful part of the entire book may be contained in its appendices, starting with Appendix A: The Professional Drafts.  Appendix B’s salary information is a little out-of-date due to the book being published in 2003, but Appendix C: Sample Representation Contracts followed by Appendix D: Uniform Players’ Contracts are always nice to have nearby to use for reference.

An Athlete’s Guide to Agents (Fourth Edition) is a book that I can see myself re-reading in a year to refresh my memory on certain topics that we think we remember, but often times place in the back of our heads.  Robert Ruxin is a very knowledgable entity in the world of Sports Law and I cannot wait until he releases his Fifth Edition of this wonderful series of books.  Whether you are an athlete, an athletes parents, a coach, or an agent, An Athlete’s Guide to Agents (Fourth Edition) is a book that you should definitely read and then place on your bookshelf.

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.