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A Scott Boras Offseason

Keeping on the theme of baseball for the day, just came across an LA Times article highlighting Scott Boras.  I find it kind of humorous, because while there are a ton of agents who do great work for their clients, it seems like Boras and Rosenhaus are the only ones that the mass media finds sexy enough to write about.  We try to bring out information about the big wigs and the small guys (see our Interviews with Agents and Agent Spotlights).  Anyway, back to the LA Times article on Boras.  The usual topics were discussed: his high-end players, NASA trained employees, and the grandeur of his office.  But here is an interesting quote from Boras, showing just how much he is still the largest factor in the MLB agent business,

“We’re going to do $300 [million]-$400 million [this year] in contracts like we did three or four years ago.”

Do the math.  Boras Corp stands to make $15-$20 million based on contracts negotiated this year alone.  One would have to assume that the number does not drop off tremendously from year-to-year.  I bet those figures pay the bills.

I also happened to like Scott Boras’ quote concerning outside investment in his company (of which, there is none),

“You can’t have bills because your interest has to solely be on the athlete. In the corporate world, a lot of agents have demands on them from the board. They have to make revenue. My attitude is that whatever you do in this business, whatever you own, whatever you have has to be paid for. That way when you’re negotiating, you’re negotiating strictly for the client, not for the need for money.”

I cannot argue with Boras on a single point of that text.  I have gone back-and-forth in my mind about whether I would accept outside investment in Dynasty, and often have denied it based on the same reasoning that Boras put forth.  As the sole owner of my company, I know that the only people I have to answer to are my clients, which is really how it should be.  The less potential conflicts of interest, the better you can be at representing your clients.

But it also meant, Boras said, that he lost money in his first 10 years in the business. Even Scott Boras, someone all of us have at least at one point looked up to, struggled in the beginning.  So keep up hope.  Even though it is a struggle, when there is a will, there is a way.  To all those trying to make it happen, whether it be starting up an agency or making things happen in another agency, keep on trucking.  You may be the next Scott Boras or even better.

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.

2 replies on “A Scott Boras Offseason”

Great article. Everyone has to start at the bottom and work their way up; no one is born a superstar. You have to start somewhere so if that means working an unpaid internship in order to get your foot in the door, do whatever it takes.

As my friend who starts at linebacker for Indiana University once told me, “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”

Yo Scott (Boras), please do us all a favor and just go ahead and die!
This world will be a much better place without you scumbag!!!

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