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Recruiting Sports Law

Nebraska To Be The Next UAAA State?

Seal of NebraskaNebraska may soon become the thirty-seventh state to adopt the Uniform Athlete Agent Act (UAAA).  New Jersey also has UAAA legislation waiting to be accepted or rejected in its House.  Only four of the twelve remaining states have any athlete-agent laws on their books, leaving eight states without any agent registration requirements.  The UAAA has two main purposes:

  • Restricting incentives. A state that adopts the UAAA has another tool to use against an agent who offers anything to a student-athlete to sign with his/her company.  This can be something as big as a free car to as small as a free meal.
  • Informing student-athletes. If you are signing a student-athlete in a UAAA state, you better make sure to put this paragraph in your representation agreement:

UAAA Requirement For Student-Athletes

Uniform Athlete Agent Act Requirement:

WARNING TO STUDENT-ATHLETE

IF YOU SIGN THIS CONTRACT:

(1) YOU MAY LOSE YOUR ELIGIBILITY TO COMPETE AS A STUDENT-ATHLETE IN YOUR SPORT;

(2) IF YOU HAVE AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, WITHIN 72 HOURS AFTER ENTERING INTO THIS CONTRACT, BOTH YOU AND YOUR ATHLETE AGENT MUST NOTIFY YOUR ATHLETIC DIECTOR; AND

(3) YOU MAY CANCEL THIS CONTRACT WITHIN 14 DAYS AFTER SIGNING IT.  CANCELLATION OF THIS CONTRACT MAY NOT REINSTATE YOUR ELIGIBILITY.

But since the UAAA was originally drafted and adopted in 2000, many have praised its intention and heavily criticized its enforcement.  As more states sign onto the Act, will enforcement pick up?  Alabama seems to be a leader in making sure that agents register with the state and follow all provisions of the UAAA  Will other states follow Alabama’s lead?

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 “Nebraska To Be The Next UAAA State?”

[…] On Februrary 23, I mentioned that Nebraska may soon become the thirty-seventh state to adopt the Uniform Athlete Agent Act (UAAA).  On March 19, that theory got one step closer to becoming reality.  Bill 292 advanced from first-round debate on a 40-0 vote. It is interesting to note that the Omaha World-Herald places blame on one Nebraska Senate member for the UAAA never being adopted in Nebraska, yet when the bill went to vote, it was passed unanimously.Popularity: unranked [?] Tags: UAAA Related Posts: Nebraska To Be The Next UAAA State? […]

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