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Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (3/6/09)

Post author By Darren Heitner
Post date March 6, 2009

I met with Dan Leatherman, Pete Parise, and Kevin Grant earlier this week. They are all very excited about the coming year. Leatherman and Parise see themselves rising up the ranks of their respective organizations (Nationals and Carindals) and Kevin Grant looks extremely prepared for his March 18th Pro Day. Tomorrow, I will be celebrating with Matthew Watkins as he ties the knot with his beautiful fiancee. Grant and another soon-to-be Dynasty football client will be on hand at the event. The girlfriend is in town and we have a new layout. Let us celebrate! Here are some stories I missed over the past week:

Baseball

Better enjoy that bargain for a year, San Fran! [Giants sign Lincecum to $650K contract].
While there is a void at GM for the Nationals, expect to deal with President, Stan Kasten [Kasten: ‘I’ve done this before’].
Not a big fan of Oakland’s 2 infield moves, which includes acquiring Garciaparra [Sources: A’s add shortstop Cabrera].
I don’t think we will be seeing anyone traded for bats again in the near future…sad story [Tragic end for John “Bat Man” Odom].

Sports Business

For every $1 Bank of America spends on sports marketing, they net $3 [How Bank of America Justifies Sports Spending].
Casey Wasserman getting attacked by CNBC reporters Re: Sports Marketing [Casey Wasserman Responds To Congressional Attack Of Marketing].
Maybe my wish for a change in the recruiting landscape will come true [N.C.A.A. Investigates Role of a Recruit’s Adviser].

Basketball

Could the D-League actually be serving its purpose? [Warriors not afraid to use D-League players]

There were a lot of football moves made over the past week. Instead of throwing them up on the Friday Wrap-Up, I decided that I will put them together in a post that will probably be up on Monday.

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.