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Interview With The Agent: Nate Haber

nate haberI take a lot of pleasure in seeing young professionals have success in their respective trades.  As a young sports agent, myself, I especially admire others who have made it their goal to represent professional athletes, and have actually acted on their dreams.  Nate Haber fits into that category.  He is a part of a rising agency titled, PlayersRep, a firm that had five draft picks in 2009, including 3 of the top 42 seniors in the country (or 3 in the top 66 overall).  I first came across Nate on Twitter, and when I asked him about being interviewed on SportsAgentBlog.com, he was more than happy to oblige.  The result is below.

Darren Heitner: You are 28-years old, right? At that age, you’re not supposed to be NFLPA certified with clients on active rosters! Tell us a little bit about your story of trying to become an agent and how you ended up with PlayersRep.

Nate Haber: Several years ago, after finishing my first year of law school, I was introduced to Andy Simms, the founder of PlayersRep. I began working with him on in-house things for his clients. Over time, the workload increased. I began recruiting players as well, and ultimately turned it into a full-time job once I received my law degree. I am very passionate about my craft and very confident in what I do.

Darren Heitner: What is your position in the company? What does that position entail?

Nate Haber: I am an agent at PlayersRep. I handle contract negotiations for our players. I also am responsible, as are the other agents at our firm, for managing the lives of our players off the field. Procuring endorsement deals, offering legal advice and research, and finding unique opportunities to gain exposure for our clients are just a few of the many things we do for our guys.

Darren Heitner: What’s your normal day consist of?

Nate Haber: In this business, I’m not sure there’s a “normal” day. That’s what I love about it though. Every day is unique in that every player’s needs are different. Some days can be filled with marketing meetings, while others might consist of sitting behind the desk and working on closing deals. Some days we are out on the road, while others are spent with our clients. The important thing about this job is that you need to find time to see your clients. The more you learn about them, the more you get to know them, the more successful you and your clients will be.

Darren Heitner: You are one of the few NFLPA certified advisors that has embraced Twitter. How do you see the social media platform as a beneficial tool for your clients’ and your own growth?

Nate Haber: I’m just trying to keep up with the times. With technology has come increased opportunities to communicate your message to the public. Twitter provides another channel to help us promote our clients. It allows the public to take a closer look at the happenings of our players and our business. I’m not sure how long it will last, but for the time being, it appears to be an incredibly efficient way to share information.

Darren Heitner: Do you have any clients on Twitter or Facebook? Do you help them manage their profiles?

Nate Haber: Londen Fryar and Usama Young each manage their own profiles on Twitter.

Darren Heitner: How has a law degree helped you or hurt you in selling your services to players and then actually represent them?

Nate Haber: Having a law degree has been a big help. It allows me to have a better understanding of the intricacies of contracts and negotiations. It is not a necessity to becoming an agent though. Of the five registered advisors with our firm, only two of us, Andy Simms and myself, have law degrees. The others come from diverse business, financial, and marketing backgrounds.

Darren Heitner: What kind of year can we expect out of PlayersRep client, Chris Henry?

Nate Haber: I think what you’ll see this year is a renewed sense of urgency on Chris’s part. He knows that this is his opportunity to show the Bengals and the rest of the league the type of player he can be. He has put in a ton of work in the off-season and has vowed to make other changes off the field. If he continues on this new path, he will be a stud player worth a lot of money one day.

Darren Heitner: Anything else you would like to add?

Nate Haber: When players and their families get the chance to meet Andy, myself, and the other agents at PlayersRep (Dave Lee, Wesley Spencer, and Matt Brei), it is apparent to them why many great players continue to choose us as their representation. We are aggressive businessmen who look to see that our clients succeed. While this is a business first, we also pride ourselves on developing strong relationships with our clients, being there for them whenever they need us. Hard work, honesty, and genuine respect for each and every one of our clients is our recipe for success.

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.

3 replies on “Interview With The Agent: Nate Haber”

Very interesting interview. I am in real estate presently but have always had the desire to explore a career in sports management and agency. I’ve had several people who know agents that “you can’t be an agent without a law degree.” So hearing Nate’s comment to contradict that was nice to hear. It keeps the dream alive…!

Nice to see a person that shows how much he loves what he is doing, but also shows how hard he works. As I finish up school I am trying to go down the same path and I am excited for it. Now I have to follow Nate on twitter… good job with the interview guys.

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