SPORTS AGENT BLOG

Showing you the money since 2005.

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (10/16/09)

Post author By Darren Heitner
Post date October 16, 2009

So how about my Florida Gators? And while we are on the subject of football, my home-team Miami Dolphins looked mighty impressive on Monday night. I went bowling this week, and my high score in two games was 178…not too bad for someone who rarely hits the lanes. Jason Belmonte, my newest bowling client, will have his brand new website unveiled by the end of next week. I have received a few previews, and it is coming along great. We are working on really establishing our Entertainment Division at Dynasty over the next year. May have some updates on that end, very soon. Homecoming weekend in Gainesville…Let the Gator Growl! Here are some stories I missed over the past week.

Football

I especially like change #2 and #3 offered by Fatsis [Health Care Reform … for the N.F.L.].
A lot of praise for Greg Jennings’ contract, negotiated by Eugene Parker [Under the Cap: Top Ten Wide Receivers].
What to do when your client tells you he wants out [How agents manipulate trades].

Baseball

Salary cap = increased parity = maximizing revenue? [Time for a salary cap, Major League Baseball?]
Has Billy Beane passed the torch to Dan O’Dowd? [The True ‘Moneyball’ GM]

Sports Agents

English football agents compare Jerry Maguire to the real thing [A look back to 1997 and agents talk about Jerry Maguire].

Coaches

Gillispie wanted $6 million, but he accepted less in order to avoid what could have been a very long battle in court [UK settles with Gillispie for $2.98 million].

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.