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.
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6 replies on “The Start Of Spring Training Play For Pete Parise”
Does he have any endorsements for cleats and a glove?
Non-exclusive deals with Mizuno and Swenson. Why?
how can you have non exclusive deal with a equipment? Either they pay you to wear their stuff or they don’t, correct?
– bobby
Incorrect. At this point, Pete is getting outfitted with whatever he needs. We are diligenly working on getting him a paying opportunity, which will undoubtedly be based on how he performs this Spring Training.
From my days of being around the game, players usually are giving contracts which include equipment and apparel. Some of these contracts include “catalog” money towards their affiliate companies. Nowadays, companies are only giving out equipment because of hard economic changes. But if a guy is on the roster on a NRI, its usually easier to work out a deal. Not so much based on performance during the spring, or many big leaugers wouldn’t have anything (since spring stats are skewed). What does non-exclusive mean? because in the picture it looks as if Pete is using a Rawlings mitt.
We have worked out those types of contracts with clients. Actually, even though the economy is not in its best shape, we are still finding companies willing to give out equipment + money. As far as Pete is concerned, he does not have a deal with Rawlings. That was a mitt we bought for him last year. I cannot get into the terms of the non-exclusive deals we have in place, but Pete is benefiting from receiving some free equipment.