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Tom Condon Talks CBA & NFL Draft

Did you know that Tom Condon of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) has represented 5 of the last 6 #1 overall picks in the NFL Draft?  That is amazingly impressive.  To top it off, Condon represents Sam Bradford, and even though the St. Louis Rams say that they will not sign a contract with their future pick prior to the draft, almost everyone assumes (including Condon) that the pick will be Bradford at #1.

With Condon making his final preparations for the NFL Draft, he found the time to chat with Forbes.com about the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement issues and the NFL Draft process.  Here is one Q&A between Condon and Forbes.com:

Forbes: How does the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement in March 2011 affect contracts for this year’s draft class?

Tom Condon: The expiration of the collective bargaining agreement gives us more flexibility with the contract structure because we have two more years to guarantee for skill, injury and cap. Additionally, we do not have to deal with the 30% rule restriction which applies to contracts under the current CBA. [Rookie contracts previously were restricted to a 30% annual salary increase.]

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.