Categories
Headline Social Networking Sports Agents

Attaching Value To Your Social Media Presence

As of the moment that I am drafting this post, there are 88 sports agents/agencies being followed on The Master Twitter list of sports agents/agencies (if you read this site and you are not yet following this list, you need to get on it!).  While there are a few agents on Twitter who are not a part of the list, they are most likely not on it for 1 of 2 reasons:

  1. They never/rarely send tweets.
  2. They send over 50 tweets a day, with extremely useless information.

Very few agents fall into either category, yet we know that there are well over 88 people who call themselves agents (and some of the accounts on the list are agency accounts – most likely run by interns).

If you think that it has taken an unreasonable amount of time for agents to embrace Twitter, their adoption of Facebook is even slower.  While I do not have a listing of all sports agency Fan Pages (you can find Dynasty’s Fan Page here), I believe that there are less agent/agency Fan Pages than there are agent/agency Twitter accounts.

Agents and agencies are missing out on a great opportunity to spread brand awareness, create relationships with fans of the agencies and their clients, and promote their knowledge on open platforms – all for free.  Yes, all of our favorite price.  There is no cost to have an active voice on Twitter or Facebook.  But there may be a cost to not having an active voice.

If Facebook Fans are worth $3.60 a piece, as discussed in this Mashable article, then sports agencies without a presence on Facebook are missing out on potential income.  Does the post have any credence in our industry, though?  Perhaps, as people who Fan a sports agency’s page are most likely people who will find the content relevant.  It’s not like Fan-ing a generic brand like Taco Bell or KFC.

The CEO of the company that ran the study is quoted as saying, “It’s no longer an option, it’s a necessity,” when discussing the importance of brands to have a strong Facebook presence.

Personally, I don’t like trying to assign a value to each Fan.  Whether it be $3.60, $1.00, or $7.00, there is value added to having your brand prominently displayed on Facebook.  And whether you believe it or not, your clients will end up benefiting from the increased exposure, as well.

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.

2 replies on “Attaching Value To Your Social Media Presence”

Darren,

I agree, that Facebook fan page have the potential to add value to your agency. I really don’t believe that you could put a dollar sign on the value of each fan for an agency fan page. My question is, with fan pages being of value, regardless of whether that be financial, or just making yourself and your agency more well know, do you believe it is a wise decision to invest in Facebook advertising for your page. Personally, at this point, I don’t believe it is necessary to run advertisements on Facebook, but possibly over the next couple years, when you can target specific people even more, it would be more beneficial.

Doug V.

I agree – it is tough to put a dollar sign on the value of each fan. It could be wise to advertise a page; however, remember that most ppl will be disinterested in an agency’s Facebook Fan Page. That’s why the ppl who so “Like” the page are probably more valuable than those who “Like” more general brands.

By Post Author

Comments are closed.