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Illinois To Become 39th UAAA State

As of right now, there are 9 states and one territory that do not have any laws intended to regulate the practice of sports agents.  They are: Alaska, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, Vermont, and Virginia.  With increasing public scrutiny of agent practices, at least 1 of those states will be wiped off of that list at the beginning of next year.  Illinois has passed a bill, which will go into effect on January 1, 2011.  The new law will require all sports agents who wish to contact a college athlete to first register and become licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

The new law will make Illinois the 39th state to adopt the Uniform Athlete Agents Act (UAAA), or a variation thereof.  In fact, the short description of the bill passed in Illinois is: UNIFORM ATHLETE AGENTS ACT.

Uniformity across all 50 states and U.S. territories is a noble goal.  However, I continue to believe that the most effective sports agent regulation will come in the form of a national regulating body under a federal licensing system.  I have no doubt that it could be justified under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.  A federal licensing system will save agents money (which will also increase the likelihood that agents actually register), cut down on questions based on slight variations of law from state to state, cut down on questions regarding which states an agent has to register in, and potentially allow for better enforceability.  Once I am done with the Bar Exam, this is something that I may want to sit down and write a full note about.  However, maybe some ambitious law student/professor is reading this right now and wishes to take on the chore him/herself.

No word on the fee to register in Illinois.  That will eventually be set by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

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.