Want to be a Sports Agent? Start Early…Real Early

There are many different paths and ways to break into the sports agent field.  Whether you decided to become a sports agent when you were a kid, during college, or even during grad school, you will most likely follow a fairly common plan…attend law school or a graduate business program and then try to work for an agency.  Personally, I decided towards the end of undergrad that this is what I wanted to do with my life, and I am currently starting my second year of law school.  But there is a small number of high school students that have an inkling that they want to be sports agents, and are doing something about it now.  The National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) hosts a 10-day conference on Sports and Entertainment Management.  Each summer the NSLC offers three sessions that students can attend.  This year’s program was hosted at Fordham University in The Bronx, New York.

Attendees at the Sports and Entertainment Management Conference get to hear college-level lectures and learn important skills like conflict resolution and negotiation through small-group workshops.  One example of the activities at the Conference is the Client Management Simulation, where students learn how to navigate contracts, sponsorships, and press conferences.  To attend, students must be nominated by a teacher or alumni of the program, or submit a merit-based application.

While the program carries a hefty price tag of around $2,500, we all know how difficult it is to break into this industry.  Maybe starting as young as possible will give these students the best chance of attaining their goals.  I attended a similar program for the medical field when I was in high school, and even worked for that conference as a faculty advisor for two summers.  Any student that wants to learn as much as possible about the sports agent industry and has the means to attend, definitely should.  These types of programs offer unparalleled experiences in the industry and a great opportunity to build friendships and network with future colleagues.