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Blog Action Day 2010: Water

I am proud to announce that this is the fourth consecutive year that we are participating in Blog Action Day.  When we first started posting about causes back in 2007, we were one of the few voices in the sports blogosphere to do so.  Four years later, not much has changed.  This is one of the many ways we aim to spread awareness of problems that affect the world.  Together, we can all make a change for the better.

This year’s topic is water.  Water can be the fuel of life or cause death.  Almost a billion people don’t have access to clean water.  Every week, 42,000 people die from unsafe water.  Clean water could become the scarcest resource of the 21st century.

What if athletes in America did not have access to clean water?  It would lead to increased death due to dehydration.  Athletes may experience flushing, low endurance, rapid heart rates, elevated body temperatures, and rapid onset of fatigue due to a lack of water.

In Africa, that is something that many people have to be concerned about.  The access to clean water is not guaranteed in all parts of the world.  Let’s make sure to remember that when we consume and use water for other purposes in the future.  There are people much less fortunate than us who need water to survive.  We take it as something that is guaranteed.  Take nothing for granted.

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.