Categories
Headline Recruiting Sports Agents Sports Law

O-DLife Sends An Open Letter To All Agents

Matt Whittier, President of O-DLife, has sent a new message to agents titled, An Open Letter to All Agents.  In the body of the email, Whittier wrote,

You’re receiving this due to the respect that we have for your past
business endeavors. We feel that you have a great deal to offer the
players of tomorrow, and if you would like to work with us at O-DLife
providing players with the most up to date information on your agency,
please let us know.

Unfortunately, as well all know, there are many in the representation
industry that don’t follow the guidelines set by the NFL or NCAA. The
purpose for these guidelines is simply to protect these kids from
jeopardizing their student-athlete status and not ruin the hard work
put in by both the athlete and the family of the athlete.

While we all are aware of these guidelines, we cannot stress enough
the importance of abiding by the NFLPA and NCAA rules and regulations.
Having been in business for 43 years, we have strong relationships
with many players and families that will soon be in the league. Some
of our closest bonds remain with our Bowl Players. Our 2007 Bowl Class
will be in this year’s draft, and our 2008 Bowl Class is now
eligible for draft. We are most proud to have trained a great majority
of these players since the early age of 7, and are overjoyed to see
their growth into the outstanding players they are today. Being that
our ties are so strong, these players and families do notify us when
any agencies break the rules, and they also inquire about which agents
will be the best fit for them.

As a consulting firm, O-DLife does take this information and document
it. If your agency would like to work with us, we hope to rid the
sport of these dishonorable agencies, runners, and bird-dogs.
Reputations take years to build, and merely seconds to destroy. Our
players are only interested and deserving in working with those in the
industry with the utmost, unquestionable integrity. With this being
said, we look forward to hearing from you.

I’m fine with the message.  In fact, I applaud Whittier for his efforts…as long as they are true.  The problem is that George Dohrmann of SI.com has reported in the past that Whittier and O-D Life have proposed to at least one agent that O-D Life would get half (1.5 percent) of the agent’s commission on any of the referred players he signed.  How exactly is that different than being a runner?

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.

One reply on “O-DLife Sends An Open Letter To All Agents”

Comments are closed.