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Headline NFL Players

The Business of Football: Rookie Edition Agenda

At the end of May, the NFL cancelled its yearly rookie symposium, which is open to all players selected in that year’s NFL Draft.  Historically, topics discussed at the symposium have included financial planning, indoctrination into the NFL, and how to be a professional on and off the field.  But then the NFL Players Association decided to pick up the slack and announced a replacement for the scrapped rookie symposium – “The Business of Football: Rookie Edition.”  Originally, it was supposed to be held in Washington D.C.  It was moved to IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida, and will go from June 27 – June 30.

Today (5 p.m. EST) is the final day for 2011 drafted players to register for the event.  It includes an all-expense paid trip to Bradenton, Florida, free workouts and expert coaching at IMG Academies, networking opportunities with Joe Gibbs, Herm Edwards, Plaxico Burress, and Luther Ellis, and the following agenda:

Monday, June 27th

  • 10:00am to 4:00pm – Arrivals
  • 6:00pm to 7:30pm – Dinner
  • 8:00pm to 8:30pm – De Smith Intro
  • 8:30pm to 9:00pm – Expectations presented by Player Advisors
  • 9:00pm to 10:00pm – General Session
  • 10:30pm – Snacks
  • 11:00pm – Curfew

Tuesday, June 28th

  • 8:00am to 9:30am – Breakfast
  • 10:00am to 12:00pm – 2 Groups: Performance Evaluations & Total Athlete and Game-On Program
  • 12:00pm to 2:00pm – Lunch
  • 2:00pm to 4:00pm – Groups Switch: Performance Evaluations & Total Athlete and Game-On Program
  • 4:00pm to 6:00pm – Player workout available
  • 6:00pm to 7:30pm – Dinner
  • 8:00pm to 9:00pm – General Session
  • 9:00pm to 10:00pm – Advisor Topics TBD
  • 10:30pm – Snacks
  • 11:00pm – Curfew

Wednesday, June 29th

  • 8:00am to 9:30am – Breakfast
  • 10:00am to 12:00pm Community Outreach TBD
  • 12:00pm to 2:00pm Lunch
  • 2:00pm to 4:00pm General Session
  • 4:00pm to 6:00pm Player Workouts
  • 6:00pm to 7:30pm Dinner
  • 8:00pm to 9:00pm General Session
  • 9:00pm to 10:00pm Advocate Topics TBD
  • 10:30pm Snacks
  • 11:00pm Curfew

Thursday, June 30th

  • Breakfast and departures

If you are an athlete who was drafted or are an agent who had a client drafted and still wish to RSVP for the event, contact Jason Belser, Senior Director of Player Services and Development at jason.belser@nflplayers.com.

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.