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Professional Athlete Franchise Summit 2011

What: 2nd Annual Professional Athlete Franchise Summit

When: July 10-13, 2011

Where: Georgia Tech-Bill Moore Student Success Center (219 Uncle Heine Way) in Atlanta, GA

The Franchise Summit is an educational event built to introduce the professional athlete to the basic architecture that supports the franchise industry.  The two-day classroom curriculum is crafted by the best and brightest in the franchise industry to guide students through the ins and outs of franchising. The Summit is supported by the involvement of  franchisors, sports agents, associations and business advisors with a clear understanding of the Professional Athlete Franchise Initiative’s (PAFI) mission of tooling the professional athlete for transition.  Overall, the PAFI Franchise Summit is a chance for the professional athlete to learn about, build relationships within and position him or herself for second career success in the trillion dollar franchise industry.

Topics:

  • Why should I consider Franchising?
  • How do I Evaluate a Franchise Opportunity?
  • How do I avoid Common Pitfalls?

Cost: Free to professional athletes (register here).

Contact Info: Interested parties, including agents wanting to partner with the program as a second career resource, can call 404.287.0192 or email admin@thepafi.org.

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.