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Leigh Steinberg’s First Management Agreement With Hollywood Talent

Head over to Leigh Steinberg’s website and you will find a pretty basic layout for the sports agent who used to represent some of the biggest names in professional football.  It has been quite some time since Leigh Steinberg has found his name in the news for the representation of talent.  Lately, he has become more famous for his advocacy on matters like concussions in sport and using environmentally friendly technologies.  He also recently started writing about a variety of other topics at the National Football Post.  And of course, Steinberg continues to throw his popular annual Super Bowl party.

Yet only a few days ago, Steinberg sent out a press release regarding his signing a management deal with the Sestito Bros.  The deal between Steinberg and the Italian writer-director team was signed at Warner Bros. Studio.  Steinberg was quoted as saying,

“I truly believe that the Sestito Bros. have the all the creativity, talent, and especially technical skills to be A-list writers and directors. I’m confident that they will become household names for many years,”

Steinberg is no novice when it comes to the representation of talent; however, this is a new test for the agent who traditionally handled the business matters for professional football players.  The press release states that the Sestito Bros. have begun taking meetings with top studios execs regarding two of their recent projects.  At least Steinberg is not starting from scratch in his representation of the brothers.  And Steinberg is also quite familiar with the crew.  He is the founding sponsor of the Newport Beach Film Festival, where he found the Sesito Bros. to be “the most talented and exciting young directors ever.”

 

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.