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NFLPA Teams Up With APMG Sports To Create China-USA Friendship Game

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The NFLPA has worked with APMG to bring pro football to China.

The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and APMG Sports want you to mark your calendars for May 4, 2013.  That is the day that an American football game featuring professional players in China will take place at the National Olympic Stadium in Beijing.  The stated purpose of the event is to celebrate 40 years of China-U.S. diplomatic and cultural relations, and it will be one event among several other significant ceremonies to highlight the historic 1972 diplomatic meeting between Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong and U.S. President Richard Nixon.

There are a group of great NFL and political figures who will be a part of the event, including Pro Football Hall of Fame members Art Monk, Floyd Little, and Darrell Green.  Additionally, current Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Ed Wang (of Chinese ancestry) will be in the delegation.

“It is a distinct honor and privilege to work with the NFLPA and the people of China in bringing this historic event to Beijing,” said APMG Sports Founder/President John Glavin. “We look forward to exciting and lasting people-to-people exchanges of sports and culture of this type for many years to come.”

Added NFLPA spokesperson George Atallah: “The NFL Players Association appreciates the opportunity that the people of China are providing our organization in welcoming us as ambassadors of professional American football in China. We are looking forward to developing many Chinese football fans and players for many years to come.”

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.