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Victory Fine Art Presents New Revenue Source For Athletes And Teams

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This Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup piece of art is 1 of 250, numbered and signed by the artist. It sells for $295.00.

I distinctly recall serving as a sports agent to many Minor League Baseball players who were making little in the form of their professional team contracts and always looking for additional income.  One common source of additional income is the baseball card contract.  However, even those deals bring in a minuscule amount of dollars.  The card deals and autograph opportunities increase in value as the players gain prominence, but with those contracts come duties and obligations.  Additionally, consumers want to know that their collectibles are authentic, and often want the athlete to sign the articles in person.  As you can see, these deals come with quite a few strings attached.

A company called Victory Fine Art saw inadequacies in the collectibles market and has aimed to fill the gap of what it deems are consumers desires not currently being fulfilled.  It works with the NHL, NBA and MLB to create unique and timeless pieces of fine art prominently displaying the images of famous athletes, which comes with certificates of authentication and individually numbered photos to match the individually numbered paintings.

The artwork is not cheap, but you get what you pay for.  And participating athletes seem to be pretty happy with their commissions.  According to one agent it has led to a general increase in cost-per-signature for several clients.  That only applies when the athletes are willing to attach their signatures to the artwork.

A few professional teams have also begun to associate with Victory Fine Art in an effort to find new revenue streams.   The New York Yankees now have a collection for sale in the Yankees store that remains open throughout the year.  The Chicago Blackhawks also commissioned Victory Fine Art to do two Stanley Cup pieces to commemorate their victory this year.

Art can be displayed in ways that trading cards simply cannot.  The lasting value of artwork is also something that consumers care about and athletes/agents should recognize.  But most important for the athlete and agent is likely that the toll on the player of signing the artwork is more limited than that of signing thousands of trading cards, and the revenue ceiling is likely higher as well.

Victory Fine Art has been kind enough to offer all SportsAgentBlog readers the use of coupon code SportsAgentBlog to receive a 15% discount on first-time purchases.

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.