Recap: 2015 The Sports Entertainment Group at Kelley Drye Player/Agent Retreat

“To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Required!” This was the theme of the 2015 Annual Client Retreat hosted by The Sports Entertainment Group (TSEG) at Kelley Drye. The annual retreat has reached its 5^th year and moved from its usual location in Las Vegas, Nevada to Miami Beach, Florida with plans to return to Miami next year.

I had the opportunity to speak with TSEG’s Chair Adisa P. Bakari and Vice Chair Jeffery A. Whitney about this year’s retreat.   “The purpose of this year’s retreat was to remind players that we have to be socially responsible with their celebrity In addition, the retreat creates a platform for the players to forge relationships among themselves and other business affiliates, said Bakari”.   The 3-day retreat was jam packed with events such as the “Best Ball” golf tournament, which served as a team building exercise for the firm’s 36 NFL players, including the likes of Ron Leary, Maurice Jones-Drew, Antoine Bethea, Matt Forte, Le’Veon Bell, James White, John Crockett, as well as professional boxer Lamont Peterson (former IBF Junior Welterweight Champion), among others were in attendance.  The foursome teams were strategically selected to pair veteran players with second year and rookie players.   “These pairings allowed the players to strengthen their  bond and get to know each other on a more personal level, which served as the “I am my brother’s keeper platform” for the weekend, Whitney said.”

Bakari and Whitney paid special tribute to Maurice Jones-Drew, who recently retired in 2015 with the Jacksonville Jaguars.  “Maurice is exactly what we want our clients to aim to be, both on and off the field,” said Bakari.  The group “roasted” Maurice at their welcome dinner hosted at Prime 112.

The retreat also included a shark tank seminar where 3 emerging companies came to pitch ideas and business models to players who are interested in investing Facebook/Instagram  made a presentation about social media best practices and how to best utilize both platforms to enhance player’s brands, a 2015 NFL rookie session where Bakari & Whitney reinforced that clients should lean on them when making decisions and not try to figure everything out on their own as TSEG has a team of legal and business professionals to help clients make decisions and navigate issues that professional athletes face in their career, and a  “My First Year” panel where the 2014 rookie class gave advice to the 2015 rookie class about their first year in the NFL and shared stories about their experiences, both on and off the field.

One of the main highlights of the retreat was the community outreach backpack and school supply giveaway event the players participated in at the NFL Youth Education Town (YET) Center at Gwen Cherry Community Center in Liberty City in downtown Miami. Under Armour donated 50 backpacks for the giveaway and the Maurice Jones-Drew Foundation donated school supplies to include in each backpack.   Collectively, the players donated $10,000 to the Gwen Cherry Community NFL YET Center. Bakari and Whitney feel that the primary focus of this retreat is for their clients to understand as celebrities they have the ability to impact various communities.

In upcoming years the two plan to pay homage to the veteran players that attend the retreat annually to provide insight and serve as mentors to the younger players. The Sports Entertainment Group annual retreat is the only all-expense paid retreat offered to athletes that ensure that clients are equipped with the necessary tools to conducting themselves as sports and business professionals and serves as the proper gateway to a successful upcoming season.