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Friday Wrap-Up

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-up (12/30/2016)

Another year in the books. Tomorrow, Sports Agent Blog will celebrate its eleventh birthday. Isn’t that wild? A blog in 2005 was considered a personal journal managed by people sitting in their underwear typing away in their families’ basements. Today, millions and millions of page views later, this is the most respected source for sports agent information. Thanks to everyone who has supported this site (and me) throughout the years. There is no intention of ever closing the doors on this website, which continues to be a source for people interested in the sports agency industry as well as for all who already participate therein.

Last week was a fantastic vacation. This past week has been a heavy grind toward the finish line of 2016. How about the Miami Dolphins. First time to the playoffs in almost a decade. That was quite a surprise, especially after a dismal start to the season.

I wrote a quick post about business trends I foresee for 2017. Give it a read if you have a little bit of free time.

Thanks to tropicpromotionalcode.com for supporting Sports Agent Blog in this week’s wrap-up.

Happy New Year to everyone out there. Please enjoy yourselves, but be safe. There’s a lot of progress to be made in 2017!

This week on Forbes:
(1) This Week In Sports Law: Rutgers Violations, New UNC Charges, WakeyLeaks Fallout;
(2) Why This Sports Agent Fee Sharing Dispute Would Make Jerry Maguire Blush; and
(3) Why Alabama And Clemson Should Improve TV Ratings On New Years Eve 2016

And as always, the weekly wrap-up:

Football

Baseball

Wrestling

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.