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NFL Players Sports Agents

Top NFL Agents And Agencies By Number Of Clients – July 2017

The following guest contribution is provided by Hardik Sanghavi, who graduated from DePaul University in 2016 with a major in finance and minor in accounting. During his time at DePaul, Hardik interned with ESPN Chicago and Priority Sports & Entertainment. He now works as a Commercial Underwriter in the Insurance Industry and writes for Overthecap.com. You can follow him on twitter at @hardiks94.

The NFL Agent Industry is one of the most competitive industries in sports. With an increasing number of licensed agents each year, a 3% cap on commission, and high overhead, it is extremely difficult to succeed in this business. However, for the agents who are successful at recruiting, the job can be very lucrative.

That being said, I have decided to start tracking the industry by creating a report highlighting some of these successful agents and agencies. These monthly reports will consist of an Industry Snapshot, Top Agencies by # of clients, Contracts Under Management, and a database of all active players and their agents.

In addition, as it is very common for players to change agents, this report will capture hirings/firings and any other notable trends and changes in the industry.

Industry Snapshot (7.26.17)

  • Active Players with Representation: 2834
  • Active Agents: 541
  • Active Agencies: 357

Top Ten Agencies by # of Clients

1) CAA: 171 Clients; 12:1 client-to- agent ratio; $2.93B Contracts Under Management
Top Agents:
Todd France: 64 clients (32 co-repped)
Tom Condon: 47 clients (19 co-repped)
James Sexton: 45 clients (25 co-repped)

2) Sportstars: 148 Clients; 15:1 client-to- agent ratio; $978.93M Contracts Under Management
Top Agents:
Brian Mackler: 47 clients (47 co-repped)
Jared Fox: 43 clients (33 co-repped)
Jonathan Perzley: 38 clients (37 co-repped)
David Butz: 36 clients (9 co-repped)

3) Athletes First: 132 Clients; 11:1 client-to- agent ratio; $2.03B Contracts Under Management
Top Agents:
David Mulugheta: 26 clients (7 co-repped)
Joe Panos: 25 clients (3 co-repped)
Andrew Kessler: 22 clients (9 co-repped)
David Dunn: 20 clients (4 co-repped)

4) Rosenhaus Sports: 105 Clients; 26:1 client-to- agent ratio; $1.20B Contracts Under Management
Top Agent:
Drew Rosenhaus: 104 clients (6 co-repped)

5) Select Sports Group: 90 Clients; 15:1 client-to- agent ratio; $605.26M Contracts Under Management
Top Agents:
Jeffrey Nalley: 33 clients (14-co- repped)
Erik Burkhardt: 29 clients (10 co-repped)

6) Lagardere Unlimited: 62 Clients; 31:1 client-to- agent ratio; $1.03B Contracts Under Management
Top Agent:
Joel Segal: 61 clients (9 co-repped)

7) Rep 1 Sports Group: 59 Clients; 15:1 client-to- agent ratio; $569.19M Contracts Under Management
Top Agents:
Chase Callahan: 25 clients (1 co-repped)
Ryan Tollner: 22 clients (2 co-repped)

8) Priority Sports & Entertainment: 58 Clients; 10:1 client-to- agent ratio; $340.56M Contracts Under Management
Top Agents:
Mike McCartney: 29 Clients
Kenny Zuckerman: 17 Clients

9) Independent Sports & Entertainment: 55 Clients; 11:1 client-to- agent ratio; $570.40M Contracts Under Management
Top Agents:
Doug Hendrickson: 36 clients (18 co-repped)
C.J. Laboy: 22 clients (18-co- repped)

10) PlayersRep Sports Management: 52 Clients; 9:1 client-to- agent ratio; $275.33M Contracts Under Management
Top Agents:
Andy Simms: 31 clients (24-co- repped)
Ken Sarnoff: 22 clients (5 co-repped)

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.