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Top NFL Agents And Agencies By Contracts Under Management – October 2017

St. Louis Rams outside linebacker Alec Ogletree (52) is unable to catch Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) as he runs the ball for a touchdown during the second half of a football game at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams won 28-26. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports

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.

Earlier this month it was announced that Rep1 Sports acquired The Novo Agency for an undisclosed amount. Rep1 Sports is an Irvine California based agency that has established itself as a landing spot for 1st round quarterbacks. In fact, since the 2014 NFL draft, the agency has represented 5 of the 11 QBs selected in the 1st round which include Blake Bortles, Marcus Mariota, Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, and Mitch Trubiski. With the acquisition, Rep1 will add 4 new clients to their roster including former 1st round DT, Danny Shelton. In addition, Rep1 will be adding Novo Founder Jeff Sperbeck and agent Haig Abnous to the Rep1 agent team. Sperbeck is a longtime agent and has represented Hall of Fame Quarterback John Elway and 2 time Super Bowl Champion Jim Plunkett. His experience should assist in the growth of Rep1’s QB market share.

In other notable news, NFL Agent and Ovethecap.com writer Zack Moore is expected to release his book, Caponomics: Building Super Bowl Champions, by mid-December. Moore’s main message details how NFL teams should use the Salary Cap as a competitive advantage. In addition, he writes about the importance of continuity within a front office, the under-funding of scouting departments, the 2 RB roles Bill Belichick has created in New England, and much more. After releasing his book, he aims to utilize it as a tool in recruiting. He believes the analysis of contracts and the salary cap has prepared him to understand what teams want, thus helping him understand how to market players to teams.

Notable Deals

October was a solid month for the Linebacker market as Telvin Smith and Alec Ogletree both received 4 Year extensions. In total, there were 5 notable extensions this month compared to the 14 on last month’s report. With free agency only a few months away, I’m expecting extension volume to remain low as players on the last year of their deals should let the open market determine their values.

Entrants/Exits

Following a very active month in agent movement, October activity stabilized. 14 Agents became active while 21 agents saw their active client count drop to zero.

Notable Player-Agent Changes

Two big names, Jeremy Hill and Tyreek Hill, recently made agent changes. Bengals’ Running Back Jeremy Hill, who is set to become a free agent in March, signed with Lagardère Sports while Tyreek Hill chose Rosenhaus Sports Representation. Although Tyreek Hill won’t be eligible for a new deal until after the 2018 season, he aims to increase his off-field profile with his new agency.

Lastly, to cap off this month’s Agent Client Report, below is an updated snapshot of the Agent Industry:

Industry Snapshot (10.26.17)

*Please note Contract Numbers are based off New Money. Any questions/comments can be sent to me at hardiksanghavi29@gmail.com*

  • Players Under Contract with Representation: 2296 (includes players on NFI/PUP/IR)
  • Active Agents: 465
  • Active Agencies: 297

Top Ten Agencies by Contracts Under Management

  • CAA: $3.24B Contracts Under Management; 173 Clients
    • Top Agents:
      • Todd France: 68 clients (40 co-repped)
      • Tom Condon: 49 clients (23 co-repped)
      • James Sexton: 47 clients (31 co-repped)
  • Athletes First: $2.00B Contracts Under Management; 128 Clients
    • Top Agents:
      • David Mulugheta: 25 clients (7 co-repped)
      • Joe Panos: 22 clients (1 co-repped)
      • Andrew Kessler: 21 clients (9 co-repped)
      • David Dunn: 20 clients (4 co-repped)
  • Rosenhaus Sports: $1.06B Contracts Under Management; 99 Clients
    • Top Agent:
      • Drew Rosenhaus: 98 clients (6 co-repped)
  • Lagardère Sports: $1.06B Contracts Under Management; 66 Clients
    • Top Agents:
      • Joel Segal: 58 clients (21 co-repped)
      • Chafie Fields: 19 clients (12 co-repped)
  • Sportstars: $954.88M Contracts Under Management; 128 Clients
    • Top Agents:
      • Brian Mackler: 48 clients (48 co-repped)
      • Jared Fox: 42 clients (35 co-repped)
      • Jonathan Perzley: 36 clients (34 co-repped)
      • David Butz: 30 clients (9 co-repped)
      • Alan Herman: 29 clients (28 co-repped)
  • Rep 1 Sports Group: $608.52M Contracts Under Management; 58 Clients
    • Top Agents:
      • Ryan Tollner: 24 clients (3 co-repped)
      • Chase Callahan: 22 clients (3 co-repped)
  • Independent Sports & Entertainment: $566.21M Contracts Under Management; 47 Clients
    • Top Agents:
      • Doug Hendrickson: 30 clients (14 co-repped)
      • C.J. Laboy: 17 clients (14 co-repped)
  • Select Sports Group: $546.74M Contracts Under Management; 85 Clients
    • Top Agents:
      • Jeffrey Nalley: 34 clients (15-co-repped)
      • Erik Burkhardt: 25 clients (8 co-repped)
      • Andy Ross: 15 clients (4 co-repped)
  • SportsTrust Advisors: $541.03M Contracts Under Management; 39 Clients
    • Top Agents:
      • Patrick Dye: 26 clients (4 co-repped)
      • William Johnson: 13 clients (3 co-repped)
  • Priority Sports & Entertainment: $357.62M Contracts Under Management; 59 Clients
    • Top Agents:
      • Mike McCartney: 28 Clients
      • Kenny Zuckerman: 13 Clients

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.