Categories
Dynasty Athlete Representation Headline Sports Business

Shout When No One Is Speaking

Since starting this website and my company, Dynasty Athlete Representation, I have tried to answer almost every email that contains a question from an interested reader or future agent.  While I have had the great fortune of being published in respectable journals and newspapers, the most joy comes out of helping college/high school students learn more about the industry by honestly answering their questions.  Sometimes the questions are presented because a student has to turn in a term paper.  Other times, there is just a genuine interest in the industry.  These answers never get published; my hope is that those of you that have corresponded with me in this way in the past have learned something and will use it to help you succeed in the future.  I was lucky to have great mentors along the way, and I continue to have awesome people who I know I can go to if I ever have a question.  I love helping others, as well.

I also surround myself with like-minded people.  When I am looking to bring someone new into Dynasty, I look for passion, hunger, intelligence, but also selflessness.  Sure, all of us are inherently selfish to an extent, but we can also aim to enable future leaders with the knowledge and power to succeed.  There should not be a fear that they will surpass us someday.  They will.  Acknowledge it now.  Once they do, it would be nice if they remember who helped them along the way.

Anyway, I decided to write this post because I was copied on a Q&A between a student at Bradley University and Dynasty baseball agent, Bryan Swalley.  Before the student asked his questions, he wrote the following:

Dear Mr. Swalley,

I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about your job. I am in a sports marketing class at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. We are doing a project over a potential job that we would like to do with our sports marketing degree. I chose Athletic Representation. After searching around my own town I couldn’t really find many sports agents. So I went to the web and emailed out a couple things and your firm was the only one to email me back so I thank you for that. If you can help me with this interview, I will type the questions at the bottom of this page. If not, well thank you anyway for being the only firm for emailing me back!

Thanks!

We were the only firm to respond.  And Swalley did not just send one-liners back to the student; he sent in-depth answers.  I have copied the final Q&A below:

7. How do you get your firm known around professional sports? What are your advertising strategies?

One of the very first things I do when I get a new client is call their farm director (the person in charge of assigning and development of players) and inform him that I am player X’s agent. I feel communication with the farm director is very critical. If the player is in an organization you haven’t worked with before, it allows you to begin to form a working relationship with them. You also have to keep in mind the farm director is responsible for overseeing 200 players. Speaking with him every so often helps keep your client’s name fresh in his mind. Another element of communication with him is finding out how to better help your player. You are both working toward the same goal; getting your player developed and into the Major Leagues.

Dynasty has a very strong web presence. Darren promotes the company through very popular website he runs, SportsAgentBlog.com. We also promote heavily via social media (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.). As I mentioned before, players are a huge source for marketing. Players in the Minor Leagues talk a lot amongst each other. There are long bus rides and a little downtime in the clubhouse before and after games. I’ve been there, a lot of subjects are talked about, the happiness with an agent or firm is sometimes a subject of discussion.

A lot of people ask me how does one become successful in this industry.  I’ll answer with how to become successful in life: When no one else cares, be the only one to respond.

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.

6 replies on “Shout When No One Is Speaking”

You have answered every single question I have ever had about the sports agent industry. I have reached out to many agents just to ask questions, and none of them seem to answer me back. This is very understandable due to their busy schedule, etc. I would like to thank you for helping aspiring agents understand the industry more, even though I know you also have a very busy schedule.

Darren has been a real help for me in my journey into this industry. Whether he knows it or not he has given me some leverage that has been useful for me and certainly does a great job lending a hand when needed. Keep it up..we need more people like those at Dynasty Reps.

Darren has been kind enough to let me write occasionally for this website, and his website is the first-stop for me when anything sports/sports-law related comes up. Even with his busy schedule, he still responds to my questions and requests. It has been a pleasure being able to contribute to this website (albeit a small contribution), and I look forward to contributing/working with them in the future because of how professional and driven they are. Thanks, Darren, I will be in touch soon!

Comments are closed.