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College Football Players Headline Recruiting Sports Business Sports Law

Cameron Newton. Okay, Now I Have Your Attention

Cameron Newton.

Here’s the tie to the sports agent world – The Spotlight On Kenny Rodgers Cannot Help Ian Greengross – surprising how few people are talking about that mess.

But for a while, the rest of the sports community can take their focus away from us agents, and start talking about some other common figures when it comes to college recruiting – runners, boosters…and the FBI?

  • The FBI wants to know if young men are being shopped to colleges. – TMZ
  • Cam Newton told a Mississippi State recruiter that he picked Auburn because “the money was too much.” – Joe Schad, ESPN
  • John Bond never actually spoke to Kenny Rodgers. – Ty Duffy, The Big Lead
  • On November 27, 2009, Cecil Newton was at a hotel in Starkville, Miss. and asked two Mississippi State coaches about the payment for his son to attend Mississippi State.  – AP + ESPN
  • Cecil Newton admitted to talking with an ex-Mississippi State University player about payments in return for Cam Newton’s commitment to play football at Mississippi State. – WSB Atlanta
  • Cecil Newton’s solicitation of money from Mississippi State may be all that is needed for Auburn to suffer. – Clay Travis, AOL FanHouse
  • Kenny Rodgers texted a Mississippi State booster with a payment plan that would push Cam Newton to play for the Bulldogs. – Mark Schlabach, Chris Low and Pat Forde, ESPN

I have been staying away from doing my own reporting, because much like my brethren at other websites, I am only receiving accounts of hearsay.

It’s like a Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up a day early.  Don’t worry, Friday’s wrap-up will be here for you to digest tomorrow.

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.