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Agents Upset At UFL For Non-Payment Of Agent Fees

Over the weekend, I spoke with quite a few agents who are very upset with the United Football League (UFL).  This time, it has absolutely nothing to do with the UFL’s $150,000 transfer fee.  Instead, agents are up in arms about the UFL’s slow process in paying out agent fees.  In fact, one agent told me that one of the UFL head coaches texted him to let him know that they are not certain that they are going to pay agent fees.

Paragraph 21 of the UFL Player Contract is titled, “Player Agent.”  21(e) allows the player signing the contract to elect to pay his agent through a percentage fee arrangement, flat fee arrangement, or hourly fee arrangement.  No structure may result in the agent earning any more than 3% of the player’s base salary, signing bonus, and performance bonus received by the player.  The following section, 21(f) permits the player to elect to have his team pay his agent directly.  Therein lies the current problem.  Teams aren’t paying out what they owe.

Michael Preston, Communications Director for the UFL, says that payments are being processed.  Agents are not holding their breath.

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.

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