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On To The Next One: Yonder Alonso

Yonder Alonso was the talk of the town in South Florida as a member of a very strong University of Miami baseball team.  The Cuban born first baseman led the UM baseball team with 69 RBI in his freshman year, helping the club battle to the College World Series.  The rest of his collegiate career was also impressive.  In 2008, the Cincinnati Reds selected Alonso with the 7th overall pick in the MLB Draft.  His agents at Legacy Sports helped him negotiate a Major League deal worth $4.55 million over four years.  Alonso made his Major League debut this past season and determined that he is ready for new representation.

Earlier this offseason, Alonso left Legacy Sports for Dan Lozano, the agent of record for Albert Pujols, who recently ditched Beverly Hills Sports Council (BHSC) to set up his own agency along with some others who worked at BHSC.  Reportedly, Lozano is recruiting many players who grew up playing in the South Florida market, and may have also signed Manny Machado of the Baltimore Orioles and Danny Valencia of the Minnesota Twins.  Do not forget that Lozano recently picked up Nick Swisher from Joe Bick, as well.

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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