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Mark Steinberg Leaving IMG, Tiger Woods To Follow?

Yesterday, Darren Rovell of CNBC broke the news that Tiger Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg is no longer an employee of IMG (his contract expires in June 2011), where at one point in time he was director of Global Golf Business.  At IMG, Steinberg was responsible for the representation of Woods and LPGA golfer Annika Sorenstam, among others.  Interestingly, prior to Rovell’s Tweet concerning Steinberg’s exit from IMG, Sean Martin of Golfweek, Tweeted the following:

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/GolfweekSMartin/status/73049422942056448″]

So which one is it?  Woods will have to either pick staying with the agency that has represented him since his start on the PGA Tour or the individual agent who personally represented him for most of his career (Woods was first represented by Hughes Norton at IMG).  My guess is that he sticks with Steinberg.

In early April, I had started to hear rumors that Mark Steinberg was strongly considering leaving IMG when his contract expires in June.  In fact, I was hearing that he was thinking about switching over to powerhouse Creative Artists Agency (CAA) as so many former IMG employees have done in the past.  At this point in time, there have been no indications as to if Steinberg will join an existing agency or set up his own shop (a la Dan Lozano).  But keep an eye out on CAA.  I heard back in April that it was not the first time that Steinberg considered a switch to CAA.

A little more background info on Mark Steinberg’s relationship with IMG:

  • He did a summer internship with IMG while in law school at University of Illinois College of Law.
  • IMG offered Steinberg a job in his 3L year at UI Law.
  • IMG initially had Steinberg working strictly on the women’s golf circuit.

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.