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A-Rod Adds Another Agent

Alex RodriguezI really did not want to get involved in the whole nasty A-Rod divorce.  It is not our business to dip into such topics around here; I was going to leave it to sites like Deadspin to make sure that the public knew every place that Rodriguez took Madonna.  But then came word that A-Rod’s longtime pal and agent who he would not speak to for a while, Scott Boras, had come to the rescue to help settle Rodriguez’s martial problems.  Baseball agent, mediator, what is next for Mr. Boras?  Finding the cure for cancer would be nice.

But the big A-Rod headline this week has been his signing with William Morris Agency (WMA) to handle all marketing-based initiatives.  Do not get confused, this has absolutely nothing to do with A-Rod trying to separate himself from Boras Corp.  On December 20, 2007, I reported that Alex had dropped Boras as his marketing agent and signed Madonna’s agent, Guy Oseary, to negotiate his marketing/business affairs (who knew it would involve an affair with Madonna?).  So all you Boras sympathizers need not cry, Boras has been unaffected by the addition of WMA to A-Rod’s corner.

But the battle between WMA and CAA continues.  WMA undoubtedly adds a marquee client to its sports/entertainment profile, but by all accounts, CAA is still the leader of the industry.  How can anybody beat Peyton Manning’s Mastercard commercials, afterall?  Darren Rovell is not impressed with WMA’s addition of Rodriguez, and I guess that the $2 million or so that he brings in endorsements per year is not all that much to such a large corporation.  I would definitely be happy with my 20% cut on that figure, though! 🙂

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.

2 replies on “A-Rod Adds Another Agent”

Willy Mo has their work cut out for themselves, A-Rod has the personality of a bucket of warm spit.

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