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The NCAA Has A “Sports Agent Intern” Job Posting

In January 2012, the Division I Legislative Council of the NCAA “approved a rule that broadens the definition of [sports] agents to include third-party influences, including family members, who market student-athletes’ athletics ability or reputation for personal financial gain.”  Without a doubt, the NCAA is showing that it is taking the matter of sports agent regulation seriously.

And then on February 6, 2012 the official NCAA Market – Job Search website began hosting a job opening for “Sports Agent Intern.”

Color me just a bit confused.

It does not even appear to be the NCAA that is assisting with the search for the “Sports Agent Intern,” but instead, is advertising a search that will be conducted by another search party, www.SportsJobBoard.com, which calls itself “the #1 source for job opportunity information in Professional Sports.”

The job description highlights the following responsibilities:

  • Assist with writing & disseminating scouting reports.
  • Assist with player contracts.
  • Assist with communications projects for website.
  • Develop grassroots marketing programs.
  • Develop marketing materials for professional athletes.

Perhaps instead of spending time and energy sending out Baseball Prospective Student-Athlete questionnaires, the NCAA should be keeping a closer tab on its official “Job Market.”  Does it look good when an institution self-charged with regulating a profession then hosts a search for an intern at a specific company within that profession?

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.