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National Association of Sports Agents & Athlete Representatives

On May 3, 2012, Andrew Bondarowicz, Esq. sent an email to a large group of sports agents licensed by the various American players’ associations, informing them of his idea to create an organization called the “National Association of Sports Agents & Athlete Representatives (NASAAR).”

Bondarowicz, the Founder and President of Aregatta Group and former Chair of the Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association, plans to formally debut NASAAR on July 1, 2012.  But he is currently spreading the word amongst his colleagues to generate interest in the organization prior to its official launch.

NASAAR will be geared toward representing the interests of sports agents and others engaged in the representation of professional athletes.  “For an industry known for zealously representing the interests of others, it has been shocking to me that we – as an industry – have not banded together sooner to fight for our own common interests,” said Bondarowicz.  “Previous attempts have often been shortsighted, lacked proper organization, or did not focus on the right issues. In forming NASAAR, we seek to address the key issues affecting our industry and help promote a more positive public perception of our industry.”

A concern is that sports agents have been the recipient of a lot of criticism in the past few years and that a negative spotlight has been shone on the athlete agent industry.  With many NCAA scandals, a lot of finger pointing has been made in the direction of sports agents.  This has also resulted in a call for increasing regulation and oversight of the profession.  The hope is that NASAAR will at least, in part, help remove the oft unjustified target on sports agents.

Bondarowicz says that more information will be forthcoming shortly, and that if you have any questions about the organization to contact him at andrew@nasaar.org.

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.