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University of Kentucky Is Flagging Social Media Content That Mentions Sports Agents

A University of Kentucky student-athlete who publishes content on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and/or MySpace (who really uses MySpace anymore?) that includes any 1 of 370 sports agent names will automatically have that post flagged and sent to his/her coach.  It is a part of a new effort by the university to monitor student-athletes’ use of social media, protect the school from having its reputation damaged and diminish the possibility of being sanctioned by the NCAA.  Mark Boxley of The Courier-Journal highlights UK’s new monitoring system and points out that many other institutions of higher education, including the University of Louisville, are implementing similar programs.  UK is the first school I know of to have a database of 370 sports agents names that raise red flags, though.

As I previously stated, flagged messages will be sent to the athlete’s coach.  Why the coach and not the athletic department’s compliance department?  There are many people who firmly believe that coaches are involved in their players’ agent selection process.  For instance, remember former UNC-Chapel Hill assistant football coach John Blake?  There were suggestions that he was involved in former UNC defensive tackle (and current New York Giants DT) Marvin Austin’s agent selection process.  And it has been well documented that Blake had strong ties to the deceased former football agent Gary Wichard.  Is that the type of person who should be receiving notice of flagged status updates?  What would that type of coach do with such information?

I asked (jokingly) on Twitter, what happens if a UK student-athlete tweets about World Wide Wes?  But after thinking a little more about it, the question should probably be taken seriously.  Would that phrase result in a flag?  And would that message be sent to Coach Calipari?  If so, what would Coach Cal do with that information?

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.