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The Most Valuable Athlete Brands And Their Representation

Tiger Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, recently spoke about his client's comeback. Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE
Sep 29, 2012; Medinah, IL, USA; Tiger Woods smiles after finishing his round in the afternoon session of the 39th Ryder Cup on day two at Medinah Country Club. Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

Yesterday, Forbes released its Fab 40: The Most Valuable Brands In Sports.  One of four sections focuses on athlete brands, which looks at the amount in endorsements that athletes in all sports receive and subtracts the average endorsement income of the top 10 athletes in their respective sports to come up with a final figure.  The following is a list of the top 10 most valuable athlete brands:

1. Tiger Woods – $38 million
2. Roger Federer – $29 million
T3. Phil Mickelson – $26 million
T3. David Beckham – $26 million
T3. LeBron James – $26 million
6. Kobe Bryant – $18 million
T7. Usain Bolt – $17 million
T7. Mahendra Singh Dhoni – $17 million
9. Cristiano Ronaldo – $11 million
10. Sachin Tendulkar – $10 million

It is remarkable that Tiger Woods remains number 1 after all of his issues off (and on) the course.  Woods has stayed with his agent Mark Steinberg since becoming a professional golfer.  Steinberg, once Director of Global Golf Business at IMG Worldwide, now leads the golf division at Excel Sports Management.  Woods has maintained total confidence in his agent, and for good reason.

Roger Federer was also once a client at IMG Worldwide, but when his longtime agent Tony Godsick left the company, so did Roger.  While IMG Worldwide initially remained hopeful that Federer would return as a client at some point, that hope is probably now lost.  Federer and Godsick have been developing their own sports agency; an agency that will have a client who earns $40-50 million per year (that client’s name is Roger Federer).

There are many other noteworthy stories concerning the representation of the athletes listed on the Fab 40, including LeBron James’ new selection of Rich Paul to be his agent.  Not long after James appointed Paul to represent his interests, it was found that the NCAA is investigating Paul’s relationship with University of Texas point guard Myck Kabongo.  While the investigation does not concern James (as far as what is publicly known), you can bet it is not the kind of press a brand new agent wants to receive…especially an agent who represents an individual tied for the third spot on Forbes’ list.

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.