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Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-up (12/20/2013)

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The late MLBPA Executive Director Michael Weiner has been named baseball’s Person of the Year.

Time to start thinking about New Year’s Resolutions.  It was eight years ago when I made it my resolution to create Sports Agent Blog, and here it still stands today, stronger than ever.  I must give thanks to the many excellent contributors over the years and a special thank you to those currently on board — Mark Burns, Benjamin Haynes, Brandon Thorn and Chris Lesley.  Others have also contributed from time-to-time and deserve my gratification.  Amazing Wednesday night game between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers.  May as well start the Eastern Conference Finals today.  This week on FORBES: (1) Sporting News Redefines Heisman Trophy Coverage With Social Media Hub; (2) Miami Dolphins New Partnership Allows Fans To Easily Share Where They Are Sitting; (3) Matthew Stafford And Joe Flacco Top Calvin Johnson And Ray Rice In Awareness And Endorsement Value; (4) NFL Concussion Lawsuit Settlement Agreement Stalled By Judicial Intervention; (5) University Of Florida Among Fashionable Fitness Company’s Extensive List Of Trademark Licenses; (6) William Morris Endeavor’s Purchase Of IMG Worldwide Will Have Electrifying Effect On Sports Business; and (7) Did The Lakers Make A Mistake By Extending Kobe Bryant’s Contract?  And as always, the weekly wrap-up:

Baseball

Football

Tennis

Sports Business

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.