Categories
Golf Sports Agents

Shakeup At William Morris Agency

There is a new Vice President of Golf at William Morris Agency. Former employee of Nike Golf, Greg Nared will take over for Ross Berlin at WMA and will be in charge of managing Michelle Wie’s career [Golf Phenom Michelle Wie Switches Agents]. Ross Berlin will rejoin the PGA Tour, where he was once in charge of title sponsor relations. This is SBR’s personal take on the story:

Watch this situation closely. One of the reasons athletes like Tiger Woods (represented by Mark Steinberg of IMG) and Michael Jordan (represented by David Falk) were so successful is because they knew they could trust their agents to help them manage all of their off the course/court opportunities. If Wie hopes to be a successful businesswoman over the long haul, she’ll need to have a good management team in place to help her capitalize on the myriad of opportunities she will have. I’m not so sure Greg Nared would be the guy I’d trust with my future.

I feel that the situation may become a little awkward when the guy who was trying to convince you to sign a marketing deal with his former company (Nike) later becomes your personal agent.

[tags]nike, golf, michelle wie, william morris agency, greg nared, ross berlin[/tags]

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.