“Show me the money!” is a line that many associate with being a sports agent, thanks in part to the movie Jerry Maguire. With the movie having recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, former SAB contributor, Mark J. Burns, interviewed over 20 sports agents on the state of the representation industry in an article for Forbes.
The agents were interviewed via email, and were in industries such as marketing, media and player/coaching representation. Each was asked two questions: How has the sports agency business evolved over the past five years? and Where is the agency world headed in 2017? The agents could answer one, or both questions, but were asked to keep their responses brief.
Agents from some of the biggest agencies participated in this article, including Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports & Entertainment, BJ Armstrong of Wasserman, and Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, among a list of others in the field of coaching/player representation.
An overarching theme among the agents responding was the technological advances and the expanded digital opportunities for their clients. This article provides a first hand look at where the industry is going, and how those looking to break in can help differentiate themselves from the competition. This article is a must read for aspiring sports industry professionals, especially for those interested in representation.
To read Mark’s full article, click here.