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IMG Expands, Kobe Stays, and Condon Leaves

I would have spread each topic into its own post, but I have been busy all day and just got around to reading all of the relevant sports agent news for the day.  In the interest of time, I will post in the Darren Rovell form, and give you different stories in one jumble of joy.

IMG Expands

I have mentioned before that IMG is no longer interested in delving into the team sports arena, and will instead focus on representing athletes in individual sports (i.e. tennis and golf) along with buying every sports and entertainment company that it can get its hands onto.  Focusing on the sports side of the company, IMG has just signed Spanish golfer, Pablo Martin, the day that he turned pro [Pablo Martin Signs With IMG].  This is another big signing for the company.  Martin holds the title of being the only amateur to ever win an event on the European Tour.

Kobe Stays 

Calm down.  This has nothing to do with the Los Angeles Lakers.  Instead, Kobe Bryant has officially signed a multi-year extension to his previous endorsement contract with Nike [The Shoe Edition].  Many believed that Bryant would possibly make a switch to Chinese shoemaker, Li-Ning.  After all, even including Yao Ming in the mix, Kobe’s jersey has been more popular in China than any other basketball player [Let’s Do Chinese].  It seems like Nike did the best that it could over the past 4 years with the hand that Bryant dealt.  Now that he has cleared up his past and rebuilt his reputation, Nike and Kobe seem like a happy team once again.  As for the Lakers…I’ll save that for a later post.

Condon Leaves

Kansas City weeps as Tom Condon leaves thriving teams like the Royals and Chiefs to move to his new home right outside of St. Louis Missouri.  I tend to believe that the Kansas City Star is a little biased in saying that “to a sports agent like Tom Condon, there’s no place like middle America to base your business,” but then again what do I know?  South Florida works for me.  But back to the subject!

Tom Condon and Ken Kremer are moving Clayton, Mo. as part of the shift to becoming members of CAA [Top agent moves east, but not too far].  Kansas City may miss you, but Matt Leinart still thinks you suck.

-Darren Heitner 

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.

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