Categories
Sports Agents

Name That “Agent”

A few people recently tipped me to a certain sports agent’s LinkedIN profile.  Apparently, this agent has been calling and emailing established professionals in this industry and giving them a good laugh.  I have no intention of ruining anybody’s career or making a fool out of anyone, but this is something I could not ignore.  I took a screenshot of the agent’s profile (below), and took the time to blot out any reference to his name or his company’s name.  Can you take a guess at who is behind the profile?

linkedin

As far as I know, the real “Jerry Maguire” is Leigh Steinberg.  But this all gets worse.  This agent recently contacted another agent in the industry, and when his offer was rejected, he sent this message:

Since you weren’t interested in merging with (agency name deleted) we have decided to merge with either Lagardere, KB Sports, Octagon, Or a few other choices we have to pick from.

This type of name dropping cannot be taken well by the agencies listed in the quote.  As a disclaimer, I have absolutely nothing against the agent making these comments on his LinkedIN page and through email.  In fact, I think the guy is a genuinely nice person.  But that said, this kind of conduct is unacceptable.

Now I realize that there may be a chance, however slight, that this agent was really offered to merge with these companies.  However, the fact that he sent the same message out to half a dozen agents and is advertising it on his LinkedIN makes me think otherwise.

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.