How To Be A Great Sports Agent, Part 2

Last post we discussed the hyper-competitive world of sports agentry and what qualities it takes to be successful.

It is critical to have a great heart and true compassion for the welfare of athletes.

It is critical to keep the concept of being a ?steward of the sport? a constant priority.

It is necessary to have a passion for the pursuit and a compelling work ethic.

It is critical to understand the powerful impact athletes can have as role models and to counsel them to retrace their roots to the high school, collegiate and professional community and set up programs that enhance the quality of life. And it is critical to commit to preparing athletes for a second career and stimulate their non-athletic skills from the day they walk in your office.

The role of an agent is to bring value to the life of a player. Athletes are not looking for someone who can recite the statistics of last year?s Super Bowl or share anecdotes of favorite sports memories ? that is the role of fans.

An athlete is looking for someone with specific skills ? legal, financial and public relations, for example ? that can help them solve problems.

The primary three roles in agenting are 1. Recruiting. 2. Contract negotiation. 3. Client maintenance.

Recruiting:?This requires the ability to reach out to and convince an athlete to choose the right agent. Most draftees have their father or other family members screen the hundreds of competitive agents and set up meetings with a few. These interviews will have the player and family asking questions and scrutinizing backgrounds, doing due diligence. Some are so intense that I know I could be selected Secretary of State afterward. So how did I recruit the first player in the first round of eight NFL drafts and 60 first-round draft choices, and half the starting quarterbacks in the league on any given Sunday? By listening. Asking the right questions to explore the heart and mind of a young man and then carefully listening for text and subtext is key. Having a true understanding of the deepest hopes and dreams and greatest fears and anxieties affords the ability to speak directly to the most relevant concerns. And it allows an agent to lay out a compelling future for a young athlete.

Contract Negotiations:?The ability to understand a client?s true priorities is the irreplaceable formula for beginning to negotiate. Comprehensively researching the other negotiator, the economics of that team or endorser, and relevant facts that impact the discussions is next. An understanding of leverage ? the ability to walk away from a deal to another opportunity ? sets the stage. Creative mastery of contract language and compensation, as well as complete command of collective bargaining agreements, is indispensable. A sense of timing is essential.

Client Maintenance:?Athletes have day-to-day needs and questions they want answered. They may be unhappy if not starting, or injured, or have disputes with coaches, or the team is losing, or they aren?t happy with their contract, and they need counsel and advice.

So what is the best way to prepare for meeting these requirements? The one course I urged all of my children to focus on in high school was psychology. The ability to understand human motivation and why people act the way they do is the most important component of navigating through the world.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/leighsteinberg/2012/08/17/how-to-be-a-great-sports-agent-part-2/

Nexus 7 euro 2012 dominion power Colorado Springs pga tour Nora Ephron mario balotelli