Today, the top athletes and performers cannot rely on their talent to help them build a successful career. Top athletes and star athletes need agents working in the background to act as negotiators, advisors, and a promoter for their personal brand. An agent can be seen as more of a brand manager than anything. A sports agent is a marketer, negotiator, scout, counselor, and has the best interest of their client. Being a sports agent means working in a fast-paced and high-pressure environment that is also highly rewarding.
Being a successful agent can mean you earn a lot of money. And I don’t mean high six figures, I mean seven to eight figure salaries. Obviously, no one should enter their work field or career solely for the money, however, a large paycheck is a nice reward for all the work one puts in as a sports agent. These large payouts come from commission, so the more a client makes, the more an agent makes. Typically, one can bring home 1-10% of what their client makes.
An example of a sports agent bringing in a large commission is Nicole Lynn and her historic deal with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts this past season, securing him a five-year, $255 million contract extension. She mentioned that having a true passion for helping players was one of the most important skills an agent must have, credits part of her success for the passion.
Being a sports agent, you wear a lot of hats due to the responsibilities you take on. Doing this, you take on the roles to represent a client in business, legal and PR affairs. Everything a sports agent does is aimed at helping their clients advance in their careers. Here are a few of the duties and responsibilities an agent will take on in their career:
- Act as a talent scout, marketing manager and press director
- An agent often acts as a scout and will travel to academies, high schools or universities to find potential new clients. An agent needs to have a good eye for talent and players with high potential, and extensive knowledge of the sport to sign players.
- A great agent can market their client well to the press. This requires setting up interviews and answering almost any and all questions directed towards your client.
- Seek out new opportunities for your client
- Successful agents seek out the best opportunities for their clients. Even if your star client is doing well at their club, you need to search for other viable opportunities in case something were to go awry, or your client needs a new environment to perform in.
- Mediate disputes
- Sports agents speak for, negotiate and advise on behalf of their clients whenever a disagreement ensues. These disagreements and disputes can arise between a player and their club, or the brand endorsing them. As an agent, it’s your job to negotiate well and have an understanding of contract law.
- Become a negotiator
- An agent needs to understand how contracts work. This means they must ensure that their client’s contracts are formatted appropriately and meet all legal guidelines.
- Listen
- Your clients need to rely on you. It is your job as an agent to see past the media portrayal and season stats, and give them the best advice possible.
- Be an organized communicator
- Communication is the most essential skill for a sports agent to possess. Communication and networking can provide alternatives to a solution, even if the agent’s other skills are lacking. An agent manages a client’s finances, contracts, and assets. Being organized and effective in your communication is essential to being successful as a sports agent.
