MU Sport Management

Sports Agent: Career Definition, Occupational Outlook, and Education Prerequisites

Sports agents act as business managers for athletes, representing them in contract negotiations and managing their finances. While sports agents may come from a variety of educational backgrounds, a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management or a similar degree, with some background in law, will provide a strong foundation for a sports agent career.

Career Definition of a Sports Agent

Sports agents represent athletes to potential employers. The sports agent handles contract negotiations, public relations issues and finances, and he or she will often procure additional sources of income for the athlete (such as endorsements). Many agents, especially those working with young athletes, provide career guidance as well. Sports agents may work independently or as part of a large sports agency.

Occupational Outlook for Sports Agents

The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, www.bls.gov, predicts that employment for sports agents should grow at an average rate through 2016. A sports agent's compensation is often tied to that of the athlete represented. PayScale, www.payscale.com, reports that the average annual salary for a sports agent is $58,022; however, salaries range from about $20,000 to over $90,000 and are potentially much higher for agents of top athletes. Competition in the industry can be fierce as agents compete to represent the best athletes, notes About.com, www.sportscareers.about.com.

Education Prerequisites for Sports Agents

There are no standard education requirements for becoming a sports agent, but many universities and private institutes offer programs in Sports Management. Bachelor's degree programs in Sports Management generally cover business topics, such as finance, management and public relations, as well as media-related topics. While a law degree is not a necessity, some knowledge of the law is essential for working with contracts and other industry regulations. As of 2007, 36 states had adopted the Uniform Athlete Agents Act (UAAA), which requires sports agents to be licensed with the state and regulates conduct between agents and athletes, especially student athletes, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, www.ncaa.org. Many other states have similar licensing requirements, which may include submitting an application, paying a fee and undergoing a background check.

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How to Become a Sports Agent
The Job Duties of a Sports Agent

Sports Agents represent professional and aspiring athletes in contract negotiations with teams and corporate sponsors. They also seek out opportunities, such as endorsement deals or charitable contributions, and present them to their clients. Sports Agents try to get the best deals possible for the athletes they represent, and they make money by earning a percentage of their clients' income.

Education and Certification for Sports Agents
There are no specific education requirements for becoming a Sports Agent, such as earning a particular degree, though most Sports Agents have at least a bachelor's degree. A Law degree is also common for Sports Agents, since they must be able to handle complex contract negotiations. Each professional sports league requires Sports Agents to be certified, and the certification requirements vary by league. The NFL requires its Sports Agents to have a post-graduate degree. In addition, the certification process to become a Sports Agent can include an application fee, a background check and an exam.

Skills for Sports Agents
Sports Agents must be trustworthy, have strong negotiation skills and be able to market both their clients and themselves. Sports Agents must also be knowledgeable about the regulations governing their sports.

First Steps to Becoming a Sports Agent

Obtaining an internship at an established sports agency is a great first step towards becoming a Sports Agent.

HERE ARE SOME AGENCIES: IMG, IMG COLLEGE, OCTAGON, WASSERMAN MEDIA GROUP, VELOCITY SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, MILLSPORT, CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY, SFX SPORTS GROUP, CINDRICH AND COMPANY, INTERSPRT, INC., THE BONHAM GROUP, and FENWAY SPORTS GROUP.

An internship allows aspiring Sports Agents to meet business and athletic contacts and to learn the finer points of the Sports Agent industry. The second step is to begin scouting clients among the ranks of professional and up-and-coming athletes. Once you begin representing one client, you can use your success with that client to attract new clients.

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How Can I Become a Sports Agent?

If you are sitting at home watching "Jerry Maguire" and thinking that lifestyle would be perfect, you may wonder "how do you become a sports agent?" The answers—picking a sport, getting a degree, gaining your certification and finding clients, is much easier said than done. Watching sports agents on television and in movies helps, but won't get your foot in the door to the profession.

1. Before you embark on the highly exciting career, make sure it's right for you. Becoming a sports agent means time away from home and long hours with possibly very little pay to start. Less than five percent of registered agents make more than $100,000 a year and more than half of the agents registered with the National Football League don't have any clients at all. Carefully analyze this risk before committing to becoming a sports agent.

2. If you're up to the challenge, pick a sport that's right for you. Select a sport you know, be it football, basketball, baseball, hockey or others.

3. You'll need a formal education, with a four-year degree generally required for becoming a sports agent. Many colleges offer sports management programs, but other degrees, such as those in business, marketing, law and communications, will also work just fine. If you already have a degree, but looking for supplemental education, you can take specialized classes offered at many sports management firms.

4. Get certified in the league in which you wish to work as a sports agent. The studying does not stop there, as getting certified requires knowing all the details about their respective policies. You must know the league rules, collective bargaining agreement and how you fit into those areas, among other things, as you will be tested on them as part of the sports agent certification.

5. Find a job as a sports agent. Once you pass the certification test, which is pricey (over $1,600 for the NFL), join a management firm or start a firm of your own and begin signing clients. As you gain experience, you can expand your clientele as well, signing more and more top athletes.
Keep in mind that the lifestyle is not as rosy as it looks on television, with many agents going for a year or more before signing their first client. But with a good education, a lot of perseverance and good networking skills, you too can become the next top sports agent.

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While you may think that a sports agent leads a glamorous life, dealing with high profile athletes, it is not an easy job. A sports agent needs to be well versed in contract and employment law, and have excellent negotiating skills. If you have ever wondered how to become a sports agent, the tips below will give you some insight into the process.

Tips on Becoming a Sports Agent
1. A law degree is helpful, but not essential.
2. Some colleges have formal sports management programs, which place students as interns for experience.
3. Most agents have an athletic background, as a player or a fan.
4. Agents need to have a good foundation in business.
5. Top agents can earn over $1,000,000 annually, but less than 5% of agents earn more than $100,000 a year.
6. Joining an existing firm is an easier way to start in the business than recruiting your own clients without experience.

Like many other high profile careers, there is no set path to becoming a Sports Agent. Although there are certain requirements that all Sports Agents must meet, your dedication and skills are the most important factors towards becoming a Sports Agent. This article will tell more about how you can become a Sports Agent.

A sports agent can make, from the lowest, about 33,376 dollars a year. The top 10 percentile of sports agents make over 84,000 dollars a year. However, most agents make between $42,273 and $68,709 annually.

Okay, so you are still interested in becoming an agent. So what can you do while at MU in the Sport Management Program:
1. Intro to Sport Class (SMA 101): Research the above mentioned agencies and find potential contacts. Then ask if you can interview them for a class project.
2. Continue reading the Sports Business Journal. All current sport law related issues are in this publication.
3. Attend conferences that Agents attend. Build contacts, now.
4. Sport Observation Class (SMA 280): volunteer to help college coaches with recruiting, attend H.S. games and volunteer to work stats, volunteer and/or interview at a local law firm or financial planning firm.
5. Sport Event Class (SMA 322): volunteer to create legal documents (waivers and sponsor contracts) for your class event. Also, work on the marketing of the event.
6. Sport Law Class (BUS 354): volunteer to do case studies on contracts.
7. Sport Admin Class (SMA 422): This entire class focuses on creating highlight film, writing cover letters, and resumes for high school students. We will also begin working directly with Hall of Fame Productions in filming and analysis of games and practices.
8. Internships (SMA 170, 270, and 370): intern with above agencies, local financial planning agencies, Hall of Fame Productions, and college coaches.