Business of Sports Agents

By Timothy Davis, N. Jeremi Duru, Kenneth L. Shropshire

Book Overview

The legendary Charles C. "Cash and Carry" Pyle, considered by most to be the first sports agent, negotiated a $3,000-per-game contract for Red Grange to play professional football for the Chicago Bears in 1933. Today, salaries in the tens of millions of dollars are commonplace, and instead of theatrical promoters and impresarios, professionally trained businessmen and lawyers dominate the business. Successful sports agents are comfortable with high finance and intense competition for the right to represent talented players, and the most respected agents are those who can deal with the pressures of high-stakes negotiations in an honest fashion. But whereas rules and penalties govern the playing field, there are far fewer restrictions on agents. Incidents of agents manipulating athletes, ranging from investment scams to outright theft of a player's money, are far too commonplace, and there is growing consensus for reform.

In The Business of Sports Agents, Kenneth L. Shropshire and Timothy Davis, experts in the fields of sports business and law, examine the history of the sports agent business and the rules and laws developed to regulate the profession. They also consider recommendations for reform, including uniform laws that would apply to all agents, redefining amateurism in college sports (a point Shropshire and Davis suggest may be essential to rooting out corruption), and stiffening requirements for licensing agents.

Whether an aspiring sports agent, a lawyer, an athlete seeking an agent, or someone simply interested in understanding the world of sports representation, the reader will find in The Business of Sports Agents the most comprehensive overview of the industry as well as a straightforward analysis of its problems and the proposed solutions.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812236823
• ISBN13: 9780812236828
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Highly recommended for anyone looking to get into the industry.

It takes skill to deal with the massive corporations that are NFL, MLB, and NBA teams, just like it takes skill to play in those leagues. This newly expanded and updated second edition of "The Business of Sports Agents" is a guide to the subject of the title of the book. Covering the recent changes in the industry, including one agency closing in spite of its size, the constant changes that the business faces, and more. It also covers recent legal challenges, and the league's backlashes against some agents' tactics. "The Business of Sports Agents" is highly recommended for anyone looking to get into the industry.

Good book

This book explains the basics of how to become a sports agent. If you are looking for more info, I would also recommend you check out these useful sites: http://www.all-sports-agents-directory.com, http://www.become-a-sports-agent.com, and http://www.allsportsdirectory.net.

A Great Book about American Sports Representation

I just wanted to refute the review below. It must be for another book. This book has nothing to do with British sports or soccer. It deals with American sports--basketball, baseball, and football--and discusses both the history and problems of sports representation. As earlier reviews recommend, it is a 'must read' for anyone aspiring to be a sports agent.

A MUST READ FOR FUTURE SPORTS AGENTS!

This book is a must read for anyone considering becoming a sports agent. The authors understand the industry and the issues it faces in the future. It is our primary textbook for our online Professional Athlete Management Course. Dr. G. Lynn LashbrookPresidentSportsManagementU

Required Reading for Future Sports Agents

This book is a must read for anyone seriously considering to become a Sports Agents. It is a required reading for our online Professional Athlete Mangement course.Dr. G. Lynn LashbrookPresidentSportsManagementU.com