Author: pittsburghsportsdailybulletin

Andrew Bondarowicz, National Association of  Sports Agents & Athlete Representatives:

First, can you let readers know about the National Association of  Sports Agents & Athlete Representatives – what inspired you to launch  the association and how you went about doing so? 

I have been formally certified as a contract advisor since 2005.  Every year, I have seen more and more grumbling within the agent  community about the players associations, regulation, player-related  issues and other concerns of my colleagues. Whenever, there is an NCAA  player scandal, it is inevitable that someone is going to blame an  unscrupulous? agent. Fans love to blame agents when their  favorite player leaves town for another team. Rarely, does anyone else  get criticized. Yet, so much of what sports agents do goes unseen. The  notion to launch NASAAR has been kicking around for several years,  almost every profession has a professional trade association to work  on of collective interest and considering how many public  agents deal with  players, payers unions, NCAA, state regulators,  colleges, etc., it only makes sense to bring agents together to  provide a unified organization to work on these issues. Prior to  getting into the player representation, I had the opportunity to work  both on staff and in leadership for several trade associations and saw  firsthand what the benefits to an industry can be and knew that is it  something the was really needed in this industry as well.

What do you think separates this association from others that cater to  sports agents? 

The problem is there no others that really serve this role for agents.  For example the Sports Lawyers Association-a great organization- is a  non-profit educational association that brings together team  officials, law professions, agents, media lawyers, etc. for discussion  on sports related issues broadly. Only a small percentage of SLA  business involves agents and agent issues. Secondly, not all agents  are lawyers. The players’ unions have the ability to certify agents  to represent players in contract negotiations, but they are not really  regulators themselves outside of the scope of their respective CBAs  and they are very careful to define their scope. They let it be known  that they represent the players, not the agents. So, NASAAR fills a  unique niche in working on behalf of agents to address issues of  collective importance with other constituencies.

Is this for all sports agents – and if so, how will you address the  variance in issues agents experience between the various sports and  pro versus collegiate levels? 

There are undoubtedly issues specific to particular sports, but there  are also a ton of issues of common importance. Issues such as state  regulation affect all agents. NCAA concerns affect many agents. The  lack of uniformity in enforcement is a concern to agents. How players  associations discipline agents and who they choose to discipline is a  concern to all agents. Sharing what works from one players association  to another can benefit everyone. For example, MLBPA is the first major  players’ association to recognize non-certified recruiters in their  regulations ? that?s something that needs to be discussed with all  players associations too. On a different note, what if college  student-athletes were allowed to have an?agent? Well, the  concept should not be that far off. A trade association is the best  place to discuss these issues and come up with the ideas and plans to  make them work.

What are some of the biggest pain points you are looking to address in  the agents community – what do you see as some of the biggest concerns  and needs agents have now in regards to their day-to-day jobs? 

State regulation is a big problem. It can cost upwards of $15,000 a  year to license nationwide, yet enforcement of the rules is very, very  haphazard. One idea is to move to a national regulatory model and  possibly a self-regulatory environment similar to parts of the  financial industry. The NCAA is in a very tricky position in dealing  with student-athlete and agent issues ? NASAAR wants to have a role  in ensuring that changes to the rules will be rationalized and have a  likelihood of success ? not just more bureaucracy. We hope to  establish a national database to track registration, issues,  complaints, etc. so that information is broadly available. For day to  day issues, it helps to network with colleagues; meet service  providers such as trainers, financial advisors, trainers, etc. to help  us service clients better. There are many areas where an organization  such as NASAAR can make a big impact.

What are some of the biggest regulatory issues on your radar right  now? 

Aligning state laws into a more consistent system is a big priority.  Rationalizing costs, requirements, paperwork, etc. is also a  short-term goal. Developing a national regulatory scheme or  self-regulatory environment is a long term goal. Improving the  consistency of enforcement at the NCAA, state, and players association  levels is another objective. Working with the NCAA, conferences and  schools to make the system better is also a key priority.

Will one of the association’s missions be to address the image some  have of the need for increased ethics and regulations in the agent  community? How accurate is that viewpoint/need, from your perspective? 

Absolutely. Agents often get a bad wrap and we have an image problem.  You always hear about unscrupulous agents but never about  unscrupulous players or unscrupulous coaches! Yet, there  is not a single agent that would be willing put themselves at risk of  a violation if it was not going to curry favor with a potential  client. For example, there are almost 900 NFLPA certified agents out  there and if a student-athlete is asking for money, someone is going  to give it to him.

Unfortunately, student-athletes do not fear losing eligibility enough  – what’s the risk forcing a player to go pro and earn  millions sooner? I think the Reggie Bush and OJ Mayo cases were  perfect examples of what’s wrong with the system. Without going into  the details of the case, USC lost millions in the process, agents was  disciplined, and the players essentially gets off making millions as  high draft picks. USC, in my eyes, had an opportunity to send a strong  message to student-athletes as well as agents. Instead, they sent the  wrong message and I think it has gotten much worse since then.

If we agree that the system is broken and needs to be fixed, we have  to address all of the pieces,  not single out the weakest link  (agents) in the process. We need to look at this the same way as  political corruption and bribery. That’s not to say that all agents  are model citizens either, but there is a lot to be done in this area.

What tools can you help develop for agents to make their jobs easier? 

There are several that have already been discussed. One is to create a  national agent registry to alleviate some of the pain points in  registering in multiple jurisdictions each with its own forms,  requirements, etc. This would also provide basis for establishing a  universal database that can be used by a variety of constituencies  including schools, the NCAA, players associations, agents, etc. It  would also be useful to players seeking out information on agents  because today it is pretty much only word of mouth. In the short term,  just reducing paperwork requirements is a big win for the industry.  There have been requests from agents to look into professional  liability coverage and/or bonding issues, which are required by  various states and players associations. Helping agents to connect is  another benefit. The gap between large and small agencies is growing  and some consolidation within the industry will be needed  NASAAR  will be a great resource for fostering dialogue within the industry.

From your perspective, what are some of the biggest misperceptions  fans have of the role of agents in sports?

The role of the agent can be extremely broad from client to client. Some clients only want the  agent to handle their player contracts. In other cases, agents are  managing almost everything for a professional player from marketing to  paying bills to training. Each client relationship is different and  can extend well beyond the contract. So, while agents help players  make decisions, it is hard to tell from the outside what the  motivations are ? is it more money? Is it to play in a certain  location or for a certain coach? Is it for family reasons? Agents have  a role in the process, but it is most often to help the player decide  the right decisions for himself. So, next time your favorite player  decides to go play for your biggest rival, give the agent a break!

What are some of the key metrics and benchmarks you find agents using to measure their performance?

Until now, the only real benchmarks are:  Who do you represent? How many players do you represent? Or how much  money have you made for your clients? They are all relatively hollow  figures because they don?t really express the overall value that an  agent brings to a client. A first round draft pick will always have a  bigger contract than a late rounder, yet the work effort to represent  that player can be drastically different. A first round pick is often  looking for different things from an agency or has different  motivations from a late rounder as well. Experience is always a useful  benchmark because you can never really negate experience, but I also  said to potential clients, It is not who I represent, but rather how  well do I represent them! The agency business is difficult to  benchmark for that reason, so metrics can be very tricky and easily  manipulated.

Much of an association/community’s value is on the ability of members  to share experiences and successes/failures. How will you foster this  in your association and at the same time ensure that confidentiality  is maintained to keep the agent-client relationship “sacrosanct? 

The agency business is extremely competitive and agents are naturally  skeptical about everyone. NASAAR’s biggest challenge is probably  getting agents to buy in initially. The good thing is that there is a  lot of work to be done. NASAAR?s initial focus will be on big  picture initiatives and some small quick hits that we can get people  to rally around. As we establish more credibility within the ranks, I  think you will see a greater openness within the organization. I  don?t see confidentiality being an issue. The funny thing about the  industry is there really are not that many secrets ? people talk and  everyone has a pretty good idea of what is going on with their rivals.  I think war stories are great teachers and you have many agents who  would be willing to share their experiences for the benefit of the  industry. After all, you continue to build your stature by gaining the  respect and admiration of your colleagues.

What equates to success for you year one? 

While I think that NASAAR will eventually become a very important  organization over time, it is important to keep things in perspective  and set attainable goals in the first year. We would like to build a  strong membership base that will provide a range of opinions and bring  a variety of experience and backgrounds to our working committees. We  would like to establish strong working relationships with the  players? associations, NCAA, and state regulators so that NASAAR  becomes a part of the discussion on key issues. I think it is  important to define the key issues and pain points within the industry  to help set a comprehensive agenda for the future. We will be  establishing an annual conference to bring members together, build  relationships, and help develop leaders within the organization. We  would like to build out a dedicated staff and stage a membership  conference. Year one will be foundational, but I can say I would be  disappointed if we did not make an impact.

Any last thoughts for readers? 

Having worked both in the trade association and agent businesses, I  think formulating NASAAR is a big challenge. It is a very  decentralized business and not the most open one. Yet, I do see a very  important role for NASAAR to play and I think we will continue to win  support as we move forward.  I have been fortunate to experience many  successes in the agency business, yet my passion has definitely  shifted to making NASAAR a reality and working for the benefit of the  industry.

Jeffrey Dobin, Athlete Advocates

First, can you let readers know how you and your firm got involved in sports law – was this an intended focus for you all along?

My firm was created with the purpose to provide top caliber legal services to athletes. I made the decision to pursue law school while interning for RealGM, a company that tracks player trades and transactions, and also sells proprietary salary cap software to NBA teams. 

After speaking with one of their founders who was an attorney, as well as numerous NBA general managers who had also previously practiced law, I realized a law degree would help me stand out and provide a competitive advantage in sports and business.  

You recently started Athlete Advocates – what differentiates you from other agencies?

In September of 2010, Ryan Scarpa and I officially opened the doors at Athlete Advocates. However, we had been preparing for years for that moment.  Since 2007 we had been growing our industry knowledge and experience to be able to provide our clients with top caliber representation from two attorneys and agents.

What differentiates us is our unique approach and willingness to connect and interact with athletes that most agents cannot. Our attention to detail, and most importantly, personal service distinguishes our firm from “large scale” agencies.  It is this personal service and true relationships we form with players and their families that allows us to compete for top talent.

There are no off-hours at Athlete Advocates.

In addition to this level of service, Ryan’s understanding of the game provides a huge advantage for us.  The fact that he played on both sides of the ball at Hofstra University with roughly ten NFL players allows him to understand the game in a way that most agents wish they could.  His relationships with coaches, executives and athletes across the country are a big help to our company.  

Your expertise, in part, is with salary cap management from the agent’s perspective. How are you able to put that know-how to use for your client and how are you able to get on each team’s cap situation?

I pride myself on the numbers and business side of the game.  I have a firm grasp of the new CBA, and have met with team executives, and studied hundreds of contracts.

Because of the new CBA, rookie salary pool and various loopholes, contracts can become complicated. By understanding past contracts and current trends, we can predict which teams’ financial resources will be allocated for specific starting and back-up positions.  By analyzing the data we collect and speaking regularly with scouts and team personnel, we have a solid understanding of the “needs and wants” of each team. 

The database and system we have created over the years is extensive, and provides accurate estimates on many aspects of the game.  We have an accurate projection before the draft of how many athletes at each position will be drafted, and the amount of income each draft pick will earn in salary.

Your agency also gets involved with draft preparation. What are your thoughts on the concerns that there’s too much emphasis now on combine numbers versus actual on-field play and how it affects your less-heralded clients?

Just like SAT scores are a strong indicator of college success, Combine numbers offer insight on how an athlete will fair at the professional level. With that being said, Combine times and measurements only play a small role in the overall draft process. 

It is a common misconception of fans that Combine results will dictate draft results.  Most of the opinions of scouts and team personnel regarding players are already formed during the course of their college careers.  The Combine either confirms what they already know, or moves players slightly up or down in their rankings.  Of course, there is always the exception to the rule; a horrible 40 time can be the difference from being a 5th round pick to going undrafted.  With that being said, Combine statistics are important for better or worse, so we take our clients training for the combine very seriously. 

For those two to three months leading up to the combine, Athlete Advocates clients receive elite training to ensure their highest times and numbers are recorded at the Combine.

One of the biggest issues we see with today’s players is how they adjust to life after football. How do you make that a priority for your clients before they are on the verge of retirement?

Playing football only provides income for a short part of an athlete’s life.  Putting it into perspective, a player will usually live more than half of his life after retiring from the game.  We make it a priority early on to assist a client in preparing for life after football. We offer advice, set up off-season internships for clients in various fields, and coordinate their enrollment in broadcast boot camps, coaching opportunities, etc. We believe in a proactive approach and genuinely want our friends and clients to succeed in life, not just in sport.  

Do you represent any Pittsburgh athletes and have you worked with the Steelers organization?

It’s funny you ask. 

We actually don’t represent any Pittsburgh athletes but Ryan did play at Hofstra with your very own, Willie Colon.  At this past Combine Ryan and I set up meetings with dozens of individuals.  Ryan had the opportunity to speak with Coach Tomlin who is always enthusiastic and confident about life, and his team.  We are hopeful that a client will be drafted or sign as a free agent with the Steelers soon! I have always been a fan of their philosophy and winning culture! 

You also help clients with charitable endeavors. What have been some of the more unique events you’ve put on to date?

We’ve had some tremendous experiences working with athletes.  One of my favorite athletes to work with is Vince WIlfork of the New England Patriots.  His father passed away from Diabetes when he was playing football at Miami. His wife, Bianca, plays a huge role in running the foundation which raises money for Diabetes research.  While some athletes go through the motions in their charity work, Vince and Bianca are very passionate about their non-profit foundation.   

What are some of the biggest misperceptions clients have when they first start working with an agent, and how do you handle those?

Every client is different but one of the most important aspects of being an agent is setting clear goals, timelines and ALWAYS keeping in constant communication.  Some clients only want assistance in negotiating contracts and managing their football careers. Some on the other hand, need help preparing for all that life will throw at them.  Many athletes go through a series of “firsts” that they didn’t see coming. 

We try to ease the transition and help our clients become independent and self-sufficient.  We make it a point to inquire as to how involved a specific client wants us to be in their business and personal lives.  After gaining a clear understanding of their interests, we are then able to serve them zealously. 

Likewise, what are some of the biggest misperceptions fans have about agents and the work you do?

Many fans and students think being an agent is always glamorous.  Although it is and I truly enjoy every day of work, there are many aspects of the business, which are not glamorous. Just like with any job, there is a ton of work done behind the scenes. For every hour spent negotiating a contract, I spend thousands of hours on the road traveling to games, contacting teams to promote our clients, meeting with clients, scouting new clients, making phone calls and crunching numbers.  The work can be tedious and boring at times. 

However, meeting with clients and their families, helping them achieve their goals, and calling them with good news… have provided for some of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had!

What are the most frustrating – and rewarding – aspects of your job?

I might meet with ten clients but only sign a handful of them.  That can be frustrating.  To get those ten meetings I may have had to meet with 30 other people first. Family members, friends and coaches usually provide an initial layer of protection and privacy for the athlete.  To get those 30 meetings I may have had to make 100 phone calls. For every successful phone call or meeting there are dozens of rejections.  That’s part of the nature of the business. 

Ryan and I have driven five hours to meet with athletes, or flown across the country for a final interview with a potential client, only to find out upon arrival that the decision has already been made and he has signed with Agency X.  That’s not only frustrating, its expensive too. Tough times like that make it even more rewarding when things go right!

Over the last few years, many things have been bouncing our way.  Fortunately, we are prepared for each opportunity we create and each successful milestone is more rewarding than the last! In our career thus far, it is clear that to attract top talent and compete with large scale agencies, personal service and attention is key.  We therefore limit the number of players we recruit and ultimately sign, so that there is no shortfall in quality. 

In this business, reputation will follow you everywhere, and we want our clients to feel confident they are receiving representation that is second to none. 

Any last thoughts for readers?

I feel honored to have been contacted and thank Ron for taking the time to conduct this interview. I am truly blessed to have a talented, industrious and intelligent lawyer on my side in Ryan Scarpa, and am thankful each day I get to work in a field I am so passionate about. 

I encourage every person, young or old, to pursue their dreams and reach their goals. While some people are miserable going to work each day, I feel the opposite. I love what I do and appreciate our clients for believing in the Athlete Advocates team and giving us the opportunity to work on their behalf!