The Business of Sports Agents [Hardcover]

Kenneth L. Shropshire (Author), Timothy Davis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0812236823 | ISBN-13: 978-0812236828 | Publication Date: October 4, 2002

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A timely look at the business, legal, and ethical aspects of the athlete representation business. The authors spotlight the unsavory side of the business, from improper payments to student athletes to agents defrauding their pro clients. They offer a series of possible cures, including tougher regulation of agents and changing the way we think of amateurism."--Street and Smith's SportsBusiness Journal

About the Author

Kenneth L. Shropshire is David Hauck Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of Agents of Opportunity: Sports Agents and Corruption in Collegiate Sports and The Sports Franchise Game: Cities in Pursuit of Sports Franchises, Events, Stadiums, and Arenas, both published by the University of Pennsylvania Press. He attended Stanford University on a football scholarship. Timothy Davis is Professor of Law at Wake Forest University School of Law. He is the coauthor of Sports and the Law: A Modern Anthology and A Reader on Race, Civil Rights, and American Law: A Multiracial Approach.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press (October 4, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812236823
• ISBN-13: 978-0812236828
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #548,715 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book about American Sports Representation, October 8, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Business of Sports Agents (Hardcover)

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.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended for anyone looking to get into the industry., September 4, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Business of Sports Agents, 2nd Edition (Hardcover)

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.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book, February 28, 2005

By 

Mark Dennis "book reader 12000" (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Business of Sports Agents (Hardcover)

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.