6 things a sports agent does for an athlete

When people think of sports agents their first thought is usually the film Jerry Maguire. The high-risk, emotional sports agent played by Tom Cruise with the iconic line, “show me the money!”

While this highlights some of the job, there is far more to the athlete/agent relationship. Below are 7 things a sports agent does which you may not realize.

1. Education

In today’s market, athletes are beginning their pro careers at a young age. Any new athlete is going to be green to the multi-billion dollar market going on around the world of pro sports. This is where education from an agent can be crucial.

Agents will provide a database of information for an athlete and their family to consume. They will also educate as different business and professional scenarios come up. This helps the athlete to sharpen their decision making skills about their own career, usually leading to better earnings.

2. Leverage

In sports, your main point of leverage is the story you craft.

Most athletes will never hit true free agency in the market where you are a highly sought after entity. Therefore, the majority of negotiation is going to be in the story you are building around yourself.

How do you make a brand negotiate against themselves?

Build an undeniable stack of proof of your ability and multiply it by a story that exudes leverage.

3. Getting Paid

The main reason you hire a sports agent is to get paid what your talent dictates. It’s a competitive market and there will be other athletes who play your same position or have similar athletic performances. A good agent will be able to leverage your story and brand so that you are getting better offers than your colleagues with similar athletic abilities.

4. Career Resources

Your agent can also serve as a guide to help broaden your career network. This can be in the form of introducing you to mental performance coaches, nutritionists, financial professionals and other resources to help you on your career.

5. Emotional Support

Being a pro athlete is such a special opportunity. As with any great rollercoaster, the highs are high and the lows are low.

A good agent is there for the every part of the journey: the awards, the weekly grinding behind the scenes as well as the pick me up phone calls after a rough game.

6. Protection

Professional athletes are targets for everything. They have the audience, notoriety and fame.

All this leads to hundreds of asks that will either end with a yes or a no.

Sometimes the greatest role the agent can play is to be the gatekeeper to an athlete’s already busy schedule.

The athlete/agent relationship is one of the most unique. It is part business, part personal, and part therapist.

A good one can 10x your career.