HOW TO START?
Sports agents have one of the most exciting profession. To start as a sports agent you need only cellphone and internet, you do not have to relocate from one place to another. You can easily become a sports agent on the „internet“.
From the beggining start talking (sending emails, calls, meet) with people you know well and who you meet during your career in sport: players, coaches, agents, team managers, members of the club. Ask them about possible cooperation and try to do (build) good network of contacts. More contacts you have more succesful can be your career as an agent. So we can say, that contacts are very important in this business. Informations are also playing a big role in this business. When you know about some team which is trying to find for example a goalkeeper, keep the name of team and country for your-self and try to get suitable player for them.
WHAT IS NECESSARY:
The very first characteristic what the sports agent need to have is patient, why? Working with people is always the hardest. Sports agents are usually working globally and there are plenty of different nations and different thinkings of each person even if it is the same nationality. Each person have his/her own personality. The sports agent have to be sometimes psychologist, you have to talk with people always different way. Mostly emotional EQ is important. After your network will be stronger and bigger you will understand much more what you have to do and how you have to talk with people.
„Players STARTERS“
Agents role is to coordinate and teach the players in proper way. Players which are new in sport business and go abroad for the first time or are playing professionaly they sometimes do not know nothing about contract negotiations. Which club to sign, how much money to ask, what all have to be included in conract. Starters in business have usually big eyes for big deals and big contract. Everything has to go step by step.
„Players EXPERIENCED“
Agents role to coordinate experience player is litlle easier. They already know how to work and move in sport business. You do not have to spend a lot of time with teaching them how, what and when.
CLARIFY POINTS OF COOPERATION
Clarifying the points of cooperation from the very beggining is important. Than you know what you can expect from player and player knows what to expect from you. Communication and communication. Signning agreement with players is important for no having any doubts with player. Many times happens that two or three agents offers the same player to one club. What than? Club will talk with agent who was first or with agent who is in better relations with club or player? To avoid this missunderstandings it is always better to sign an agreement for cooperation with player. If you do not want to spend time and money for nothing and you want to reduce or reset negative experience (somebody avoids you) than the agreement have to be before you start to negotiate some contracts or deals for your clients. Words as I will pay you after you find me team you can´t take serious. Lawyer can help you with all the contracts.
Most people think that the main job of a sports agent is negotiating contracts. Depending on the type of representation offered, a sports agent may do everything for players from negotiating contracts, arranging promotional opportunities and appearances, to investing the professional players income and preparing their taxes. Very famous is also advertisement, companies want players as models, so agents can organise also their promotions and contracts with potentional companies.
As an agent, you would talk with team owners, managers and coaches to find the best deal for your client. You might also handle their public relation matters and their finances, such as investments and taxes.
To do this job you will need to know about business management and have a passionate understanding for sport. If you have an excellent communication and negotiation skills and you enjoy following trends in sports, then this role could be for you. There are no entry requirements to get into this work, but a lot of sports agents are ex-players ex-coaches or lawyers. It may also help to have a degree in business studies.
For agent starters it is recommended to sign about four to five new clients each year. However, to sign four or five you may speak from twenty to thirty players to get your five signed. It is the same process as if you want sell something from 100 customers only 10 people buys it.
License: ask your collegues in your sport if it is necessary to have a license to become sports agent and where can you get it. If you have to do some exams and how much does this cost. Geting a license is different in every sports. Agents which are doing it already know the rules so ask them for some advice. Maybe they will not want to help because of competition but you can always ask for help and possible cooperation together or even working for his/her agency.
Maybe it is not so easy but when you do everything step by step and learn from every single thing you are doing, you can one day become a famous sport agent.
