Becoming An Athlete Agent Like Leigh Steinberg
by Kimbro Gonzales
If you are into sports at all then you surely have heard of athlete agent Leigh Steinberg. His clients include some of the biggest names in the NFL, NBA and MBL. From Oscar De La Hoya to Troy Aikman, Leigh Steinberg is known as one of the best athlete agents in America. So how did he do it? And how can you follow in his footsteps to become an athlete agent like him?
Steinberg has been in the business for over 33 years and has represented the number 1 NFL draft pick eight times during his career. This is no small feat for any agent-- in fact it is a record. Leighs advice to anyone looking to advance their career is to Be open to the amazing changes which are occurring in the field that interest you. It is soooooo necessary to get the basic skills, because by the time you graduate, undergraduate or graduate, that field would have totally changed from your first day of school. This is wise advice from a wise man.
As an athlete agent the biggest thing is getting your first client. Once you start to get a name for yourself you will be able to gain respect throughout the sports world.
It doesnt matter who you are representing, or what your goal according to Steinberg We are all negotiators. Negotiating is not something to be avoided or feared - it's an everyday part of life. It's learning how to negotiate to keep both sides happy - whether it's for a multi-million dollar contract or just which show to watch on TV, that determines the quality and enjoyment of our lives.
Three of the best schools to consider attending a sports management program are University of Mass, Bowling Green State University and Ohio University. While this degree is not necessary to work as an athlete agent it will definitely give you the knowledge and skills that you need to be truly successful.
To be successful you will need to be up to date on the latest in Marketing, Networking, Salaries, Promotions, Trends and Services needed by your clients. You will need to know how to market yourself to your clients and how to market your clients for endorsement opportunities, charitable event appearances and to potential teams. You will need to network with athletes, executives in the sports community, other athlete agents and potentially helpful people in the business world. You will need to promote your client for the best opportunities available and promote yourself to clients. In order to be able to successfully do contract negotiations you need to know the trends of today and what the latest salaries are. You will also need to make sure that you can deliver the services that your clients need, or to at least get them when needed so that your clients can go to you for all their needs. They want to concentrate on their sport, while you concentrate on the details of investments, legal issues and selling them.
Starting an athlete agent career is not nearly as complicated as some people may think. It starts with just one client and your career as an athlete agent can take off for you. It is more about marketing yourself so that you can get a name in the industry than anything else. If you have confidence in yourself and can share that with your clients and business contacts, you can be a successful athlete agent.
Kimbro Gonzales is known for having a big heart in sports. He has played baseball, softball, basketball and football back in his school days. After his graduation he embarked himself into teaching kids about sports. He wants to be an athlete agent like Leigh Steinberg, and at the same time lead the kids in their community by being a good example.
