Additional Information
You'd better be interested in sports. It's not enough to read the sports
section in the newspaper. Many people come to this profession with athletic
backgrounds. "My experience caddying provided me with a lot of contacts I
wouldn't have found any other way," says lawyer and agent Tim Davies.
Davies recommends getting involved in the sports scene in any way you can,
even if it's only carrying equipment or doing odd jobs. Volunteering is a
good way to get started.
In addition to a sports background, you'll need some legal or financial
expertise to cut it in this field.
"The world of professional sports has become very sophisticated. The complex
contracts -- they're pages and pages long -- and the amount of money you're
dealing with can be astronomical," says Davies.
Many North American agents are attorneys with specialties in tax or contract
law.
A growing number of agents have educational backgrounds in sports management
or in general business management.
Some agents have schooling in sports administration and management.
Starting from scratch can be slow going. It usually takes five to six years
to build up a client base before you start seeing any profits. New agents
typically spend tens of thousands of dollars on travel and recruiting in those
years before they see any return on their investment.