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SMWW is in bloom this spring! We have clients signing professional contracts, we have people earning their education through our professional instructors, and we are changing the moral and ethical compass in the business of sports agents through our Agent Advisor program. In 8 weeks, you too can join our online revolution. We live in a world without borders with the internet, so no matter where you live, or what you do for a day job, you too can pursue your passion in sports. Call us today! 877-SMWW- NOW
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| Alliance Formed to Enhance Job Placement for SMWW |
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In sports, hundreds of resumes are submitted for sometimes a single position. For candidates that don’t get hired, Michael Arya and his staff suggest they consider taking SMWW’s Sports Business Management Course taught by sports marketing executives Bret Polvorosa (President of Grip) and Tom Leip (Assistant Director of Athletics, Development, Portland State University). The Sports Business Management Course teaches people skills that will make them more marketable to the sports industry.
Sports Management Worldwide has recently formed a strategic alliance with current Premier Partnerships’ Vice President of Ticketing, Michael Arya. Micheal Arya has been involved in professional sports for more than 15 years. Having worked for and with teams in the NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL to strengthen ticket sales and drive ticket related revenue, Micheal Arya’s specialties lie in sales, marketing and advertising. Micheal Arya works hands on with professional teams throughout the country in recruiting for those team’s available sales, client services and marketing positions.
Prior to joining Premier Partnership, Micheal Arya spent three years working for the NBA as a consultant to the Seattle Sonics, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers. While at the NBA, he worked with David Stern, Bernie Mullin, Scott O’Neil, Rick Welts and Bill Sutton, some of the top sports marketers in the country. At the NBA, Micheal Arya was responsible for analyzing a team’s sales and marketing effort and to provide best practices and recommendations to increase sales, customer satisfaction and retention.
Micheal Arya left the NBA to start his own consulting practice with clients in the four major leagues, as well as minor league baseball and hockey. In the past year and a half, his clients have generated over $12 million in incremental ticket sales. In addition, Micheal Arya has conducted extensive consulting projects for the Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, San Diego Chargers and St. Louis Blues. In these projects, Micheal Arya examined and made recommendations regarding personnel, staffing levels and compensation, advertising campaigns, sales plans, customer service, database marketing, and customer retention.
The executives at Premier Partners have more than 50 years of success between them on a global sports and entertainment level. Their achievements include founding a major professional sports league, owning and managing teams, negotiating professional team and facility sales and purchases, developing and selling hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate partnerships, negotiating local, national and international broadcast contracts, creating the largest sports event website in history, consulting to numerous Fortune 500 companies and managing the largest and most prestigious sporting events in the world.
Sports Management Worldwide founder and president, Dr. Lynn Lashbrook adds, “We’re very excited to have someone with Michael’s background and network help our Sports Business Management graduates get their resumes noticed by sports team hiring managers. We met with Michael and he was very excited about our new relationship with Bret Polvorosa and Grip. To have a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers (one of Arya’s partners) refer people to our company says a lot about our SBM curriculum and instructors.”
For additional information about SMWW, the Sports Business Management Course or our SBM gradutes, please call 877-SMWW-NOW or visit us at www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com
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| Lebron James Fires Agent - Friend to Represent Him |
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When Cleveland Cavaliers guard LeBron James recently fired agent Aaron Goodwin, many in the media and sports agent industry reacted with surprise. After all, Goodwin was James’ agent when the superstar signed a $90 million endorsement deal with Nike, the largest endorsement deal in history. Furthermore, James is expected to replace Goodwin with his friend, former high school teammate and Nike consultant Maverick Carter, who has no experience as an agent. What gives?
For starters, many athletes aren’t getting their money’s worth when it comes to their representation because the large sports agencies are always stretched thin. These agencies fail to grasp that there’s so much more to being a solid sports agent than getting your client the big contract. Too many of today’s athletes choose their agent based solely on who else the agent represents. Many times, they end up not getting the attention they deserve and become dissatisfied with their agent. If you represent Lebron James, why would you spend your time trying to sign as many players as you can for the 2005 NBA Draft?
SMWW Agent Advisors understand the importance of personal relationships and provide clients with total representation in all facets of their careers, not just the financial. Unfortunately, many in the sports agent establishment are failing to anticipate the wants and needs of athletes beyond financial negotiations. As ink dries on the fattest contracts in the land, agents immediately begin looking for more clients as though their lone responsibility to an athlete is financial. However, an agent’s role as mentor and advisor is never finished.
On the surface, it appears as though Goodwin became irrelevant to James. He brokered $200 million in endorsement deals, and James is set to receive the maximum NBA contract after this year. Financially speaking, there wasn’t much more Goodwin could do for James. So why not go ahead and have your best and most trusted friend, Maverick Carter, step in and take over? James knows he’ll have his undivided attention.
That James fired Aaron Goodwin after much financial success brings into question how good their total relationship really was. LeBron James is a corporation by himself and that requires around the clock representation; yet Goodwin continued trying to build his empire this year by trying to sign more players. He currently has three players ( Damon Stoudamire , Shareef Abdul-Rahim and Gary Payton) going into free agency this summer and has signed nine new players going into the draft. It is simply impossible for an agent like Goodwin to provide adequate services to James while he’s flying around the country trying to lock down draft picks and negotiate for his free agents.
Aaron Goodwin is a super-star agent who represents many big-time clients. But can he provide and guarantee each of those athletes' big-time services? Apparently LeBron James thinks his best friend is capable of more than what he was getting. |
| License to Deal - New Baseball Agent Book - by ESPN's Jerry Crasnick |
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License to Deal, a new book by ESPN.com Insider Jerry Crasnick follows agent Matt Sosnick as he deals with the many needs of his up-and-coming clients and fends off rival agents intent on poaching players- all while trying to keep his love of baseball and his integrity intact. This is no easy task in a largely unregulated business that values dollar signs over loyalty and is ruled by a few mega-agents-who will do just about anything to stay on top.
SMWW President Dr. Lynn Lashbrook was quoted in the press release for the book stating:
"This book is a must-read for anybody who wants to become a baseball agent. It's required, and included reading for any of our sports agent courses."
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| The Self Promotion of Terrell Owens and Drew Rosenhaus |
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While we’re pretty far removed from that bygone era where NFL players worked second jobs during the off-season, it wasn’t all that long ago when stars played for one team their entire careers and never complained or held out for a better contract. There was also a time when sports agents weren’t stars themselves and didn’t use propaganda to make their role in negotiations appear larger than they actually were.
The ongoing contract dispute between Philadelphia Eagles receiver Terrell Owens and team management is the latest and most visible example of an impending holdout. This entire episode is an absolute tragedy that could have been avoided. The victims in this mess are the Philly fans, the organization and David Joseph, the low profile, longtime friend and loyal sports agent Owens fired and replaced with glory hound Drew Rosenhaus, whose love for the fame is surpassed only by Owens himself.
Just one year after arriving in Philly from San Francisco, Owens wants his seven year $49 million contract ripped up because he feels he surpassed expectations. Though injured for the last 2 games of the season and all of the playoffs, Owens came back and played brilliantly in the Super Bowl despite being hindered.
As SMWW President Lynn Lashbrook recently pointed out on the televised broadcast of Philly based “Money Matters,” there was a proper way for T.O. to handle this. A subtle approach would have made more sense and probably garnered better results than the grandstanding that ensued. Often a compromise can be made if management is approached behind the scenes and not through the media.
Philly fans and the Eagles organization aren’t going to stand for the bush-league approach of T.O. and Rosenhaus, whose behavior should be revered by other young agents as the antithesis of how to conduct business. Owens is the third highest paid receiver in the league and agreed and signed his current contract, so shouldn't he do his part and honor his deal? The Eagles made it to the Super Bowl without T.O., and despite the injured receiver’s heroic performance in the big game, everybody knows that in football, no one player is bigger than the team itself.
Owens should learn from Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed on how to be silent, professional and effective. Reed, the 2004 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, has two years remaining on his contract and is expected to make $581,250 this season. Team sources say he has privately let team officials know he wants a new deal and that he may not arrive at training camp on time if he doesn't get one.
Contrast Reed’s strategy with that of Owens, who has criticized his Pro Bowl quarterback, fired his agent who was his longtime friend and denied charges of greediness after trying to renegotiate a one-year-old contract. Add Rosenhaus to the mix and it’s clear why Philly fans and the Eagles are up in arms.
Drew Rosenhaus is a shark that has made a career going after the clients of other agents. Terrell Owens, who time and again proves that talent doesn’t equal class, is his latest victim. There isn’t a stage large enough for the both of them.
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| Overseas Basketball Update - Changes in Germany & Spain: France Next? |
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Spain and Germany have both adopted new rules for the number of foreign players allowed in their leagues for next season. Each team in Spain must now have at least 4 Spanish players on the roster, up to 6 Eastern or Western European players, and 2 non- Europeans. In the past Eastern Europeans were considered foreigners in Spain. Germany has adopted a completely open-border system. Theoretically, a German team could now consist of 10 American players!!! Though most teams already have many German and European players under contract for next season, there will surely be many more opportunities for American players in the Germany next season. These two changes will dramatically change the market, and it has been rumoured that France is soon to adopt a system similar to Germany's!
Player Updates: Chauncey Leslie signs in Braunschweig Germany! Leslie who played in France top division last season is reunited with his former coach from his rookie season in Germany Henrik Dettman. Tyrone Levett signs in Austria! Levett has become a star after 1 season in the Austrian 1st division. After paying his dues his first two seasons in Europe, his hard work has paid off with a contract with one of the most storied teams in Austria, with an option for multiple seasons.
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SMWW Client Derek Watson signs with Bucs
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SMWW is proud to announce the signing of former South Carolina State running back Derek Watson!
Derek signed a three-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccanneers this year as a free agent. Emery Williams, his SMWW Agent Advisor, believed in his client and made Derek's dreams a reality. Derek is currently battling Cadillac Williams for the running back position in Tampa Bay and reportedly is doing impressive work, on and off the field.
Emery 31, and Derek, 24 both went to Palmetto High School in Williamston South Carolina. Emory was best friends with Derek’s brother, Marvin Campbell, and that’s how their relationship began. Their relationship is a perfect example of how relationships drive our agent advisor program.
Derek was South Carolina’s leading rusher in 2001, going for over a thousand yards, and helping lead South Carolina to the Outback Bowl to face and defeat Ohio State that year. The year before, South Carolina was 0-11. Watson then faced a few off the field challenges over the next six months at South Carolina which eventually led to his dismissal by Lou Holz. Holz was quoted as saying “He (Watson) will either be filling up stadiums or cleaning up after the game.” This however would not be the end for Derek.
Like all athletes, there is a lot more to the story than just a few bad decisions here and a coach’s decision there. Derek had to overcome some serious adversity growing up.
Derek grew up tough, his father was never really in the picture and later, he lost his mother to cancer at age 9. Derek then had to move in with an uncle, who tragically, was shot by police. Watson was then moved in with his grandmother, who died of old age shortly thereafter. Finally, Derek settled with another uncle in his hometown.
Watson was picked up by New England as a free agent in 2003, but didn’t make it through camp. He returned home to Williamston to live with his uncle.
When asked what Derek did on his downtime, Williams, his Agent Advisor said “Nothing. Derek was loafing. He wasn’t working out, and wasn’t doing much of anything.”
Williams helped Derek get back on track. In November, the two started working out 5-6 days a week, running the gamut of all available athletic training including speed, strength, conditioning, flexibility training, nutritional supplementation; the works. “You name it, we did it,” Williams said. Their hard work paid off.
Williams said he has adopted many new training techniques while working with Derrick and from it has formed “New Millennium Training” in which he attempts to make what he calls “Frankenstein Athletes” by taking training methods from many sources to develop the athletes he represents.
Derrick has been pleased with his second opportunity to get into the league and is committed to success. Derek talked about his goals with us.
“Some of my goals are to make the 50 man roster, maybe break into special teams and hopefully get some carries and some playing time early; any way I can help the team win. I am going to just grind and do my thing”
When asked about what he likes about football, Derek says he enjoys the camaraderie that football brings.
“Being around a bunch of guys that love the game and have smiles on their faces is the best. The high-fives, the back slaps, its just great to be a part of it all,” Watson said.
We at SMWW couldn’t be more proud of Derek and his Agent Advisor Emery Williams and all the adversity they had to overcome together. With our professional advising, we helped get Derek another shot at the NFL, helped Emery reach his goals, and put SMWW on the NFL radar. We are so excited to see what the future holds for Derek with Tampa Bay, and it will definitely be fun to watch and see what unfolds. We hope it will be “Cadillac Who?”
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