March 2006

SMWW's 2006 Annual Conference Recap

The 2006 SMWW Annual Sports Conference was a huge success and SMWW received rave reviews from those in attendance!

The diversity of those presenting to the group as well as the attendees themselves made the conference both a great place to learn more about the business of sports as well as presented some fantastic networking opportunities.

For the SMWW staff, it was a great opportunity to meet people in person and get to know them on a personal level.

The day of the conference was action packed with high profile presenters: from front office personnel, to writers from ESPN & FoxSports to experienced agents from all sports. The conference left most people in attendance wanting more, so SMWW is planning to make next year's conference a two day event!

Here is a list of just a few of the wonderful speakers who presented to the group:

Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, President of Sports Management Worldwide, presided over the conference as MC and kicked off the event by stressing that the people in the room have the power to change the sports world by combining their passion to succeed with an ethical compass. Dr. Lashbrook encouraged people to take advantage of the networking opportunities in the room and told stories of how meeting people in your everyday life can lead to opportunities. He also shared recruiting stories of how he got into the business and signed top NFL draft picks and credited relationships and referrals as the way for a new agent to get in the business and have success.

This year's event saw the Director of Player Personnel from the Denver Nuggets, Mark Warkentien, put on a dynamic show with a multitude of topics that showed his out of the box thinking. Warkentien talked about some of the greatest strategists in history such as General George Patton who's premise was that a good plan executed with vigor today is better than next week's perfect plan. He continued to tell the group that you must be willing to pay your dues in sports and that starting out in the sales department at an NBA team can eventually lead to a dream job at the top. His example of Philadelphia 76ers head coach Maurice Cheeks being an NBA all-star and champion, yet still willing to take a job as an assistant coach in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) in a small town that no one wants to move to, was a sign of someone who understood the hard work it takes to make it to the top.

The attendees were throughly entertained by James Campen, offensive line coach for the Green Bay Packers, as he told stories of his experience with terrible agents. In one situation, his agent told him to sign a contract without even looking at it and the GM of the team was so disgusted that he had Campen call his agent back on his phone line and fire him on the spot.

Jim Solano was easily the most experienced agent that SMWW had at the event. Solano shared his most recent contract situation with Brent Alexander, safety with the New York Giants. The Giants were hoping to get Alexander to retire so that he would have to pay back part of his signing bonus so when they heard that he was considering it, they announced his retirement without talking to Solano. Solano immediately got on the phone and told the team that they would have to cut his player, which helped Alexander avoid losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Solano has represented over 700 NFL players and has a client list that includes Bill Cower (Head Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers), Herman Edwards (Head Coach, Kansas City Chiefs) and Ray Rhodes (Defensive Coordinator, Seattle Seahwawks).

SMWW welcomed Will Carroll from Baseball Prospectus this year. Carroll is an expert on baseball injuries and steroid use in baseball and has written books on both subjects (his most recent on steroids was titled The Juice). Carroll informed the group that 5 of the 12 MLB players caught using steroids last season were all represented by the Levinson Brothers and a sixth player who was caught is a former client. Those in attendance also learned that the most powerful agent in baseball, Scott Boras, has a Ph.D. in pharmacology! Needless to say, Boras has never had a client of his test positive for steroids.

SMWW continued to invite a member of the NCAA Agents, Gambling and Amateurism Department. This year the group had an opportunity to hear from Angie Cretors, Assistant Director of the department. SMWW has developed a great relationship with the NCAA and continues to be the leader in providing prospective agents an opportunity to learn the business in an ethical way.

Percy Knox, Director of Athlete Management for Athlete's Performance, spoke about the difference in working with a premiere transiting facility and certified strength & conditioning specialists, versus a less qualified group of athletic trainers.

Russ Lande, Former NFL scout and current president of gmjr.com & head of SMWW's Football GM & Scouting Course, took the time to speak to anyone who wanted to learn more about getting into the front office. In his presentation, he gave his first hand story of starting at the bottom as an intern in a college football scouting department to eventually becoming a full time NFL Scout on the road. He shared the difference in how the media and college football fans view a player versus how the NFL evaluates them on film and projects what type of pro they will become.

Jim Kuzmich, General Council for GAAMES Baseball Agency, spoke on many of the challenges that new agents wanting to work in baseball face. He brought with him Garrett Berger, a former player represented by GAAMES, who will now be working full time in the business and he shared his personal experience as a player and dealing with his agent.

Bret Polvorosa, President of Grip Sports Consulting and instructor of the Sports Business Management Course, spoke on captivating an audience and gaining trust through professional communication. He stressed that listening was the key to successful selling and that agents should ask good, open ended questions to learn what the potential client is looking for.

Aaron Schatz of FootballOutsiders.com dropped by the event after covering the NFL Combine and shared many ideas with the group on the new age football analysis that is revolutionizing the way football players are evaluated. An example he used was based on evaluating wide receivers. The traditional method would be to look at number of catches and yards after the catch. FootballOutsiders.com has begun to track the total number of balls thrown to a player and the percentage of balls caught.

Bill Kent, SMWW's Director of Basketball, shared a in- depth pre-draft analysis that he had put together for one of the top players in the country in college basketball this year. He also talked about the difference in a good basketball player and a "marketable" player. He stressed that in-order to make money as an agent, you must recruit and sign marketable players because it makes your job a lot easier when finding them a job in professional sports.

Mark your calendars and join us at next year's SMWW Annual Sports Conference for a three day action packed event February 23rd-25th, 2007!

If you are interested in working as a sports agent or in the front office of a sports property, talk to the SMWW staff today at 877-SMWW-Now to register for one of our fantastic online courses!

SMWW President Dr. Lashbrook goes to Europe!

Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, President of Sports Management Worldwide, has been asked to speak at the SportsBusiness Campus presentation in London, England which takes place on March 29th and 30th. Dr. Lashbrook will also be traveling to Birmingham, England, Paris, France and Geneva, Switzerland during his trip. He will be in Europe from March 24th through the 31st. If you are a current or former student, agent advisor or are even just considering taking an SMWW course and would like the opportunity to meet Dr. Lashbrook for tea, coffee, or a pint, email Dr. Lashbrook at lynn@sportsmanagementworldwide.com to let him know you are interested in meeting him.

March 29th and 30th, SportBusiness International is staging Campus ‘06, an information- packed two day conference in London at the Cass School of Business. In an effort to encourage ongoing sports business education, SMWW encourages you to look at the agenda and your schedule and seriously consider attending.

Whether you need to know how to get more from sponsorship, leverage event revenues or tap into new opportunities in Asia, at Campus some of the brightest minds in the sports business industry will debate the top concerns and provide you with a template for the best practices. Amongst these are SMWW President Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, who will present on How to Create a Healthy Management Culture, as well as Jonathan Hall, Director of Governance, The Football Association. The event will be supported by the British Olympic Association and a number of other industry leading sponsors.

Take a moment to review the streams and modules you would choose and to register your interest at:

www.c ampus.sportbusiness.com

If you are interested in signing up for a course with Dr. Lynn Lashbrook and the rest of SMWW's fantastic professors, visit our website at:

www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com

Yes, We Are For Real!

SMWW Has Endless Opportunities for Sports Minded Individuals

Sports minded individuals from all over the world call us and email us everyday to see if we are for real. Many of them have been trying to break into the sports business to little or no avail, and they want reassurance that SMWW is as billed. We can assure you that we are!

“We’ve come a long way as a company,” says Dr. Lashbrook. “We are really revolutionary. We were the first company to train, educate and license future sports agents. Now we offer training in any number of areas for sports enthusiasts who are willing to work hard.”

SMWW arms its students with the connections and know-how to succeed in a highly competitive sports market. All of our courses are eight weeks long and can be taken online from anywhere in the world. All you need is a computer with internet connection and we supply the microphone & headset for the weekly chats with SMWW instructors.

We currently offer 10 in-depth courses that are facilitated by accomplished sports professionals who know what they’re talking about because they’ve been there and done it. Doesn’t it make sense to learn broadcasting from a broadcaster, scouting from a scout, and the sports agent business from somebody who has represented pro athletes?

Take a peek at the course offerings below and tell us with a straight face that we don’t have something for everyone:

Athlete Management 400: The first course ever offered by SMWW, it is designed for aspiring sports agents. Graduates of the course are urged to seek Agent Advisor status within SMWW so that they can begin representing professional athletes!

Auto Racing and Management: A more recent addition to our curriculum, this course is for anyone who wants to work in the racing industry in any number of capacities. The course is facilitated by racing vet Juan Pablo Sanchez and covers a wide range of issues for racing enthusiasts everywhere.

Baseball General Manager and Scouting: Facilitated by ESPN baseball analyst Rob Neyer and Dr. Lashbrook, this course seeks to create synergies between sabermetrics and traditional scouting. Baseball junkies will love this course because it is both educational and focused on the business of America’s great pastime.

To Sign Up For One of SMWW's Courses, Call Today at 877-SMWW-Now

Basketball General Manager and Scouting: Instructors for this course are Dr. Lashbrook and ESPN NBA analyst Chad Ford. It’s great for anyone wanting a thorough understanding of scouting and front office duties in today’s global game. Come learn all the skills used by pro scouts in today's ever-changing world of professional basketball!

Football General Manager and Scouting: Facilitated by former NFL scout and talent evaluation guru Russ Lande, this offering is popular with those wanting to work in the NFL. It is also extremely popular with pigskin historians simply trying to expand their knowledge of the game. Students will be dazzled with Russ’ insight, scouting techniques and draft predictions.

Hockey General Manager and Scouting: A new addition this past fall, this course offers cutting edge theories on how to develop a career in professional or collegiate hockey, and covers topics such as hockey operations, team management, scouting talent, player personnel, statistical analysis and other essential tools that modern general managers must have. SMWW has also partnered with International Scouting Services (ISS) to provide our graduates with the top level of scout training using software that teams around the NHL are using. Graduates who excel in this course will also be given the opportunity to work with ISS as a hockey scout!

New Era Athletic Director: This course was designed to develop a new generation of athletic directors by creating programs that are unique to high school athletics. We examine the old problems in a new light to inspire creative solutions using new technology.

Soccer Management and Scouting: Facilitated by Dr. Lashbrook and soccer scouting vet Derek Bragg, this course offers insight on how to develop a career in professional soccer and covers every management and scouting issue imaginable!

Sports Broadcasting: Taught by Portland Trailblazers announcer Brian Wheeler, students will learn everything there is to know about the broadcasting biz. Because of technology, the sports broadcasting medium is rapidly expanding. This course will train you with the skill set and experience network affiliates are looking for.

Sports Business Management 400: This course is quickly becoming a favorite because of its track record of successfully training and placing students in sports careers. Instructors Bret Polvorosa and Tom Leip do an excellent job of supplying students with timeless skills that are transferable from sport to sport and industry to industry.

For more information on SMWW course offerings, please select this text.

Call SMWW Today at 877-SMWW- Now

Sports News Notes

Big Changes at IMG

Sinrich Leaves Over “Strategic Differences”

“Things are changing at the world’s biggest sports agency,” reports UK Times business editor Steven Downes. Bill Sinrich, the head of TransWorld Inernational, the IMG subsidiary and the world’s biggest independent television producer, has left due to “strategic differences.”

IMG chair Theodore Forstmann said Sinrich’s exit is due to “differences over recent organizational changes and the future course of IMG and TWI.”

Sinrich joined TWI nearly two decades ago, “when IMG was still firmly under control of its founder, Mark McCormack, the American credited with inventing the role of the sports agent through his development of his business with golfers Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in the 1960s.”

IMG is now a $1 billion-per-year global business, and TWI is its largest subsidiary. Sinrich “developed TWI into a production house that also distributed and marketed its programming – often times the sports events promoted by IMG.”

Based in London, TWI “has developed strong associations with UK sports broadcasters the BBC and BSkyB, for whom they provide many hours of coverage.”

The company said that IMG board member and Sports Capital Partners chair David Checketts is taking over in the interim to “assist in the transition in TWI’s international operations” while they look for a replacement for Sinrich (2/27).

Call SMWW Today at 877-SMWW-Now

Pro Athletes at Risk for Investment Scams

Financial experts say that pro athletes everywhere “are potential targets of investment scams, the result of working in high-profile fields with big salaries,” reports the Denver Post’s Will Shanley.

A recent Georgia lawsuit “involving at least five former or current Denver Broncos aims to recover $15 million from an Atlanta-based hedge fund accused of defrauding investors.” The suit says Kirk Wright and International Management Associates LLC “failed to honor withdrawal requests by players in early December.”

The Wall Street Journal reported recently that the defrauded players include Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith, and ex-Broncos Terrell Davis and Steve Atwater. They aren’t the first football players to run into trouble. According to the NFLPA, at least 78 other pro football players “have been bilked out of more than $42 million since 1999.”

Scammers, including sports agent William “Tank” Black and financial adviser John W. Geillette Jr., “have served jail sentences for bilking money from professional athletes” (2/21).

For more information on our courses, select this text...

Call SMWW Today at 877-SMWW-Now

Earn Your Masters or Doctorate Degree!

Earn your Masters or Doctorate through Northcentral University online! M. ED, PH.D, ED.D and MBA are all available with a specialization in Sports Management. It is possible to get a Masters degree in a little over a year.

There are no residency requirements, you work at your own pace, all online... all from home. Courses are 16 weeks long, however you may take an 8 week accelerated course.

SMWW President and Founder Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, who is also a certified NFLPA agent, and Sally Sullivan, former agent of Venus and Serena Williams, teach many of the courses.

Call 1-877-SMWW-NOW to speak with one of them today or for more information, Select this text!

SMWW Welcomes New Agent Advisors!

SMWW is proud to announce that we have 16 new agent advisors who joined the company in the month of February!

Bruce Butler, Illinois

Gerald Cowan, Indiana

James Dod, Ohio

Daron Drayton, Maryland

Lazo Gjurich, New York

James Gonzaga, California

Lurone Jennings, Tennessee

Aaron Kilbarger, Ohio

Beverly Martin, New Orleans

Rock Mirich, Nevada

Adam Prossin, Washington

Gary Rosenfeld, Florida

Kevin Song, New Jersey

Dennis Spanoudakis, California

David White, Pennsylvania

Read on...

Dr. Lashbrook's Lastest Blog Postings!

If you haven't had a chance to read Dr. Lashbrook's blog, you are missing out on insight from one of the most opinion people in sports!

3.07.2006

Sadly, Kirby lived in a vacuum off the field!

The passing of Kirby Puckett is a sad day for all of his fans. More sad is all of the allegations he had to take with him. As an agent, I wonder if his agent knew about his personal failings. Maybe the media will ask or maybe they would rather gloss over these concerns. I guess you could call it a double(s) standard! (npi)

3.02.2006

World Baseball Classic is being mocked by the media in America!

For decades we have had the World Series in America but have never invited other countries (except Canada, eh!) to compete. It is embarrasing to listen to our sports media mock the WBC. Maybe if they were a little more worldly they would see the world is becoming flat and therefore a more level playing field. Global economy means Global Competition!

I suggest they read Thomas Friedman''s new book titled The World is Flat. It is a classic (npi).

Click Here To Read His Blog....

SMWW Success Story

Meet Mandy Love

Another SMWW Success Story!

The greatest joy for SMWW is seeing our alums rapidly achieve success in the sports business. Every month we hear from many of our former students who have made the most of our curriculum and contacts and have advanced their sports careers.

Mandy Love is now an account executive with the WNBA’s Houston Comets. Like many sports professionals, she credits SMWW and its Sports Business Management Course (SBM) with getting her a start in the business.

“SMWW and The SBM class helped me find my dream job,” says Love. "I was leery of an online course because I had never taken one before, but SMWW has a fantastic group of professors and mentors that are available when you need them. It was very hands-on and easy to correspond and work with others involved in this course."

SMWW President Lynn Lashbrook, along with course instructors Bret Polvorosa and Tom Leip, have a combined 60-plus years of experience working in sports and know exactly what skills teams and organizations are looking for in new hires. One of the other great things about taking Sports Business Management from Polvorosa and Leip is that the skills learned are timeless and transferable from industry to industry.

If you are interested in working in sports, call SMWW today at 877-SMWW-Now

In a matter of eight weeks, through intensive online teaching, discussion and mentoring, students like Mandy are taught the inner workings of the sports business and given the chance to network and polish their skills. And the one-on-one attention given to students is something the traditional classroom setting simply cannot compete with.

“The online discussions were helpful and each time very engaging,” says Love. “It gave me the opportunity to speak with the professors, and others involved in the course, ask advice and set weekly goals in order to track my progress.”

Love says she “would recommend SMWW to anyone who is sports-driven and has the desire to work in the sports industry.” So would we.

Are you another SMWW success story? Email us today and you could be featured in the next newsletter as our latest success story!

For more information on Sports Business Management, select this text...