NFLPA Increases Agent Fees

Agent Fees to NFLPA Increase

Decision draws mixed reactions from agents

New York, May 24, 2000 -- Citing the rising costs of investigating unscrupulous agents and of beginning the process of certifying financial planners as the reasons, the National Football League Player’s Association plans to increase the minimum annual fee for player agents who wish to register with the union from $1,000 to $1,200. For agents with more than 10 clients, the cost will rise to $1,700.

According to CBS Sportsline, the decision met with mixed reaction from the agents. While some were opposed to the price hike, several prominent agents said they welcomed the hike because it might weed out the agents who have few or no clients. One agent, Jack Wirth, said: "To tell the truth, I'd pay $5,000 if it would mean getting rid of some of these hangers-on.

Because of inconsistent or unenforced state laws and no national standards due to the lack of a federal statute, much of the regulation of sports agent has fallen on the professional sports players' unions. Each of the four major sports unions have different rules and regulations regarding the registration of player representatives. These regulations vary from the NFLPA's most proactive (with passage of an open book exam as a requirement) to the Major League Baseball Players' Association and the National Hockey League Players' Association, where no examinations or in-class training are given.