Blogging Matters!!! : An Agent's Devoir [Part 2]

Day 62.

Like I said yesterday, that in part 2 I'll be taking up a few other exigent roles that a Sports Agent has to play and I also hinted at taking up the Indian scenario as well. So, let's start part 2 of 'An Agent's Devoir' -

--- Sports Agents are used to broker and negotiate contracts for their clients which also include endorsement contracts. Apart from this task for which they receive some percent ( I mentioned yesterday), they are also responsible for making recommendations in regards to player's options.

--- Coming to the Indian scenario, let's take the example of Cricket. Most of the Indian players are either from a low or middle class background. M.S.Dhoni, captain of Indian team. He has been made rich not only because of his batting or wicket-keeping, but his agent has made him rich. Today, he is endorsing products ranging from a ceiling fan to branded shoes. All the endorsements that Dhoni is doing, the money is not directly going to him, it's going to the agent.

--- So, managing a player is now a big industry. An agent needs to be canny, he needs to have foresight as all of this is a gamble. One might wonder how this is a gamble. Ten years ago Dhoni or Yuvraj didn't know what they will become today. No sponsor, no commodity, no company goes directly to the player.

--- Apart from locating income sources, agents often handle public relations matters for their players.The biggest job of agent is Celebrity Management. What does he manage? :

a.) Endorsements - [Advertisements],

b.) Scheduling - [Appointments],

c.) Account Management - eg, if a player has made 10 crores a year, then how much tax will he have to pay.

--- Multitasking is another cardinal element that an agent must possess. Sometimes an agent has to do negotiations on behalf of more than one client at one time. The number of players that an agent or his agency can handle in total are interdependent variables. Damage Control is also the job of sports agent. Damage Control is to protect the goodwill of the corporate, protect the interest of corporate, sponsor.

This is the end of this 2 part series on an agent's duty or responsibility. It is a very demanding field indeed as you have to be highly motivated, willing to work for long hours, and most importantly like I said above, the ability to multitask. So, write your comments on what other devoir are there which I've missed out. Till then goodbye and thanks for reading.

Thought Of The Day : - ''Do not betray the one who betrays you.''