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Qualities of a Great Sports Agent

Qualities of a Great Sports Agent

A basketball agent for over 24 years, Joel Bell, who runs Bell Sports, Inc., elaborates on some of the often overlooked qualities that make an excellent sports agent.

Qualities of a Great Sports Agent

Though the most well-known sports agents are renowned for their hard-nosed negotiation skills and their charismatic personas, a truly excellent sports agent requires more subtle interpersonal skills. An agent must make an effort to understand the goals and dreams of his clients. The fact that every young athlete wants to be the next big star may seem obvious, but agents need to consider more important aspects about the player's life: Does the player have a family? Does the player want to be located in a specific geographical region? How can you help the player plan for long-term financial security in a short-lived physical career?

Qualities of a Great Sports Agent

Once an agent has determined the long-term goals of the player, the agent can then focus on more sport-specific goals, such as getting the player a starting spot on a winning team, finding a coach that will work with the player’s strengths and weaknesses, and creating a public image and landing lucrative endorsements. The holistic approach to representing players builds healthy agent-client relationships and ultimately brings success to both the agent and the players being represented.