List of 30 Best Sports Agents Worldwide
In the competitive world of professional sports, sports agents are required to represent athletes and help them efficiently navigate their careers. Sports agents help athletes negotiate player contracts and endorsement deals, as well as provide marketing, financial, and public relations guidance. With the evolving sports industry, the strategies and services offered by worldwide sports agents have also evolved. In this article, we highlight some of the best sports agents, their clients, achievements, and the impact they have on the careers of the athletes they represent. From negotiating million-dollar contracts to building personal brands, sports agents play an important role in shaping the future of sports and athletes.
1. Kim Miale
Kim Miale is an NFL agent and attorney with over 10 years of experience. She holds a bachelor’s in political science and English from Providence College and a Juris Doctorate from Suffolk Law School. She worked as a commercial litigator for several years before obtaining her NFL agent certification in 2011. Miale is a general counsel at Roc Nation Sports, where she represents various athletes in negotiating endorsement agreements and player contracts. She is known for representing Saquon Barkley, the highest draft pick represented by a female agent, and was selected by the New York Giants in the 2018 NFL Draft. Other notable clients include Ronnie Stanley, Dez Bryant, Leonard Fournette, Miles Sanders, Bryce Love, and Rondale Moore. Sports Business Daily has named Miale as one of its "40 Under 40."
2. Aaron Mintz
Aaron Mintz is a basketball agent at CAA Sports. He is known for negotiating nine-figure deals for top NBA players, including Paul George’s $190 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2020. Mintz started his career as a student manager for the University of Michigan’s basketball team. Notable clients include Dwyane Wade, Zion Williamson, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton, and Carmelo Anthony.
3. Todd France
Todd France is an NFL agent and co-founder of the Creative Artists Agency's (CAA) football division. The division was established in 1995 alongside fellow agents Tom Condon and Ben Dogra. France is known for negotiating million-dollar contracts for high-profile players, such as Matt Ryan's $150 million extension with the Atlanta Falcons in 2018 and Dak Prescott's $160 million deal with the Dallas Cowboys in 2018. He is considered one of the most powerful NFL agents and is known for spearheading CAA Football, one of the industry's top agencies. He has also appeared on Sporting News' "100 Most Influential People in Sports" list.
4. Erik Burkhardt
Erik Burkhardt is an NFL agent with over 17 years of experience representing high-profile athletes in negotiating player contracts, public relations, advisory services, and other services. Burkhardt gained significant attention for representing Johnny Manziel. The partnership was highlighted in the Netflix documentary Untold: Johnny Football. Other notable clients include Kyler Murray, Kliff Kingsbury, Romeo Okwara, Ronnie Stanley, Kerry Hyder, Isaac Rochell, and Sam Martin, among others. In 2022, Burkhardt joined Roc Nation as co-head of its football division.
5. Bardia Ghahremani
Bardia Ghahremani is a sports agent and CEO of the International Sports Agency (ISA). He is known for representing NFL players and managing their careers through contract and endorsement deals. Ghahremani holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Ontario. He is a certified NFL Players Association (NFLPA) agent and has negotiated contracts amounting to $15 million throughout his career. Under his leadership, ISA has expanded its presence with offices in Costa Mesa, California; Rochester, New York; and Houston, Texas. He is also a commentator for ESPN, Fox LA, and TSN Sports.
6. Jay Reisinger
Jay Reisinger is a sports agent and attorney known for representing high-profile MLB players. He is the founder and CEO of Reisinger & Partners LLC, which represents MLB players in contract negotiations and endorsement deals. As an experienced attorney, Reisinger is known for representing players in legal matters and controversies related to steroid use. Notable clients include Alex Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa. Reisinger is also an adjunct professor of law at Duquesne University.
7. Tory Dandy
Tory Dandy is an NFL agent at CAA (Creative Artists Agency), representing NFL players in contract negotiations, endorsement deals, and client advocacy. Dandy's career in sports representation began as an intern at Synergy Sports in South Carolina. He joined CAA in 2017 and is currently the co-head and managing partner of the agency's Football Division. He is known for negotiating record-setting deals for his clients. Notable clients include CeeDee Lamb, A.J. Brown, Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith, and Denzel Ward.
8. Steve Ruff
Steve Ruff is an American sports agent and executive. He co-founded Framework Group, a sports agency that provides support to athletes in action sports. Ruff aspired to become a professional snowboarder in Big Bear, California. He later transitioned from competitive sports and became the head of snow sports at Dragon Optical, where he built the Forum Snowboards team. Ruff joined Wasserman Media Group as the executive director of action sports and the Olympics. For over 17 years, he managed athlete contracts and established himself as an authority in sports management. In 2022, Ruff established the Framework Group, through which he helps athletes in the action sports sector shape their careers.
9. Ben Dogra
Ben Dogra is an American sports agent known for representing high-profile NFL players such as Adrian Peterson, Robert Griffin III, and Mario Williams. He began his career as an intern at SMG in St. Louis in 1993 and later became the head of SFX Football's football division. Dogra led CAA Football until 2014, and the Sports Business Journal named him the 6th Most Powerful Sports Agent in 2008. Dogra is an expert at negotiating contracts and endorsement deals for athletes. The SportsBusiness Journal has named him among the 50 most influential people in sports business.
10. Justin Schulman
Justin Schulman is a NELPA-certified sports agent affiliated with Athletes First. He initially handled day-to-day operations and recruitment tasks at Athletes First. As a certified NELPA agent, Schulman is known to have negotiated contracts totaling over $301 million for his clients. He is known for negotiating the best deals based on market research and his understanding of his clients. Notable clients include Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, Brandon Jacobs, Justin Herbert, and Mark Andrews.