8 Sports Agents Who Changed the Field

p class="intro-text">As Albert Pujols attempted to bring St. Louis its second World Series title in six seasons, his agent, Dan Lozano, was preparing for one of the most-high profile negotiations in sports history. This offseason, Pujols will be a free agent, and a couple of big market teams are expected to participate in the bidding. While the process will be hard work for Lozano, the payoff in the end will make it — along with his entire career choice — worth the hours upon hours of haggling and hashing out "the details." He's just one of the successful agents in professional sports who has garnered the respect of players and ire of general managers, sure signs that he's good at his job. Read on to become acquainted with the best of the best.

1. C.C. "Cash and Carry" Pyle

   Known as the first modern sports agent, Pyle secured a landmark $3,000-per-game contract for legendary running back Red Grange in 1925, eliciting anger from owners and earning him the nickname "Cash and Carry." A year later, he started the first professional tennis tour, which featured famous players such as Suzanne Lenglen. Notably, he founded the first American Football League in 1925, which competed for players with the NFL.
    

2. Frank Scott

   During an era in which baseball players earned modest salaries on the field — relative to today — Scott worked to ensure they were well-compensated off the field. An effective promoter, he secured endorsements by increasing their public appearances, giving them spots in the audience of The Ed Sullivan Show, for example, so they would be recognized on national television. His impressive client list, which spanned multiple sports, included Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Frank Gifford, Y.A .Tittle, Bob Cousy, and Oscar Robertson.

3. Mark McCormack

   Following Scott's lead, McCormack promoted the images of his athletes to earn them endorsements from a wide variety of products. For example, he arranged tennis exhibitions in China for Jimmy Connors and Bjorn Borg, increasing their popularity in parts of the world that the West often ignored. He founded IMG (International Management Group) in 1960, signing Arnold Palmer as his first client. After seeing the success they enjoyed, fellow players Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player joined the company and experienced immediate increases in their incomes. Eventually, McCormack became "The Most Powerful Man in Sports," according to Sports Illustrated, as he represented big names such as Pete Sampras, Derek Jeter, and Charles Barkley.

4. Gary Wichard

   Wichard's career was so accomplished and interesting that it inspired one of the most successful films of the 1990s — Jerry Maguire. Like Maguire, Wichard forged close relationships with his clients, who he described as his "sons." The loyalty he exhibited to his clients and vice versa ensured that he was highly sought after by players, and that he represented them for the long haul. Wichard died in March 2011 at the age of 60 due to pancreatic cancer after a year-long battle. His three-decade career was highly productive, as he helped numerous players become set for life financially.

5. David Falk

   No player in the history of sports has been as successfully marketed as Michael Jordan, and David Falk is the man behind it. Players noticed, and Falk eventually represented players on all but two teams, making him one of the most powerful men in the NBA when it was at its peak in popularity. He negotiated the NBA's first million-dollar shoe deal for James Worthy in the 1980s, a revolutionary yet complex contract with Nike for Jordan, and professional sports' first $100 million contract for Alonzo Mourning. The incredible power held by the players in the league, along with its reliance on star power, can be attributed to Falk.

6. Scott Boras

   The "most feared man in baseball" has given general managers nightmares and players lots of zeros in their paychecks. His career started modestly as he represented high school teammate Mike Fischlin, but he demonstrated his moxie when he secured one of baseball's most lucrative contracts for Bill Caudill. As salaries rose, Boras took full advantage of the market, most famously — or infamously — negotiating an eye-popping 10-year, $252 million contract for Alex Rodriguez in 2000. Always shooting for the highest sum, he's immune to criticism from front offices, media, and fans, putting his clients above all else. His tactics have been emulated by other agents and outlawed by MLB, proving that he's a true leader in his field.

7. Tom Condon

    Named the NFL's most powerful agent by Sporting News in 2006, Condon is a former offensive lineman who understands things from the player's perspective. Much of his extracurricular activities during his time in the league prepared him for his subsequent career as a highly effective agent. He was the president of the National Football League Players Association for two years during the mid-1980s, and he earned his JD during the offseasons. As a result, he has negotiated record-breaking contracts (see Peyton Manning's deal), represented six No. 1 overall draft picks (hence the new rookie pay scale), and boasts a client list of 75 NFL players.

8. Drew Rosenhaus

   A relentless salesman, Rosenhaus will stop at nothing to get his players what he thinks they deserve. The aggressive, loudmouthed Miamian is always in demand — he currently represents more than 100 NFL clients, some of whom he has been accused of contacting while they were signed with other agents. Although he has never officially violated NFLPA policies, his ruthlessness has made him plenty of enemies among his contemporaries. That clichéd agent persona has also brought him a lot of fame too, as he has been interviewed countless times on programs such as 60 Minutes and appeared in moves such as the aforementioned Jerry Maguire.

Taken From Business Insurance Quotes