Do you know that all the top athletes globally have top sports agent firms working on their behalf?
All the athletes in any sport are signed with the sports agent firms. So it is because these firms help manage all their affairs, especially monetary management.
Similarly, they also provide the athletes with the best possible deals and contracts. Hence, these sports agent firms must always be on top of their game.
This list brings you some of the top sports agent firms among some of the best and most formidable agencies. These firms are the best in managing the athletes’ monetary and public affairs.
So without further delay, let’s get to know about them more.
12 Top Sports Agent Firms
The list has been prepared from various sources from the internet like the Sportsbrower and Sportytell. But before getting into the list, let us take a quick look at the table below.
| Sports Agent Firms |
| 12. Athletes First |
| 11. MVP Sports Group |
| 10. Octagon Sports Agency |
| 9. Priority Sports & Entertainment |
| 8. SportsTotal |
| 7. Klutch Sports Group |
| 6. GestiFute |
| 5. ICM Stellar Sports |
| 4. Excel Sports Management |
| 3. Wasserman Media Group LLC |
| 2. Boras Corporation |
| 1. Creative Artists Agency (CAA) |
12. Athletes First
- Sports: Basketball
- Number of Clients: 208
We will start our list with the second most valuable NFL agency, Athletes First. The company is a privately owned agency which was founded in 2001. The headquarters of the agency is in Laguna Hills, California.
The agency is a full-service athlete management firm. Since its founding, it has been representing elite NFL players. They handle the players’ contracts, marketing, and endorsements.
Similarly, Athlete First also has three of the most powerful football agent on their team. Moreover, David Mulugheta, Todd France, and Brian Murphy of the agency have collectively negotiated $4.4 billion in NFL contracts.
The agency boast of their mission as “Do the right things, with the right people, for the right reasons.” Aside from negotiators, their agents are also composed of trained attorneys. Likewise, they also arrange events and charities as a client service.
In the 2020 NFL draft, Athlete First represented 19 of the first 62 picks. Additionally, Forbes states the agency’s commission as $85.2 million.
11. MVP Sports Group
- Sports: Baseball
- Number of Clients: 24
The next top sports agency firm is a baseball agency led by agent Dan Lozano, The MVP Sports Group.
It was founded in 2010 and is a leading full-service agency representing some top MLB players. The firm’s headquarter lies in Los Angeles, California.
MVP Sports Group has negotiated three of the largest contracts in MLB. Similarly, the agency also represents two other dozen major league players.
However, the three biggest contracts include Manny Machado‘s $300 million deal with the San Diego Padres, Alberto Pujol‘s $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels, Joe Vetto’s deal of $225 with the Cincinnati Reds.
Similarly, the agency specializes in athlete representation, sports marketing, sponsorship opportunities, and community outreach campaigns.
According to Forbes, MVP Sports Group commissions are worth $44.1 million and have the $872 million contract value under management.
10. Octagon Sports Agency
- Sports: Football, Hockey, Basketball, Baseball, Golf, Tennis
- Number of Clients: 366
Octagon Sports Agency represents athletes from various major sports leagues. As a result, the agency firm has one of the widest representations of athletes.
The firm headquarter is located in Stanford, Connecticut. The agency was founded in 1982 as Advantage International in Washington DC. It is a subsidiary of Interpublic Group.
In addition to representing some of the top stars of major sports, the firm is also one of the most successful sports and brand consultors. Similarly, it is also the largest sponsorship consultor.
Octagon Sports Agency is a leading pioneer in athlete representation and management. Its top clients include Olympic gold medalist Simon Biles, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dustin Byfuglien, among many others.
Likewise, the firm manages the marketing of various brands in 22 different countries like BMW, Mastercard, Cisco, etc. In 2018, the firm was awarded the Best Talent Representation of the Year by Sports Business Journal Awards.
Additionally, Forbes estimates the firm’s commissions to be $112.4 million and has a contract value of $2.3 billion under its management.
9. Priority Sports & Entertainment
- Sports: Basketball, Football
- Number of Clients: 83
Founded in 1985, Priority Sports & Entertainment is a full-service sports management firm that represents athletes from NFL and NBA. Its headquarter is located in Chicago, Illinois.
The agency is one of the USA’s largest independently owned sports agencies. It was founded by a former investment banker at Morgan Stanley, Mark Bartelstein.
The most notable negotiation contract done by Mark Bartelstein is that of the NBA star John “Hot Rod” Williams. Additionally, the negotiation landed the NBA star the title of the highest-paid player in the history of team sports at the time.
The Sports Business Journal dubbed Bartelstein was rated as one of the most influential sports agents. Moreover, Forbes has listed the firm as the World’s Most Valuable Sports Agencies twice.
Likewise, according to Forbes, the firm’s commissions are estimated to be $42.9 million with a contract value of $1.17 billion under management.
8. Independent Sports and Entertainment
- Sports: Baseball, Football, Basketball
- Number of Clients: 110
Previously known as Relativity Sports, the Independent Sports and Entertainment is one of the leading marketing agency firms. The headquarters of the agency firm is based in Los Angeles, California.
The agency offers a full suite of services, including strategic guidance, superior contract negotiation, marketing, brand creation and management, and global partnership development.
As of 2020, the firm has negotiated over a billion in active contracts. Additionally, the most notable contract was that of Miguel Cabrera’s where he signed an 8-year contract worth $248 million with the Detroit Tigers.
Similarly, some of the other valuable client lists include Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, and Jordan Zimmermann.
Independent Sports and Entertainment is estimated to have commissions of $65.4 million as per Forbes and a contract value of $1.05 billion under management.
7. Klutch Sports Group
- Sports: Basketball, Football
- Number of Clients: 49
The top sports agency firm on our number seven is Klutch Sports Group. It is an agency firm founded in 2012 by best LeBron James‘ best friend and sports agent, Rich Paul.
Although the agency enjoyed a meteoric rise, it is now a part of the United Talent Agency (UTA). Its headquarter is located in Los Angeles, California.
The agency jumped to the 23 spots on the list of the world’s most valuable sports agencies over the last five years. Initially, it started with representing basketball; the agency now also represents football.
Some of the biggest names of NBA are in the clientele list of the agency. First, of course, Paul’s best friend LeBron is on the list, then there are NBA stars like Ben Simmions, Anthony Davis, and John Wall, among others.
In the 2020 NFL draft, the Klutch Sports Group represented 2 of the first 3 players picked in the draft.
Additionally, Forbes states the group’s commissions to be $58.1 million and has $1.6 billion contract value under management.
6. GestiFute
- Sports: Soccer
- Number of Clients: 137
GestiFute is a Portuguese agency firm that provides agent services to soccer players. The company was established in 1996 by Jorge Mendes. The headquarter of the firm is located in Porto, Portugal.
The agency firm is involved in several high-profile moves in the European transfer market. Before, Portugal allowed other parties to own part of the players’ economic rights to receive part of the transfer fees.
Therefore, GestiFute was actively involved in third-party ownership before FIFA set a restriction. Silva International Investment is currently the company’s major stakeholder, and Riccardo Silva is the agency’s current head.
The biggest name in the agency’s valuable client list includes five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, David De Gea, Bernando Silva, James Rodríguez, among others.
Forbes states GestiFute’s commission to be $104 million. Similarly, its contract value under management is $1.04 billion.
5. ICM Stellar Sports
- Sports: Soccer, Football
- Number of Clients: 390
On number five of our top sports agency firm list is the ICM Stellar Sports based in London. The agency is the world’s top soccer agency firm. The firm was founded by Jonathan Barnett and David Manasseh in 1994.
The agency has managed many elite athletes over the years. As a result, it is one of the world’s biggest and most successful sports agencies. Likewise, it has also made some of the biggest deals in soccer history.
In addition to being a sports agency, it is also a part of the ICM partners, a world-leading talent agency that represents artists, content creators, authors, journalists, etc.
ICM Stellar Sports, after its founding, immediately became one of the top agencies representing international athletes. Some of its valuable clients include Gareth Bale, Saul Niguez, and Maxi Gomez.
The agency’s commission is estimated to be $142.6 million and has a contract value of $1.43 billion under management by Forbes.
4. Excel Sports Management
- Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Golf
- Number of Clients: 183
Excel Sports Management is the agency that represents numerous NBA, MLB, and PGA stars. The agency firm was founded in 2002 by Jeff A. Schwartz. Its headquarter is in New York.
The agency has one of the highest contract-value to client ratios in the industry for a multi-sport agency. Similarly, the agency also strives to provide the athletes reach their maximum potential professionally and personally.
With their strategic marketing and public relations campaigns, the firm helps the athletes be more desirable and make them stand out. As a result, it is one of the most powerful multi-sport agencies that rank among the best.
Excel Sports Management’s valuable clientele list includes Tiger Woods, Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, Zack Greinke, and Masahiro Tanaka.
Forbes states the agency’s commission to be $191.9 million and $3.99 billion contract value under management.
3. Wasserman Media Group LLC
- Sports: Soccer, Baseball, Football, Golf, Basketball, Hockey, Tennis
- Number of Clients: 727
The Wasserman Media Group LLC is a sports marketing and talent management company established in 1998. The agency is in Los Angeles, and Lew Wasserman is the founder.
The agency provides athletes with public relations services. It is estimated to generate $1.35 billion in annual sales. Therefore, it has been massively leaping among the best agencies.
Wasserman is one of the biggest multi-sport agencies in the world. Similarly, it has added football agency Key Sports and hockey agency Acme World Sports, enabling the agency to climb the ranks.
Likewise, Wasserman’s top valuable client list includes Russell Westbrook, Roman Josi, Shaq Thompson, Steven Adams, Giancarlo Stanton, etc.
As of 2020, Forbes has stated the group’s commission as $331.4 million and $5.73 billion contract value under management.
2. Boras Corporation
- Sports: Baseball
- Number of Clients: 81
The Boras Corporation is one of the top baseball agencies representing athletes from MLB. Scott Boras, who has been named “Most Powerful Sports Agent in the World,” is the agency’s founder.
Its headquarter is located in Newport Beach, California. The founder Scott Boras has negotiated some of the biggest professional contracts in the world.
However, the most notable contract negotiation includes the MLB’s right fielder Bryce Harper‘s deal worth $330 million with the Philadelphia Phillies. Similarly, the agency is very competent in boosting the revenue of the elite amateur player in every draft.
Similarly, other than Harper, Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon is among the valuable client list of Boras Corporation.
Forbes states the agency’s commissions to be $161.1 million and the contract value of $3.22 billion under management.
1. Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
- Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Soccer
- Number of Clients: 828
And we have made it to the top of the list. The number one top sports agency firm is the Los Angeles-based Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Michael Ovitz is the founder of the agency.
CAA is regarded as the most influential company among the talent agency business. In addition, the agency is the most dominant sports agency and is ranked No. 1 in Forbes’ sports agencies 2020.
Similarly, the agency firm is the No.1 agency for football and basketball, No.2 in hockey, No. 4 in baseball, and No. 6 in soccer. In addition, it represents almost 1,000 pro athletes.
However, the notable negotiation deals of the CAA agents include Robinson Cano’s $240 million contracts with the Mariners, Buster Posey’s $167 million deal with the San Francisco Giants, etc.
Additionally, the agency also has 11 of the top 50 most powerful agents in the world. The valuable clients’ list includes athletes like Paul George, Drew Brees, Julio Jones, Matt Ryan, DÁngelo Russell.
Likewise, Forbes has stated CAA’s commissions as $419.3 million and $8.86 billion contract value under management.
Conclusion
The sports agency firm plays a crucial role in managing the athletes’ revenues, marketing, endorsement deals, and many other affairs. Thus, the ones listed above are the best and the world’s most formidable agency firms.
So what do you think about our list? Do you think these agency firms deserve the spot they are given? Do let us know!
