Between the journey of wanting to become a sports agent, and actually becoming one, is a point called understanding the role. Negotiating over contracts on behalf of the sportsperson and handling their public relations is what comes first to the mind when one thinks of it. The less glamorous part often goes unnoticed, and that’s where the necessity lies. This part is also where most of the focus is required, tells Mr. Tarish Bhatt.
Not only dealing with the finances, investment and legally representing the sportsperson comes under the role of a sports agent but a good dose of sports knowledge is equally important, and it doesn’t just include keeping up with the sports section of a newspaper. As Mr. Tarish Bhatt says, an insider’s eye is what is required over here.
How is it like to work for a sports star? “Sports agents are often the go-to person for a sportsperson they handle. From arranging shoes of a particular brand to getting their travel arrangements sorted, or even calling the fire station in case of an emergency, chances are the agent is the one stop shop for a sportsperson,” tells Mr. Bhatt, while sharing an incident of a renowned sports celebrity to actually dial up his agent, and not the fire brigade, when his house caught fire!
In a celebrity obsessed country, one’s skills are often recognized when one’s persona is. Successful marketing can bring one from nowhere to right under the spotlight. Upon asked if marketing plays the bigger role in brining one to the bigger picture, Mr. Bhatt had this to say: “Of course, the set of skills an individual possesses matters, but it’s a coin toss chance of them being given their due or the situation being otherwise. And to make sure that a sportsperson is marketed well is just another part of the job of an agent.” This also includes marketing for the factors associated with a sportsperson, including their personal ventures, brands owned by them and even biographies made out of their lives.
Coming to the earnings of a sports agent, there’s no exact figure or even an approximate that can give a clear insight. “There are sports agents who are millionaires and there are agents who are nowhere close,” shares Mr. Bhatt when asked about the average income of a sports manager. The remuneration is mostly in the form of commission that an agent gets for negotiating endorsements, etc. A certain percent of the contract amount is paid to the agent for their role, depends on the skills of a sports agent.
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