Andre Agassi and Agassi Enterprises have signed an
exclusive global marketing representation agreement with SFX
Sports Group. The deal marks the end of Agassi's 11-year
relationship with IMG. Agassi Enterprises President Perry
Rogers told THE DAILY yesterday, "We felt that IMG simply
wasn't able to accomplish what Andre's goals were and that
SFX was more properly positioned to accomplish that. ... IMG
wanted to make sure that Andre was as happy as they could
make him, but it's the ability to execute that determines
the success or failure of any relationship. While I think
that the IMG relationship has been successful over the last
eleven years, it was simply time to make a change" (THE
DAILY). The N.Y. TIMES writes that losing Agassi, "along
with his million-dollar endorsements, was a major blow" to
IMG, and that the "question of whether other top athletes
may be tempted to switch from sports management firms to
more entertainment-oriented public companies may be a
byproduct" of Agassi's move. IMG Exec VP & COO Bob Kain:
"I'm obviously disappointed. ... The only one reason I can
see for him leaving is if somebody bought him. They gave
him a lot of something. Stock or cash" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/12).
In N.Y., gossip columnist Mitchell Fink writes that "word on
the street" is that Agassi got a signing bonus of more than
$10M worth of SFX stock, as well as a "promise" that SFX
"would make him 'Tiger Woods-like' endorsement deals." But
Rogers told Fink, "We are not for sale. Andre made the move
because SFX now has the who's who of sports marketing." One
source said, "SFX is buying up clients the way they buy up
companies" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/12).
ON A ROLL: An ORLANDO SENTINEL report states that FL
State Univ. WR Peter Warrick, the "projected first pick" in
the NFL Draft, has decided to have SFX Sports Group handle
his playing contract and marketing (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/12).
