Seven NFL agents from three agencies have merged their practices to create
360 Sports LLC, a firm with 51 active NFL clients.
Craig Domann, formerly of Domann & Pittman, a firm he formed with agent Drew Pittman 22 years ago, will serve as managing agent of the firm. The other agents are Tom Mills, Kevin Robinson and Ryan Downey from Ascent Sports Management, and Cliff Brady from Sports Planning. Pittman and Jim Grogan from Domann & Pittman are also joining the firm.
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Brady
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Domann would not reveal the financial terms of the merger, but he said the seven agents have known one another for years and began talking about merging their practices this spring at the NFL combine.
“The main benefits are synergy, economies of scale and the opportunity to work together as a group,” Domann said. “The agent business is becoming very
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consolidated, in all sports.”
As has been reported, the athlete representation business is in a state of flux, with mega-agencies that represent athletes in multiple sports trying to get bigger through strategic hires and acquisitions. In the past, agents from small or midsize one-sport representation firms have banded together to build roster size, and that is the
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case here.
The combination “gives us a more powerful client list,” Domann said. “It’s somewhat of a no-brainer.”
Brady was a sole practitioner, and the clients he brings with him include Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge and St. Louis Rams tight end Alex Bayer. Domann & Pittman clients include Washington Redskins offensive lineman Chris Chester, Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Domata Peko and Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Samson Satele. The Ascent Sports Management clients who are now 360 Sports clients include Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Austin Howard, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Josh Martin and Dolphins offensive lineman Shelley Smith.
The seven agents will operate out of six offices nationwide, which gives the new company a wide net in recruiting clients. Domann is based in Colorado Springs, Colo.; Pittman in Waco, Texas; Grogan in Reno, Nev.; Brady in Chicago; Downey in Dana Point, Calif.; Robinson and Mills in Boulder, Colo.
Veteran NFL agent Jack Mills founded Ascent Sports Management. He is not part of 360 Sports, and he declined to comment for this story.
> SCHARF JOINS RIVAL: Jack Scharf, who has worked both on his own and with other NFL player representation firms in the past, has joined Rival Sports Group. It is not clear how many players may have joined Rival Sports Group with him. Neither Scharf nor Rival returned phone calls.
> DEC SIGNS THREE: DEC Management signed Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon and Jacksonville Jaguars fullback Eric Kettani. DEC founder David Canter will represent them.
Vernon was represented by Rosenhaus Sports. Kettani was represented by Edward S. Brown.
> PARTING WAYS: Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore, the No. 7 overall pick of the 2013 draft, has left his agent, Rodney Blackstock, and was without an agent last week. It was not clear why McLemore left. Blackstock did not return phone inquiries. … Philadelphia Eagles rookie wide receiver Josh Huff has left his agents and was without an agent last week. Huff, a third-round pick in this year’s draft, was co-represented by E. Overstreet Sports Management and United Sports Group. … Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant left Relativity Sports and was also without an agent last week. Bryant will be an unrestricted free agent in 2015.
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.
