Octagon has signed WNBA All-Star
Elena Delle Donne for representation on and off the court.
Delle Donne, a Chicago Sky guard/forward, will be represented by Erin Kane, senior director of Octagon’s North American sales and marketing group. She was represented by her brother, Gene Delle Donne, and before that by Wasserman Media Group.
Kane, whose other clients include NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson and softball pitcher Jennie Finch, said she will look to add to Delle Donne’s endorsement portfolio. Delle Donne counts Nike as a sponsor.
Kane will look toward WNBA as well as Olympic sponsors for deals for Delle Donne, who is expected to compete for Team USA next year in Rio.
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Delle Donne is expected to compete in Rio for Team USA.
Photo by: NBAE / GETTY IMAGES
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“She has a tremendous opportunity to represent women’s basketball and help grow the sport and women’s sports in general,” Kane said.
Delle Donne was WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2013, is a three-time WNBA All-Star and is in contention for MVP this season.
Octagon also signed Seattle Mariners pitcher Fernando Rodney and golfer Xander Schauffele, who recently turned professional.
Rodney was an all-star in 2012 and 2014 but was designated for assignment by the Mariners last week. He will be represented by Brian Mejia and was formerly represented by MVP Sports Group. Schauffele played at San Diego State and was the No. 15 amateur in the world after he won the California State Amateur Championship. Ross Chouler will represent him.
> PSR HIRES SCHIEFELBEIN: Professional Sports Representation, which specializes in representing football coaches, general managers and other personnel executives, has hired veteran NFL club executive Mark Schiefelbein as senior executive associate.
Schiefelbein will report to PSR founder Bob LaMonte and assist him in representing clients. “I will be involved in all aspects of the organization,” said Schiefelbein, who has worked for 23 years in the NFL, including with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers. Most recently, he was senior vice president of football operations for the Cleveland Browns.
LaMonte founded PSR 38 years ago. The firm, which is based in the Reno-Tahoe area, spent its first 10 years representing football, basketball and baseball players but then switched over to representing coaches and other management.
PSR counts five NFL head coaches — Andy Reid, John Fox, Mike McCoy, Jack Del Rio and Jay Gruden — among its clients. The firm also represents college football head coaches and broadcasters, including Jon Gruden.
“We couldn’t be more excited to hire someone with the vast experience that Mark Schiefelbein has and brings to the PSR family,” LaMonte said.
> NFL AGENT SWITCHES: Several NFL players have switched agents in recent weeks, including Arizona Cardinals cornerback Jerraud Powers and New York Jets cornerback Javier Arenas.
Both Powers and Arenas signed with Lagardère Unlimited agents Chafie Fields and Joel Segal. Powers was represented by Relativity Sports and Arenas by Enter-Sports Management.
Philadelphia Eagles safety Chris Maragos has left XAM Sports and signed with Rep 1 Sports’ Ryan and Bruce Tollner.
Buffalo Bills safety Aaron Williams has left Relativity Sports and signed with David Mulugheta of Athletes First.
Other players have terminated contracts with agents and firms but had not selected new ones as of last week, including Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Josh Huff.
Seattle Seahawks tight end Luke Willson has left Ultimate Sports Agency, and Eagles punter Donnie Jones has left Rosenhaus Sports.
Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee, who signed a five-year, $14 million contract that garnered headlines last year, left Relativity Sports.
> EXCEL SIGNS ALDRIDGE: Excel Sports Management has signed San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge. Excel President Jeff Schwartz will represent him. He was represented by Wasserman Media Group.
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @SBJLizMullen.
