Tim Scanlan has learned some lessons dealing with talent from the other side of the table.
Scanlan joined Octagon on June 1 after working at ESPN for 20 years, most recently as vice president of planning and development, where he was involved in the recruitment and contract negotiations for announcers and analysts for ESPN content across sports.
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Tim Scanlan has signed five broadcasters since joining Octagon in June.
Photo by: OCTAGON |
“The biggest difference, I’d say, is instead of buying, I’m selling,” Scanlan said. “It’s a different pitch, right?”
Sometimes at ESPN, if a broadcast talent was big enough, Scanlan would be selling the network to the broadcaster, Scanlan said. “But usually people come to ESPN looking for work. And when you are on that side, you end up taking the calls, and not making them. And on this side we are making calls.”
Since joining Octagon, Scanlan has signed ESPN broadcaster Jade McCarthy, ESPN play-by-play announcer Tiffany Greene, NHL Network host Michelle McMahon and digital network OneUp Sports broadcasters Noah Coslov and Jennifer Williams. Scanlan negotiated new deals for McMahon, Williams and McCarthy.
Scanlan negotiated McCarthy’s multiyear extension, which ESPN announced earlier this month, with Rob King, ESPN senior vice president of “SportsCenter” and news. King, who has known Scanlan for 12 years, said he has a sense of familiarity and trust with his colleague-turned-agent, which is helpful in working out an agreement.
Unlike a lot of agents, Scanlan does not have a big ego, said King and others who know him.
“I always found Tim to be thoughtful and fair-minded and kind and a good teammate, all traits I expect him to deploy in his new role, because they are genuinely who he is,” King said.
Scanlan’s new client McMahon echoed that. McMahon hired Scanlan after hearing from two people who worked in sports at networks that he was “a quality person,” she said.
McMahon hired Scanlan to help her during a hectic time in her life earlier this summer. Before signing a multiyear deal with NHL Network, McMahon had to be released from the remaining year on her contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. Scanlan helped her with that, she said.
“I didn’t know if I was moving or I was staying for three weeks, from basically the end of September through October,” McMahon said. “He was my strength through all of that. He kept me calm.”
Octagon’s client list of on-air sports television personalities includes ESPN “Outside the Lines” host Bob Ley, CBS NFL studio analyst Bill Cowher, NBC soccer and Olympics host Rebecca Lowe and NFL Network analyst Brian Billick.
“We hired Tim to enhance what we do best, which is integrated representation and not purely transactional representation,” said Octagon President Phil de Picciotto.
Scanlan is helping with managing broadcasting clients, as well as working with agents whose athlete clients are eyeing a transition to broadcast careers. Octagon represents more than 800 athletes across sports globally.
“He knows so many people and he has seen so many examples of how careers have either been constructed well or what has caused careers to go off the rails,” de Picciotto said. “So not only is he someone who builds relationships and business, but he is also very careful and prevents mistakes from happening.”
