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| Dogra represented about 50 NFLers prior to leaving CAA |
Relativity Sports has hired NFL agent Ben Dogra as co-CEO of its football division in a move that may establish the agency as the most powerful football player representation practice in the country. The hiring creates a football practice of more than 100 clients, including some of the biggest stars in the NFL. Dogra represented about 50 NFL players, including Bills DE Mario Williams and Vikings RB Adrian Peterson, prior to being fired from CAA Sports on Nov. 13. Relativity Sports represented 80 NFL players before Dogra joined the firm. Relativity Sports CEO Happy Walters last night confirmed Dogra had joined the agency, effective immediately. Walters said of the hire, “There’s no doubt it’s a game changer. Ben is probably one of the best agents -- across any sport -- worldwide. That’s unequivocal.” Dogra will serve as Relativity Football co-CEO with Eugene Parker, who was previously the CEO of the division. Dogra will continue to work out of St. Louis, where he lives. Both Dogra and Parker will report to Relativity Sports President Josh Swartz. “Ben will contribute not only to the continued growth of our football division, but will lend his considerable expertise to help build our entire sports and entertainment platform,” Swartz in an e-mail wrote. Rusty Hardin, Dogra’s attorney, said Dogra chose to join Relativity Sports after talking to several agencies. Hardin is representing Dogra in the CAA Sports matter, and said he was commenting for Dogra because of “pending litigation” with CAA Sports. Hardin said he did not know how many of Dogra’s clients had left him to stay with CAA Sports, but that the majority chose to stay with Dogra. Under NFLPA rules, players sign with individual agents, not agencies. Clients usually stay with the agent with whom they have the closest relationship. Walters said that CAA Sports having fired Dogra was not a concern. "Not at all. Whatever issues he has with CAA will work themselves out in arbitration. That is between Ben and CAA."
NUMBERS AREN'T EVERYTHING: There are other sports agencies that represent more than 100 NFL clients, but both Walters and Parker said that it is not the number of clients that Dogra will bring, but the quality of clients, that is significant. Parker said that he asked that Dogra be named co-CEO and wants to run the division with him. Parker: “We are the dominant agency in football now. The quality of clients is No. 1 and, No. 2, bringing a quality agent like Ben to myself and our team -- it just takes us to another level.” Relativity Sports is a division of Hollywood film and television studio Relativity Media, LLC. Relativity Media launched Relativity Sports in July '12 by acquiring Parker’s firm, the former Maximum Sports, as well as the former SFX Baseball and the NBA practice owned by agent Dan Fegan. Relativity Sports last year added on to the football division by acquiring the practices of NFL player agents Doug Hendrickson and C.J. LaBoy, who both previously worked at Octagon. Prior to being dismissed by CAA Sports, Dogra had been one of three co-Heads of CAA Football, along with agents Tom Condon and Jimmy Sexton. Putting powerful, former rival agents together has not always worked in the past, Parker acknowledged. But he said, “Ben and I complement each other very well. Our egos are tied to the best interests of our clients and to winning. Therefore, we will make whatever sacrifices necessary to achieve those interests.”
