Career Sports, a firm that specializes in representing coaches, baseball players and broadcasters, has signed Atlanta Braves right fielder and Gold Glove winner Jeff Francoeur, college basketball broadcaster Clark Kellogg, BYU basketball coach Dave Rose and Los Angeles Sparks coach Michael Cooper.
The signings reflect the diverse practice areas of Atlanta-based Career Sports, which was founded by agent Lonnie Cooper in 1986. Cooper was a pioneer in the business of representing coaches, and his first client was basketball coach Mike Fratello, who signed with Cooper when he was coaching the Atlanta Hawks, said Molly Fletcher, Career’s president of client representation.
Career branched into broadcast work because, Fletcher said, “Our coaches were getting fired, but they were incredible to put in front of the camera. And we started negotiating deals with the various networks and put them on television.”
Career launched a baseball practice by signing Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz, who was introduced to the agency through mutual acquaintances in the Atlanta area.
As for the new clients, Mark Carmony, vice president of coaches and broadcasters, will represent Kellogg and Rose. Fletcher and agent Keith Grunewald will represent Francoeur. Lonnie Cooper will represent Michael Cooper.
The agent who negotiated Rick
DiPietro’s 15-year deal won’t
be around for the end of it.
DIPIETRO FIRES AGENT AFTER RECORD DEAL: New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro has fired agent Paul Krepelka about a year after Krepelka negotiated a record 15-year, $67.5 million deal for the goalie.
Sources said the firing occurred several months ago, although it hasn’t been well-publicized. Krepelka would not comment.
DiPietro’s contract with the Islanders, negotiated in September 2006, garnered a lot of press at the time because it was thought to be the second-longest player contract in sports history in North America and the longest contract ever in the NHL. Signed when DiPietro was 25, it will expire after he turns 40.
EDWARDS FIRES ALL-PRO: Cleveland Browns wide receiver and Pro Bowler Braylon Edwards has fired All Pro Sports & Entertainment agents Lamont Smith and Peter Schaffer. Edwards, the No. 3 pick in the 2005 NFL draft, is expected to sign with CAA Sports, but he was agentless as of the middle of last week.
The firing of Smith and Schaffer came as a bit of a surprise to many in the NFL agent community. The Denver-based agency negotiated a five-year, $40 million deal that was widely considered to be one of the best, if not the best, rookie deal in 2005.
“It is very disappointing to see a player of this magnitude whose agents negotiated such a good deal … switch to another agent,” said one rival agent who did not want to be identified because he competes with Smith and Schaffer for clients.
WMA SIGNS BYNUM: The William Morris Agency, a Hollywood talent firm that focuses its sports practice on representing a select group of star athletes it views as having appeal beyond their sports, has signed Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum for off-the-court work.
Bynum, 20, who had a breakout year this season before suffering a knee injury expected to keep him out four more weeks, will continue to be represented by NBA agent David Lee for player contract work. Agents Lon Rosen and Philip Button will head up the team representing Bynum at WMA.
“Andrew is phenomenal,” WMA Chairman and CEO Jim Wiatt said in a statement. “He possesses a rare combination of athletic skills, intelligence and poise for his age. We look forward to exploring opportunities that capitalize upon his appeal across all areas of entertainment.”
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com.
