Menu
Labor and Agents

MLBPA certification test taken by prospective agents, some en Español

Forty-eight prospective  agents took the MLB Players Association agent certification test last month, with seven of them taking it in Spanish.

 

The MLBPA has been giving agent applicants the opportunity to take the test in Spanish since the inception of the exam in 2015. It’s believed to be the only U.S. sports union to give the test in a language other than English.

 

“Almost a third of players are Latin and many work directly with agents who are predominantly Spanish speakers,” Robert Guerra, MLBPA assistant general counsel, said in an email. “Spanish-speaking agents often discuss players’ rights and responsibilities with their clients in Spanish, so it only makes sense to offer the exam in the same language in which they communicate with the players they represent.”

 

The MLBPA administers the exam twice a year, in January and August. Applicants must pass a background check by an independent agency before they can take it. MLBPA attorneys conduct a full-day study session the day before the test.

  

“During the course of preparing for the exam and attending our review session, prospective Players Association-certified agents also learn to identify issues that could affect their clients and become better prepared to work with the Players Association to respond in a timely and appropriate fashion,” Guerra said.

 

Exam-takers are quizzed on the MLB Basic Agreement (the sport’s collective-bargaining agreement), the Joint Drug Agreement, Agent Regulations and Major League rules. Applicants have up to three hours to take the exam, which is multiple choice.

 

The MLBPA offers two levels of agent certification: General and limited. General-certified agents may negotiate major league contracts with MLB clubs. Limited agents may recruit clients and provide client maintenance services on behalf of a general-certified agent.

 

Of this latest group of prospective agents, 33 sat for the general certification exam and 15 sat for the limited. Four women took the test. Test-takers will be informed of their results in the next few weeks. There are currently 425 MLBPA-certified agents.

 

SPORTSTARS SIGN PETERSON: Sportstars has signed former NFL MVP Adrian Peterson and negotiated the veteran running back’s deal last month to join the Washington Redskins.

Sportstars agent Ron Slavin is representing Peterson, who was a longtime client of Ben Dogra but in recent years was represented by Tracy Lartigue.

 

Two-time world champion surfer John John Florence has signed with CAA Sports.Getty Images

CAA GOES SURFING: CAA Sports has signed Hawaiian champion surfer John John Florence, who is pursuing a spot in the inaugural Olympic surfing competition, for representation in all areas.

CAA Sports agents Lowell Taub and Lis Moss are representing Florence, who is one of five surfers in men’s Championship Tour history to win his first two world titles in consecutive years — 2016 and 2017. He was previously unrepresented.

 

Surfing will make its debut as an Olympic sport in 2020 in Tokyo.

 

UTA SIGNS ACHO: United Talent Agency has signed ESPN college football analyst Emmanuel Acho for representation. Acho is a former linebacker who played for the Texas Longhorns and spent four seasons in the NFL before becoming a broadcaster. UTA agents Jerry Silbowitz and Ryan Hayden are representing him. He formerly was represented by Wasserman.

Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2018/09/10/Labor-and-Agents/Labor-and-Agents.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2018/09/10/Labor-and-Agents/Labor-and-Agents.aspx

CLOSE