Which are the top sports agencies in the world?
Undeniably, sports agents play a significant role in the development of sports as a whole. They’re out there, bringing to the fore the next star, wheeling around deals of the best of contracts for their clients. Their input in the sports world sees the continuity of sport. The success of a sports agency brand doesn’t just stop at the quality of clients they handled but also the financial prowess as well as their overall influence in the financial benefit of clients in their possession.
SportyTell takes an insightful look into some of the top sports agencies in the world. Highlights include the various sports they manage, location/country and their top agents.
Table of Contents
Here’s a list of the World’s Top Sports Agencies
1. Creative Artists Agency
- Location/Country: California, United States
- Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Soccer
- Sports Agents: Tom Condon, Todd France, Pat Brisson, Leon Rose
The Los Angeles-based sports agency is one of the leading agency brands in professional sports with its agency print in American football, basketball, soccer, baseball as well as hockey. It represents various clients across the sports sphere such as Aaron Donald, Joel Embiid, Drew Brees and has some of the world’s top sports agents working in its circle. According to Forbes in 2019, Creative Artists Agency managed $4.3 billion in contracts within the football sphere alone.
2. Excel Sports Management
- Location/Country: New York, United States
- Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Golf
- Sports Agents: Jeff Schwartz, Casey Close, Mark Steinberg, Sam Goldfeder
Jeff A. Schwartz established the agency in 2002 and extended it into a multisport agency in 2011. Excel Sports Management represents a number of NBA stars, the likes of Kemba Walker, Kevin Love and Paul Pierce among others. In the golf scene, it represents golfing champion, Tiger Woods. Over $3 billion in contracts value has been negotiated by the sports agency. Forbes named the agency among the top three World’s Most Powerful Sports Agencies repeatedly in the last four years.
3. Stellar Group
- Location/Country: London, United Kingdom
- Sports: Soccer
- Sports Agents: Jonathan Barnett
Based in London, the heart of football, Steller Group is a soccer leading top agency with over 300 active players on its roaster. It is owned by Jonathan Barnett. The agency is responsible for the lucrative contracts deal of soccer stars like Gareth Bale of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niquez and Valencia striker Maxi Gomez. It manages contracts valued at $1.28 billion as of 2019.
4. Gestifute
- Location/Country: Porto, Portugal
- Sports: Soccer
- Sports Agents: Jorge Mendes
Owned by soccer agent, Jorge Mendes, Gestifute is a soccer agency with headquarters in Porto, Portugal. It has built a positive business reputation, boasting a rich portfolio of the finest of clients. Some of their most valuable clients include five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and Man City star Bernardo Silva, who are among the endless list of soccer elites the soccer agency represents. As of 2019, it controls over $1 billion in active contracts, with a total of 122 clients.
5. Klutch Sports Group
- Location/Country: California, United States
- Sports: Basketball
- Sports Agents: Rich Paul
2012 was a fundamental year in the business life of Rich Paul as he started his very own sports agency, Klutch Sports Group. Its headquarters based its central operation in Cleveland, Ohio. Presently, the agency represents a number of elite NBA players including Eric Bledsoe, Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, and close associate LeBron James. As of 2019, the agency had a total number of 23 clients and managed contracts valued at $814 million.
6. Wasserman
- Location/Country: California, United States
- Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Golf, Hockey, Soccer, Tennis
- Sports Agents: Joel Wolfe, Adam Katz, Thad Foucher, Darren Matsubara
Founded by Casey Wasserman in 1998, the Los Angeles based sports marketing company has extended it agent business affiliate to the NBA, MLB, Tennis, Golf, Hockey and even soccer, representing a considerable number of athletes in those sports including stars such as Russell Westbrook and Giancarlo Stanton. As at 2019. The agency had a total of 453 clients and value of $4.18 billion in total contracts managed.
7. Priority Sports & Entertainment
- Location/Country: Illinois, United States
- Sports: Basketball, Football
- Sports Agents: Mark Bartelstein
Priority Sports & Entertainment is an independently owned sports agency based in Chicago, Illinois, founded by Mark Bartelstein in 1985 with representation service of NFL and NBA athletes and coaches. It is one of the largest sports agencies and has ranked twice on the Forbes list of World’s Most Valuable Sports Agencies. Priority Sports & Entertainment is particularly known for negotiating NBA star John Williams contract which made him the highest-paid player in the history of team sports at the time.
8. MVP Sports Group
- Location/Country: California, United States
- Sports: Baseball
- Sports Agents: Dan Lozano
Daniel Lozano’s MVP Sports Group came into life in 2010 after working as a professional agent for over 10 years. He had left Beverly Hills Sports Council to start the present reputable MVP Sports Group which specialize in baseball. After that profound move, the company has represented many top clients including Albert Pujols, Manny Machado, Joey Votto, Alex Rodriguez, Nick Swisher, Michael Young and a whole lot of other top baseball players. The agency is credited with the successful negotiation of some of the largest deals in baseball history.
9. SportsTotal
- Location/Country: Cologne, Germany
- Sports: Soccer
- Sports Agents: Volker Struth
Majorly a soccer sports agency, with its headquarters in Cologne and founded by Volker Struth, SportsTotal negotiated $122 million in total contract value in 2019 alone. The agency clients include a long list of Germany’s top soccer stars, the likes of Toni Kross, and Julian Weigl.
10. Aces
- Location/Country: United States
- Sports: Baseball
- Sports Agents: Sam Levinson, Seth Levinson
Although solely a baseball sports agency, the Brooklyn based agency led by brothers Sam and Seth Levinson, is among the best in the world. It boasts a number of 70 clients including baseball star Jon Lester and manages contracts value at over a billion dollars.
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Source: Forbes
