Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

PREMIER SPORTS MANAGEMENT: Full-service approach

Local agency tries to go beyond just negotiating deals

By MARK ANDERSON
REVIEW-JOURNAL

The Premier Sports Management staff, from left to right, Steve Clark, Jeff Pressman and Joel Corry, and president Gary Uberstine pose inside the agency's Las Vegas office. The company represents four prospects in this weekend's NFL Draft, including UNLV linebacker Adam Seward. Photo by Gary Thompson.

When Gary Uberstine was looking to relocate his player-representative agency from Los Angeles more than three years ago, the Las Vegas Valley made the most sense as a home base.

"At the time, I came out here looking for a place that would be good for recruiting," said Uberstine, president of Premier Sports Management. "This is really a great city, and everybody wants to come here."

The agency is especially busy with the NFL Draft coming up this weekend.

Premier represents UNLV linebacker Adam Seward, UCLA wide receiver Craig Bragg, Southern California defensive tackle Mike Patterson and Brigham Young defensive end/outside linebacker Brady Poppinga.

Having a roster of several NFL prospects is unusual for Premier. The agency took on just one draft prospect each of the past two years in trying to run a "Jerry Maguire" operation that emphasizes loads of attention on a client list of only about 50 names.

That list includes USC coach Pete Carroll as well as standout NFL players Troy Brown, Keenan McCardell (a UNLV product), Willie McGinest, John Randle, Jimmy Smith and Patrick Surtain.

"Rather than 50 seventh-round or undrafted players, we try to get a good guy," said Steve Caric, Premier's vice president of public relations and marketing. "We target maybe 10 guys a year and sign between one and five."

Caric and Uberstine said Premier keeps its list short so it can properly focus on each client and provide services that go beyond negotiating a contract. Premier also markets the players, provides financial advice and helps the draft prospects receive the proper workouts.

Such treatment, Seward said, made it easier to concentrate on preparing for February's NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. Seward excelled there and now is considered a possible second-round pick.

Premier sent Seward to Los Angeles to train, provided him with weekly stipend checks between $800 and $1,000, made his travel arrangements when he met with NFL teams and promoted him throughout the league.

"I truly believe if I had not gone down there and gotten away, I wouldn't be where I am today," Seward said.

Private agents, Caric said, don't have the luxury to devote such attention, particularly in marketing.

"Agents hire a lot on a spot basis when it comes to PR," Caric said. "It gets ignored until a guy says he isn't happy. Aside from the major agencies like IMG and Octagon, others don't have PR and marketing. Agents do the contracts, and they don't talk again (to the athlete) until the contract's up or a problem arises. We try to be with guys through good and bad."

Uberstine said that was a philosophy he followed since he was with Management Plus and represented players such as Shaquille O'Neal and Ronnie Lott.

In trying to be a full-service agency to a small client list, Premier is careful about the players it chooses to represent.

"You try to talk to other players who are familiar with them or have played with them," Uberstine said. "Then we have an introductory meeting. You can usually tell a lot about someone when you talk to them for a couple of hours. Players looking for a guarantee or a short cut or false promises aren't players we're looking for."