Jupiter, FL- The Palm Beach Cardinals (75-65, 36-34) beat the Jupiter Hammerheads (46-92, 24-46) today at Roger Dean Stadium by a score of 2-1. C.J. Beatty's RBI single off of Johnny Dorn (4-12) in the seventh inning broke the 1-1 tie and propelled the Cardinals to a series victory over the Hammerheads.
Tyler finished with a 6 inning, 2 hit shut out!By Ryan Murray
The business of athlete representation is widely regarded as an extremely competitive environment that can lead to rather unethical behavior as agencies try to sign "the next big thing". Couple that with pages of rules and regulations from both the NCAA as well as state laws that are about as clear as peanut butter, and it's no wonder that rules get broken either intentionally or unintentionally.
"Sure, it's challenging, but it's no more challenging than say, being a realtor," Mike Baker, Owner/Agent of MBi Sports Management said in a recent interview. "Tough times tend to weed out those that aren't qualified or aren't in it for the long run."
MBi Sports Management, located in Greensboro, was founded by Mike Baker and focuses on baseball. Having played baseball professionally, Baker knows the ins and outs of athlete representation from both sides of the equation and the company "was founded under the premise that every athlete's career is unique and deserving of quality, professional and personalized representation," according to the organization's website.
"The most challenging aspect is trying to advise parents at the most pivotal point in their child's life, when we're all unsure about how that is viewed by the NCAA," Baker said. "Do they have a right to counsel? If so, who says when and where this is appropriate?"
In North Carolina, athlete agents must adhere to the North Carolina Uniform Athlete Agents Act set forth by the NC Secretary of State. The Act goes into a litany of black, white and gray about what an athlete agent can and cannot do.
"The Act is not very clear to the parents when they read the document, if they take time to read it at all and the players don't read it," Baker said when asked about the Act. "There needs to be very clear cut timing and actions for all to understand."
In addition to the Uniform Athlete Agents Act, Baker was also asked if he felt there was a better way where all parties involved can work more closely to prevent harmful situations to all.
"The NCAA should designate a time to choose agents," Baker said. "Agents should then be allowed to visit during certain dates and be allowed to leave the family or player their information. Let the player decide. Anything else is a clear violation and with accountability because the accountability lies with the NCAA and the agents."
The responsibility does lie with the NCAA and sports agents. However the current system is so unclear that it makes it difficult for agencies that do follow the rules (like MBi Sports Management) to understand what can and cannot be done. And for those entities that do not follow the NCAA's current murky regulations, it gives an easy out to pass the blame on to someone else.
What are your thoughts and opinions on the NCAA, agents and athletes? Please feel free to leave a comment.
This article is the conclusion of a series involving the investigation by the NCAA into various universities as well as the North Carolina Secretary of State's Office opening an investigation into sports agents in the state.
To read the article on the NCAA's investigation into the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, click here. To read more on the NC Secretary of State's probe into sports agents, click here and to read the interview with George Jeter, Directory of Communication for the NC Secretary of State, click here. To read part one of the discussion with Mike Baker, Owner/Agent of MBi Sports Management, click here.
NEWS RELEASE
June 27, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information:
Courtney Baker
Public Relations Director
Email: admin@mbisports.com
MBi Family Grows in Number
MBi Sports Management Welcomes Summer Interns
GREENSBORO, NC – MBi Sports Management is proud to introduce their summer interns: Bongsoo Kang and Landry Moore. Both Bongsoo and Landry are making MBi their home for the summer as they gain experience in the sports management field.
Bongsoo Kang is originally from South Korea; he comes to MBi from The University of Tennessee where he is currently studying Sport Management with a concentration in Business Administration. Bongsoo brings experience in both the marketing and sales aspects of sporting games and events. He says of his summer internship, “I am looking forward to working with MBi and building on professional skills such as communication, organization, and implementation. In the future, I hope to become a sport agent, so I am excited for this opportunity.”
Landry Moore is a native of Houston, Texas and is a senior at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. With a background as a competitive softball player, Landry is familiar with the ends of outs of being an athlete. She will be assisting in scouting players, as well as the marketing and management aspect of the field. Landry says she “joins the MBi Sports Management team hoping to gain knowledge and experience in the world of sports agency.”
For more information on MBi’s summer interns or to see how to apply for an internship, contact MBi Sports Management at (336) 210-4203 or visit http://www.mbisports.com.
Aggie Sent to Arizona
MBi Sports Management Signs Greensboro Local Nick Rogers
GREENSBORO, NC – MBi Sports Management is excited to announce their representation of Nick Rogers; a pitcher from Greensboro, NC who signed with the Kansas City Royals as a non drafted free agent at the start of this month.
Rogers attended Northwest Guilford High School. He went on to attend North Carolina A&T. In his senior season at A&T, Rogers ended his collegiate career by starting in 51 games for the Aggies where he accumulated a stellar .364 batting average; with 72 hits, 10 doubles, and 15 home runs, Rogers batted in a total of 54 runs. He also stole 11 bases during the season. He was a vital part of the Aggies baseball team.
Mike Baker, owner and agent of MBi Sports Management, says of Rogers, "I think the Royals saw the raw potential that Nick possesses. He will no doubt take advantage of this opportunity with the Royals and work his way to the big leagues."
MBi is one of the only businesses of its kind in the Triad to provide individuals with the tools they need to achieve success in their professional athletic careers. For more information, contact MBi Sports Management at (336) 210-4203 or visit http://www.mbisports.com.
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