Today we have a special treat for the readers of NYBD: an interview with an up and coming sports agent. Matthew Seminara is a friend of mine from my Brooklyn neighborhood. He recently started his own sports agency: Seminara Sports. Although succeeding in the world of sports seems tough, even tougher was the fact he was the point guard on my 7th and 8th grade basketball team. Helping me win MVP of that team, considering I haven’t grown an inch over 5’8 since those days, might go down as his biggest accomplishment. In all seriousness, check out a brief Q&A with Matt as he talks about the challenges of athlete representation.

What made you get into the world of being a sports agent?

In evaluating the landscape of athlete representation today, I think there is a real need for a sports attorney that can provide high quality representation with his client’s best interest in mind at all times with the goal of always obtaining the best possible results in an ethical and value-driven way. I think a lot of the athlete agency business today is out for the “quick fix” so to speak – to latch on to the athlete whether he is at the professional or collegiate level and befriend him. Help him with his MySpace and Facebook account and not really provide much in the way of value and professional representation. There is a real need for an agency that can offer professional and comprehensive services in a high quality way. For Seminara Sports, our value is in our professionalism, our work experience and our educational backgrounds.  If you haven’t practiced law nor have a legal background for that matter, I believe you are at a distinct disadvantage in representing your clients. That is, sadly, much of the industry today. For Seminara Sports, it’s offering a fresh alternative with the background to prove that we can help a professional athlete with his career both on and off the playing field.  We will continue to work to obtain the best possible results while building a relationship of trust and honesty for each individual athlete and his family.

Talk about the challenges of starting your sports agency business.

The challenge of starting a sports agency, or any new business for that matter, is the constant quest to continue to build lasting relationships. Every time we go out into the baseball community we have to prove ourselves. While certainly a tremendous challenge, it is also something that we cherish and value immensely. The agency business in baseball today is so wide open that we value the opportunity to speak with professional athletes, coaches, student-athletes and their families, general managers, scouts and charitable organizations and express to them what makes Seminara Sports so unique. Our greatest challenge turns into what makes this business so appealing and rewarding for our company.  While there are operational and logistical obstacles to overcome when starting an athlete agency, we believe that by continually working to earn the respect of others everything else becomes easy.

Explain to our audience why it’s more important than ever for athletes to have an agent. Why should they hire Seminara Sports?

Well, you have to understand that professional baseball and professional sports in general is a business. An entire economy has surfaced from the global sporting landscape. Professional baseball is not just about balls and strikes, hits and outs, and wins and losses anymore. It involves the negotiation of contracts, television deals, sponsorships, marketing opportunities, and the like. At Seminara Sports we are fans of the game and we want to see all of our athletes succeed. But such success can only happen if an athlete has the resources necessary to understand the aspects of the game that he never learned while growing up playing. For example, some pertinent questions for today’s professional athletes to consider:

“Can I trust and do I have full faith in my agent (or attorney for that matter) to artfully negotiate my professional contract?”

“How does the luxury tax affect my ability to secure a contract with a team?”

“Will a new collective bargaining agreement ensure that I have a place in this league?”

“Will new ownership value my skill set as much as the previous owners?”

And perhaps more relevant in recent months: “What does the economic downturn have to do with the immediate future of Major League Baseball and its players?”

And that’s the primary reason we’re here. We’re here to navigate the athletes through the vicissitudes of the baseball business. So it’s really a mutually beneficial relationship. Our clients sustain Seminara Sports, while they can concentrate on what they do best, which is play professional baseball. In any arena of entertainment… take music for example… a musician can never have a sustainable career in the industry if he/she never adapts to the music industry’s demands, economic or otherwise. Being a good musician is never enough. You must also know the business of contracts, accountants, music attorneys, etc. The same goes for acting. And the same goes for baseball. So long as there is a business component to the game, any athlete would be well advised to hire an agent, or in our case an attorney, that’s going to look after his best interests.

Being an agent means obtaining clients. It’s not like there is a list to cold call prospective customers. How do you go about obtaining talent?

The analogy of graduating from law school, going to work for a small or large law firm and hanging out at a shingle and advertising in the yellow pages that you are a real estate or trusts/estate lawyer simply doesn’t exist in the athlete agent business. Cultivating long-lasting relationships is key to succeeding in our business. It’s all rooted in the principles of ethics and professionalism that form the foundation of Seminara Sports. We have a rule that we will not approach any amateur athlete without first contacting their coach and family. We will not undermine what’s in the best interest of a student-athlete simply for the sake of profit. It’s our belief that if we become known by the company we keep and the principles we stand by, talent becomes easier to obtain. We started our company in early 2008 and already represent 44 athletes just beginning their professional careers throughout Major League Baseball, many of which have been referrals. The game of baseball is so unique in that there are just so many talented athletes at all levels of competition, whether they are currently on an independent league roster or one step away from playing at Yankee Stadium. As such, with so many players and lots of exposure, operating the business ethically and doing things the right way becomes crucial to success. Once a reputation becomes tarnished, obtaining talent becomes increasingly more difficult.

I am sure the draft is a big day for you. What do you do to prepare for the draft?

In preparing for the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft we will be speaking with many coaches, families and student-athletes in helping them evaluate the merits of possible professional opportunities by making well-informed decisions concerning their futures. Student-athletes in baseball are afforded the opportunity to have “advisors” who provide value to their clients while evaluating the merits of a professional contract with the opportunity to remain at the collegiate level. An advisor is prohibited from contacting the professional team on behalf of the athlete and his family. If the advisor does so, he jeopardizes the student-athlete’s collegiate eligibility.  At Seminara Sports we always keep the student-athlete’s best interests in mind. Sometimes it’s advantageous to go pro early, sometimes not. We’re always upfront about that.

At the collegiate level, there are way too many examples of agencies running amok of the amateur rules that are in place for student-athletes’ safety. Our backgrounds enable us to develop positive relationships with coaches, families and then the student-athletes. Not vice-versa.

Why do your athletes prefer you, a start-up, versus a more established individual?

Seminara Sports hit the ground running with such a strong presence on the professional experiences and educational side that we believe all athletes and their families should consider our company because of what we can offer them. We certainly have the professional experiences and educational backgrounds to do so in a first-rate and professional way. Thus, while we are continuing to grow each and every day, we have been able to provide real value to our athletes and their families who are in essence receiving better services than they would at an agency that has been in existence for a longer period of time.  And we are committed to serving our athletes from the first day of their careers to the last. There are so many variables in sports that can become detrimental for even the best of athletes. Injury, market forces, and many others. But so long as an athlete is with Seminara Sports, we will continue to work with that athlete regardless of the circumstances. Whereas other agencies measure the cost-effectiveness in doing such a thing, we’ll always be loyal to our clients.

Moreover, our team is filled with professionals who have been there – who practice law, who practice medicine, who have played on the highest stage and in all-star games at the highest level and who are well ahead of the curve in marketing. Our Director of West Coast Recruitment, Ed Herrmann, played professionally for 14 years, and he knows what it’s like to be on the other side of the agent-principal relationship. Such experience separates us not just from the ordinary tip-of-the-mill athlete agency, but from what many consider the “established” agencies of today.

Tell the fans about some of your up-and-coming clients.

We have so many talented athletes – 44 to be exact – just beginning their professional careers throughout Major League Baseball. To name just a few… Daniel Kapala with the Yankees who played collegiately at Notre Dame and Mitch Abeita who was drafted by the Yankees in 2008 out of Nebraska and was considered to be one of the top catchers in all of collegiate baseball. Jose Barajas, who many consider the closer of the future for the Baltimore Orioles, as well as Luis Jimenez with the Angels who was recently voted one of the top prospects by Baseball America magazine. Edgar Osuna is a left-handed pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization who you should keep an eye on, as well as Ray Gonzalez with the Blue Jays and Starlin Castro with the Cubs. I also expect big years from some of our local athletes such Kyle Higgins who is from New Jersey and played at Monmouth University and was the 2008 NEC Player of the Year as well as Tom Davis who played collegiately at Fordham University and was the 2008 A-10 Pitcher of the Year. The future is bright for all of our athletes and we are honored to represent each and every one of them.  And, Mets fans are going to one day fall in love with John Servidio. I promise!

What do you like best about the business?

It’s such a natural high to be working with so many talented athletes and learning about their lives and families and how hard they are working to make it to Major League Baseball. Being just a small part of the equation is such an honor and we treat our work with the utmost importance. I enjoy each and every day, helping athletes and their families achieve their dreams and being with them every step of the way. When an athlete wants to join us, it’s such an honor that they believe in me as an attorney and our company to help them with their professional careers.  Seminara Sports is a business, but first and foremost we are also fans of the game. We grew up watching the same players as our athletes did. We’re overwhelmed with the fact that we know that we’re helping players carry the game we all love forward. I also enjoy the relationships that we have already been able to build in the baseball community with coaches, scouts, minor league coordinators, athletic equipment and apparel companies, and our charities. Of course, one of the best parts is building a business from the ground up – having a vision and seeing it come to fruition is very special.

What advice would you give someone who is interested in getting into the business?

If you are interested in the business, I would recommend attending law school. The education you will obtain will enable you to really be able to grapple with a myriad of issues that present themselves when representing someone. It’s not just the agency-principal concepts, but the intellectual property considerations, the legal issues concerning marketing, endorsement and sponsorship opportunities, understanding the scope of labor laws and how they relate to athlete representation, and, of course, contractual considerations. All are of the utmost importance when representing a professional athlete.

It’s important to take a step back and evaluate how you will add value to an athlete’s career – how will your background enable you to meet challenges head on. Remember that while you may not be the one stepping up to the plate or delivering the pitches, you must remain cognizant of the fact that the player’s success is tied to the results that you’re able to deliver. These players grow up wanting to become ballplayers, and by becoming an agent you take on the responsibility of helping these lifelong dreams materialize. My cell phone and e-mail are my lifeline, and I like it that way but for some the challenges of the clichéd 24-hour, seven-day-a-week profession may be too daunting for many aspiring to enter the profession.

But for those that do, always keep your integrity. I’d be lying to you if I said this wasn’t an industry replete with negative connotations. Do everything the right way, take the high road when necessary, and it’ll all pay off in the end.

If there is an athlete out there interested in your services, tell us how they can reach you.

Interested athletes and coaches should visit our site at www.seminarasports.com. There you will find a guide to the services we offer as well as how we approach our business. I’d be more than happy to handle any inquiries by phone – (646) 523-3331. Or you can reach me at matt [at]seminarasports.com.

Tags: New York Mets, New York Yankees, Seminara Sports