[Below is a summary of this state’s athlete agent law (as of spring 1999). The summary is intended only to provide an overview of the state law. For further information, readers should consult the applicable state code section.]

Code Section (These files require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Arizona Rev. Stat. §§ 15-1761 -1765

Enactment Date

-1999 (statute will become effective in August 1999)

Definitions

Athlete -A person who is eligible to participate in an intercollegiate sport and who is currently enrolled as a student at an institution of higher education or who has signed a national grant-in-aid with an institution of higher education.

Athlete-Agent -Any person who, directly or indirectly, recruits or solicits an athlete to enter into an agent contract or professional sports services contract or who for a fee procures or attempts to obtain employment for or offers or promises employment to a athlete with a professional sports team.

-Does not include the owner, employees, or other representatives of a professional sports team if the owner, employee, or representative does not recruit or solicit the athlete to enter into an agent contract.

Agent Contract -A contract or an agreement that authorizes an athlete agent to negotiate or solicit on behalf of an athlete with one or more professional sports teams for the employment of the athlete by one or more professional sports teams, or to negotiate or solicit on behalf of the athlete for the employment of the athlete as a professional athlete.

Professional Sports Services Contract -A contract or agreement under which an athlete is employed or agrees to render services as a player on a professional sports team or as a professional athlete.

Contract/Notice

-An athlete agent who verbally agrees to represent an athlete or who enters into a written agent contract with an athlete before the athlete’s eligibility has terminated must notify the president of the institution of higher education in writing.

-An athlete agent who verbally agrees to represent the athlete may not sign the athlete to a written contract until the expiration of 7 days after the president of the institution of higher education has received notice of the agreement.

-An athlete agent who signs an athlete to an agent contract before the expiration of the athlete’s eligibility must provide notice to the president of the institution of higher education within 7 days.

-Notice shall include the name of the athlete and the sport(s) in which the athlete competes.

-Before signing an agent contract, an athlete agent may not compensate an athlete or take any other action in connection with the athlete that may jeopardize the athlete’s eligibility to participate in intercollegiate athletics

Prohibited Acts

-It is unlawful for any person to:

-Violate any law relating to the occupation and practice of an athlete agent.

-Accept as a client an athlete referred by and in exchange for any consideration, including the rendering of services for free or reduced prices, made to an employee or a coach for an institution of higher education or high school located in the state.

-Offer or provide anything of value or benefit to an athlete if the value or benefit would cause the athlete to forfeit eligibility to participate in intercollegiate athletics.

-Offer or provide anything of value to any person to induce or attempt to induce an athlete to enter into an agreement by which an athlete agent will represent the athlete.

-Publish or cause to be published any false, fraudulent or misleading information, representation, notice or advertisement concerning the business of an athlete agent.

-Give any false information or make any false promises to an athlete concerning the business of an athlete agent.

-Give any false information or make any false promises or representations to an athlete concerning employment.

-Post date any agent contract between an athlete agent and an athlete or any person who acts on behalf of the athlete.

Penalties

-A person who knowingly engages in contact with an athlete in violation of the act shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

-Any person who fails to comply with the act is liable to the athlete’s institution of higher education for damages in the amount of revenue lost by the institution as a result of the person’s misconduct.

State Contact

-Legislative Services
1700 W. Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007
602/542-3701

(There is no agent registration in Arizona, however, copies of the statute can be obtained from the above office)