To combat the racial gap in professional athlete representation, Diverse Representation and Southern University Law Center will host a two-day immersive Sports Agent Bootcamp for Historically Black College and University (HBCU) students.

The event — which takes place Feb. 4-5, 2022 — and will be hosted at Southern University’s campus in Baton Rouge, LA. Students can look forward to featured panels and sessions hosted by industry leaders and top companies including Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Vanguard Sports Group, Independent Sports & Entertainment, and more who will cover a variety of topics such as “Recruiting and Managing Clients,” “Representing the Peak Professional Athlete,” and “Maintaining Integrity as an Agent.”

“Our inaugural Sports Agent Bootcamp will allow students to engage and network with highly trained and experienced sports agents that will offer the inside scoop on the industry and its emerging trends,” said Marla Dickerson, Associate Vice Chancellor of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives, according to a press release sent to AfroTech. “We strive to provide learning experiences and opportunities so that our students can become versatile legal professionals.”

The Sports Bootcamp Aims To Increase Representation

Southern University Law Center’s Sports Agent Bootcamp will provide a first for many Black students and young industry leaders who are searching for guidance to learn the ropes of athlete representation. The program aims to ensure participants will have an advantage in an arena in which they have continuously been overlooked. 

“In 2020, history was made when more than half of players selected in the first round of the NFL draft were represented by Black agents,” said Jaia Thomas, Esq., Founder, and CEO of Diverse Representation in a press release. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen an uptick in the number of professional athletes hiring Black agents, but we still have a long way to go. The Southern University Law Center’s Sports Agent Bootcamp is the first-of-its-kind program specifically geared towards educating Black students and young professionals about the inner workings of athlete representation.”

How To Register

The event will be open to the public. Interested attendees must register to secure their spot. For students, early bird registration will be $35 until Jan. 16, 2022. Once the date has surpassed, general admission will begin at $50.

For those interested, click here.