November arrives Monday. If you’re part of the football business, that’s the month when things start getting serious. Whether you’re recruiting, scouting, or inviting players (to all-star games), the end of the year means you’re getting a lot closer to making real commitments.

With that in mind, we’re stepping up our Zoom schedule. We’ll be trying several new sessions aimed at bringing respected and knowledgeable professionals to the people who need information the most. Here’s what we have.

  • We’re pretty excited about our upcoming three-session NIL class, which will be hosted by Trevor Swenson of Sacramento-based Dynamic Talent. While most people in the industry are pro-NIL, just as many are scratching their heads and wondering how to capitalize on it. I think NIL rules could change the way football biz professionals approach their work; it’s possible we see a dip in NFL agent signups as would-be player reps pass up the $5K exam cost and problematic training finances to take a shot at making money without nearly the sacrifices. Trevor is an NIL wiz, with decades of experience promoting entertainers and athletes. Though the barriers to entry for NIL success are much lower, you still have to know what you’re doing, and Trevor knows. Cost is $150 plus tax. Register here.
  • Speaking of training costs, our next New Agent Orientation will discuss budgeting for the pre-draft process. We get a lot of questions about what kind of player requires training — do priority free agents expect their combine prep to be covered? — as well as how to deal with sharing these costs. There are many ways, and if you’re not cognizant of them, you will quickly spend your way out of the game. We will have guests to discuss the pitfalls of agent costs, and whether or not you’re eager to hear the facts of life re: finances, you need to hear this. The date for this is TBA, but we’re targeting the second week of November. We tackled recruiting and registrations in September and the entire all-star landscape this month. To join us, you need to have passed this summer’s NFL agent exam and be part of the ITL family.
  • We may actually do two sessions for new agents. The executive directors of several all-star games have expressed an interest in talking to the new agent class, and we’re happy to oblige. We’re working on a Zoom that will feature Damond Talbot (Hula Bowl), Jose Jefferson (CGS), Michael Quartey (Tropical Bowl) and Dane Vandernat (NFLPA Bowl). It will be a way to introduce these gentlemen to new agents. Once again, if you’re newly certified and an ITL subscriber, you’re in.
  • We’re also working on a free session for aspiring NFL scouts among our membership. We’ll bring in a former NFL evaluator to discuss the finer points of grading players. This one is aimed at our younger clientele who are out there looking for morsels on how to scout, but all members of the ITL family are welcome.
  • One last opportunity: former Titans executive Blake Beddingfield will join us, likely in the second week of November, with his annual list of 50 sleepers. These are players that newer agents can target who aren’t in the limelight, but who are legitimate late-round prospects. Cost is $35 plus tax. More details, including date, to come.

it’s going to be a busy month. Stay tuned to the Friday Wrap (register here) for details on when our Zooms will take place. Got ideas for other Zooms? Let us know here. DMs always open.