Monthly Archives: July 2022

A Look at the XFL’s 2023 Salary and Compensation

29 Friday Jul 2022

Posted by in Agents, XFL

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Monday night, I hosted a Zoom session with XFL officials Russ Giglio and Doug Whaley. I hope you made it; we cast a pretty wide net and didn’t put any restrictions on who could join us. However, the summer’s a busy time, so I thought maybe a recap was in order.

Here’s a look at what Doug and Russ shared with the mostly agents and media members who participated in Monday’s call.

Pay/compensation: The XFL has a pretty nice compensation package for players who do nothing but attend camp, and for those who go beyond, there is a base $50,000 contract for players active for all 10 games (plus $1,000 per win “incentive”). Even for a team that goes winless, it’s a $5,000 bump over USFL salaries. Also worth noting: because the league begins play early in ’23, players with NFL offers will be able to make Phase 2 of NFL off-season programs. 

  • $800 per week for training camp (five weeks) 
  • $5,000 per game regular season active list (10 games)
  • $1,500 per week inactive list (10 games)
  • $1,000 per win (active and inactive list)
  • Playoff bonuses for winners and losers of playoff games
  • Significant championship bonus for both winning and losing teams
  • Players will be released following their team’s final game (late April or early May) if they receive an NFL offer.

Housing/meals: The league will house its players in hotels during the season and cover two meals per day (three meals per day during training camp). After figuring in insurance and other benefits, the league estimates that players get an extra $20,000, bringing the total package to about $70,000.

  • Three meals and a snack per day during training camp
  • Two meals and a snack per day during the regular season
  • Full health, dental and vision insurance included for players. Option to pay for family members to be covered.   
  • XFL has budgeted for approximately $20,000 per player in fringe benefits

Showcases/Player Evaluation/Drafts: The XFL will hold a draft In November, then supplement it with one or more subsequent drafts early in 2023. Important note: a player who attended one of the league’s showcases this summer is not necessarily entered into the player pool. Though all showcase attendees will be evaluated, only those who are tendered an offer to enter the player pool are given that opportunity (and they must accept the invitation; no one is automatically entered). It’s important to note that each team’s personnel director will attend NFL training camps in order to scoop up the best players who don’t make the cut in September. That’s a potential 600 players who are on 90-man rosters right now, but who could be in the player pool come October. Doug and Russ added that the player pool will be established well in advance of the draft; there will be no last-minute confusion on who can be drafted. 

  • Player draft pool invitations have been emailed to players on a rolling basis
  • DPPs will be visiting NFL training camps
  • Draft in November, supplemental drafts as more players become available (expiring contracts from other leagues)

Quarterbacks: League officials know the XFL will go as far as its passers do, so it’s making a commitment to its signal-callers, paying a selected few of them a little more than other position players and bringing them in earlier. Once in camp — all training will take place in Arlington, Texas — they’ll be instructed by elite QB trainer who will be announced at a later date. Recruiting is already under way. 

NFL Alumni Academy: The XFL has partnered with the Arlington, Tx -based NFL Alumni Academy, and will give XFL players-to-be a chance to hone their skills. Players who attend the Academy will be eligible to be picked up as injury replacements for the NFL, but if they do not, they will be offered the ability to opt into a XFL contracts. 

We’ll discuss the XFL and more in today’s Friday Wrap. Make sure to register for it here. 

 

Coming Monday: XFL’s Whaley, Ross and Giglio on Zoom

22 Friday Jul 2022

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Doug Whaley has collaborated with me on several Inside the League projects over the years. The former Bills GM was among the panelists at our networking event at the 2019 NFL Combine, then joined us later that day for our annual seminar on behalf of the XFL, which would launch the following spring. That evening, he met with hundreds of NFL agents to introduce the new league and how it would operate.

Since then, Doug has joined me for a podcast on the 2017 NFL Draft and several Zoom interviews with active NFL scouts, executives, and current and prospective NFL agents. I can’t recall him ever saying “no,” so when he asked if Inside the League would host a Zoom session on Monday, July 25, at 8 p.m. ET, he already knew the answer would be “yes.”

Monday night, I’ll host as Doug, along with XFL executives Marc Ross and Russ Giglio, discusses the “business side” of the league, which returns this spring. If you’re a prospective XFL player or the agent of one, you’re going to want to check it out, and I hope you do.

Here’s what Doug, Marc and Russ will cover:

  • Player salaries — will there be win bonuses?
  • Do players at all positions get paid the same or do some positions rate higher pay?
  • How much room for negotiation is there on salaries?
  • How will injuries be handled? How will a player be replaced?
  • What about worker’s comp?
  • Will there be practice squads? How will they be paid?
  • What if a player gets an NFL offer? Will he be released? What if the CFL calls?

I’m sure, if there’s time, Doug will also field questions about where the league stands on the population of the player pool. These days, we get daily questions on how a player who didn’t attend any of the showcases or who has NFL experience can still be considered by the league.

It will be the second XFL Zoom in which ITL has played a part. In April, Doug was joined by several other XFL officials — including league co-owner Dwayne Johnson himself — as we held an initial meet-up with agents, marketers, scouts, coaches, and others interested in the returning league.

Unlike last time, there will be no restrictions on who we allow to join us. But there’s one catch: the Zoom link will be in the Friday Wrap, which comes out at 7:30 p.m. So if you’re interested in the finer details of the new league, make sure you are currently registered for our weekly email. If you aren’t already, you can do that here. Just make sure you do it by this evening.

I hope to see you Monday night. Remember: 8 p.m. ET, and we’ll go about an hour, with Doug and the XFL team leading things off, followed by questions. If you’re part of the pro football business community, I hope you’ll join us.

Best Tips on Passing the 2022 NFL Agent Exam

15 Friday Jul 2022

Posted by in Agents, Getting started

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This is the last weekend before the 2022 NFL Agent Exam, which means it’s go time for everyone hoping to become NFLPA-licensed this fall. At ITL, for the past week, we’ve been frantically filling orders on our practice exams, study guide and videos. Still, just having the right tools isn’t enough. Encouragement and counsel on how to pass matter, too.

We try to accomplish that every year with the ITL Rising Contract Advisor Newsletter, in which we interview members of the most recent agent class who got players on 90-man rosters. We find it’s a good way to remind test-takers that their mission isn’t impossible.

Here’s a distillation of some of the best tips we’ve gotten from agents we’ve worked with over the past decade. If you’re taking the test Wednesday, we hope you’ll find some useful morsels of wisdom:

  • “I remember that there was a question about if there is a playoff bye, do you get a playoff bonus? The guy at the lecture said twice it wouldn’t be on the test, but it was. I don’t think he was doing that intentionally, but it did end up being on the test. So be thorough, and get your questions answered (during the pre-exam seminars).” — Aston Wilson, Agency1 Sports Group, Class of 2012
  • “The most difficult part of the exam is not the different concepts. It is knowing how to find the information.” — Nathan Shackelford, Higher Calling Sports, Class of 2019
  • “The way it was structured, you had to know what they were talking about or it would lead you to the wrong answer.” — John Thornton, Roc Nation Sports, Class of 2013
  • “If you go in there well-prepared, I think you can take it and pass.” — Tory Dandy, CAA, Class of 2013
  • “The way I did it, every sub-section of the exam, I created a binder for that section. It’s not about what you know, but how fast you can get to the material. If you didn’t print it out and have it organized, you’re not gonna get it.” — Ty Tascioglu, Sports Planning, Inc., Class of 2021
  • “The way they presented the material, you really had to study the CBA and all the material, from beginning to end, because the test had a lot of things on there.” — Malki Kawa, First-Round Management, Class of 2014
  • “My advice is to go into the exam with the mindset that they are trying to trip you up with the way the exam is worded.” — A.J. Vayner, VaynerSports, Class of 2018
  • “Every slide at the seminar I wrote down. My hand was so cramped when it was done, but I’m one of those guys, when I write something down, I memorize it. And since it was an open-book test, it really helped me to go back to some of the stuff I might not have remembered during the test.” — Murphy McGuire, Octagon Football, Class of 2015
  • “I went through flash cards and I had the CBA color-coded.” — Christian Kranz, Generation Sports Group, Class of 2015
  • “I probably interacted with 50 guys, and I’d say 35 didn’t come prepared whatsoever.” — Josh Grady, Grady Sports, Class of 2016
  • “By all means, use the ITL practice exam. The questions and how they were worded are very similar to the actual exam.” — Logan Brown, Logan Brown Sports, Class of 2016

Still need an extra boost to pass the exam? We have a study guide, practice exams, six instructional videos and even agents on call, ready to provide one-on-one help for reasonable prices. Don’t wait. Hit us up here or on our Twitter, where DMs are always open.

The NIL Conundrum: Three Popular Questions

07 Thursday Jul 2022

Posted by in Getting started, NIL

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This week, we continue our conversation with Vantage Management Group’s Sammy Spina, who has a unique perspective on name, image and likeness due to his extensive work in the space. He also heads a popular sports management course called Breaking Into Sports that has helped many young people get a foothold in the industry. I asked him the answers to three questions I get most often from agents on how to achieve NIL success, and here are his responses.

What’s the best mix between “self-generated” income (apparel and branded merchandise) and sponsored income (appearances, endorsements and social media)? 

I will use the famous lawyer answer here: “it depends.” Social media following is probably the main driving force behind self-generated income, but not every athlete will have the requisite number of followers to really build a strong presence. My goal has always been to generate the most money and/or best-case scenario for my clients without causing them to do too much work. Obviously, his school and his sport come first; NIL is a byproduct of that success. As a result, I would say most of my athlete NIL deals have come from sponsored income, and I have done very little “self-generated income” for my clients because it typically takes more time, effort, and energy.

One thing to keep in mind with self-generated income is that everyone wants to start their own clothing line! If that’s your goal, make sure you do something different that does more than simply having your client’s name on a T-shirt. Create a story, vision, movement, or charitable donation to help drive more customers for recurring revenue. No “story” usually means no legitimate self-generated income. There has to be something that separates your client from all the other student-athletes out there.

What’s the minimum number of social media followers one needs to make money in NIL? And does it matter which platform? 

Instagram and TikTok are the two driving forces behind most social media influencers, probably because they’re visual platforms. I wouldn’t say there is a minimum number of followers, because I have been able to secure paid social media and personal appearance deals for clients who have fewer than 2,000 followers; despite their limited followings, respectively, each was were paid more than $1,000 per opportunity.  Of course, it certainly helps when you have a strong following and, even more importantly, strong engagement! Remember, the most important factor is showing companies why such an appearance makes sense! What is unique about this deal that will generate headlines for the company and for the athlete?

I have seen a shift to LinkedIn as well, which also helps your athlete clients showcase their unique partnerships to business professionals in industries across the world. However, LinkedIn is still in its growing phase, so it’s easier to use other platforms (like TikTok) to gain exposure on posts that align with your audiences’ interests.

How much of NIL income is totally dependent on a player’s school? Geographic location? Position he plays?

A lot of it. It has been a lot more difficult to generate significant dollars and deals in smaller towns – such as Stillwater, OK where the majority of businesses are family-owned – than, say, in a larger city like Pittsburgh. Don’t get me wrong: fans and business owners will always want to support their college athletes. However, not every school is equal in that regard.

Quarterbacks will almost always make the most money. That is a given. However, there are opportunities for everyone. You have to get creative and you have to work! For example, I took an offensive lineman with fewer than 5,000 Instagram followers and got him paid appearances (without signing autographs), a custom suit deal, a restaurant deal, a meal prep company endorsement and other deals. I even got him an appearance as an ambassador for a cruise ship. I give this example to showcase the importance of relationships, how to be creative and how to show the value and impact your client will bring to the company.

 

Ask the Scout: Highlights of our Zoom with Rick Spielman

01 Friday Jul 2022

Posted by in Scouts

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Thursday night, former Vikings and Dolphins GM Rick Spielman graciously agreed to join me for a one-hour Zoom session. Joined by about 40 NFL scouts and executives, we took a deep dive into team-building and player evaluation as I asked him 10 questions about the game. We opened it up only to NFL personnel eager to develop professionally and willing to give up an evening during their vacation to do it.

It was a riveting hour and he had some very interesting things to say. Here are four takeaways you might find helpful if your aim is to be an NFL scout someday.

  • Regarding analytics, Rick gave a lengthy, nuanced answer. One thing I found interesting is that the team was able to find some metrics for players who continually failed (i.e., defensive linemen without a minimum arm length, height and 40 time). They were able to rule them out as draftees. The other area they found analytics helpful was in sorting through the hundreds of players in the late Day 3/UDFA range. Again, the analytics team was able to find players with certain height/weight/speed combinations who had a better chance of success than others. He gave and return specialists Marcus Sherels, whom the team picked up as a UDFA in 2010, and WO Adam Thielen, whom the team signed out of Mankato State in 2013, as examples of players the analytics squad helped identify as possible success stories.
  • When asked how a young scout can get past the party line when trying to get sensitive information from a school’s NFL liaison, Rick didn’t sugarcoat things: it only comes with relationships and years of building trust. That’s a problem today with NFL teams hiring younger and younger scouts and sending them out on the road with very limited networks and contacts. It’s inevitable that these less-seasoned evaluators get fewer details until they become more familiar around the campuses they cover.
  • When asked about the worst thing you can do in an interview for an NFL job, he said that failing to do research was the easy answer. He gave as examples any correspondence that asked for a job from “Chris” Spielman, his brother (a former Lions player and current team executive). However, it was more about how much homework a job applicant had done. One dead giveaway: if Rick concluded the interview and asked for questions, but the interviewee had none, that was a dead giveaway that the applicant wasn’t prepared, and wouldn’t be hired.
  • He expressed concern about how elite prospects might approach pro days and the combine in the wake of David Ojabo’s injury at Michigan’s pro day last spring. He said the league has been focused on the player experience, especially at the combine, and could even see the league providing incentives to work out or making the combine less of a pure workout and more of a competition, though he didn’t expand on how that might be accomplished. Food for thought.

We’ll be talking plenty about the scouting industry, as we do every week, in tomorrow’s Friday Wrap. You can register for it here.