Do you want to start a sports agency and need to write a plan? If YES, here is a sample sports agency business plan template & FREE feasibility report.
Do you know that the sports market in North America was worth $60.5 billion in 2014? It is expected to reach $73.5 billion by 2019. The biggest reason for such growth is projected increases in revenue derived from media rights deals, which is predicted to surpass gate revenues as the sports industry’s largest segment.
The sports industry is indeed a big and money – spinning industry and you can actually make mega bucks from the industry without being an athlete by simply managing athletes and sport clubs.
As a sport agent or agency, you are expected to work on behalf of sport clubs or athletes to promote their careers and run their sport business affairs. Basically, your job is to secure the best club, competitions, endorsements and sponsorship deals for your clients, for the best fee.
The truth is that a sports agency can be started in any country of the world as long as you have access to pool of athletes and sport clubs. If you have made up your mind to start a sports agency company, you are expected to map out strategies on how to a raise startup capital, how to network with key stakeholders, how to run the business, as well as make profits.
It might take you a month or so to come up with a workable business plan, however, you just have to do it. The truth is that your business plan is the blueprint with which you can successfully run your business and you are not expected to handle it with levity.
It is always advisable to contract the writing to professionals if you know you can’t possibly do it yourself. Bottom line is that, it would pay you a great deal to start and run your business with a good business plan in place. Here is a sample sports agency business plan template that can give you the needed direction to successfully start your sports agency.
A Sample Sports Agency Business Plan Template
1. Industry Overview
Sports agency business is under the Celebrity and Sports Agents industry and this industry includes agents and managers who represent or manage creative and performing artists, sports figures, entertainers and public figures.
Agents typically focus on finding work for a client and engage in contract negotiation and management for a client, for which they are entitled to a predetermined commission. Managers have a broader role that includes contract negotiation, finding sponsorships and endorsements and other services such as career advice and financial planning.
Over the five years to 2022, the Celebrity and Sports Agents industry is projected to grow due to continued increase in per capita disposable income and advertising expenditure. In addition, the continual popularity of major sporting events will ensure stability among the industry’s sports agents and clients.
As production studios cast more projects and consumers attend more sports games, agents and managers are expected to gain more revenue as their clients are able to leverage larger contracts. Industry revenue is projected to increase at an annualized rate over the five years to 2022. Diversifying clientele Although the industry is expected to grow over the next five years, agents and managers will likely continue to dive
The Celebrity and Sports Agents industry is indeed a thriving and viable business in most countries of the world. Statistics has it that in the united states of America alone, the Celebrity and Sports Agents industry generates over $11 billion annually from more than 43,966 registered and licensed big celebrity and sports companies.
The industry is responsible for the employment of over 62,052 people. Experts project the music groups and artist industry to grow at a 4.3 percent annual rate. The companies holding the largest market share in the Celebrity and Sports Agents in the United States of America are Endeavor LLC and Creative Artists Agency LLC.
A recent report published by IBISWorld shows that the industry is in the mature phase of its life cycle. The industry experiences complete market acceptance, which is a key indicator of maturity, since music is a popular form of entertainment for most Americans.
The report indicated that over the 10 years to 2022, industry value added (IVA), a measure of the industry’s contribution to the overall economy, is expected to grow at an annualized rate of 1.9 percent. US GDP is forecast to grow at an annualized rate of 2.0 percent during the same time. The industry’s relatively stable value added is further evidence that, despite the changing nature of the industry, it remains a mature and stable segment of the economy.
One good thing about starting a sports agency business is that even if you decided to start it in the United States of America, your market will not be restricted to athletes and sport clubs in the U.S.; the world will be your target market.
Many thanks to the internet that has made the world a global village. All you need to do is to strategically position your sports agency brand on the internet and you will be amazed at the rate athletes interested in signing under your management will be calling you from all parts of the world.
2. Executive Summary
Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. is a registered sports agency business that intends having a footprint in the celebrity and sports agents industry. We have been able to secure a well – positioned office facility in Los Angeles – California and the office facility is located directly opposite StubHub Center which is the largest soccer – specific in Major League Soccer in the United States.
Interestingly, the 125 – acre complex features state of the art stadiums and facilities for soccer, tennis, track and field, cycling, lacrosse, rugby, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball and other sports hence it will be easier for us to work with athletes in different sports.
Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. is going to engage in promoting our clients sporting careers. We will help them secure the best clubs, competitions, endorsements and sponsorship deals and for the best fee. Part of our plans is to work towards becoming one of the leading sports agencies in the whole of Los Angeles – California and in the nearest future compete with the leaders in the industry.
We are quite aware that starting a standard sports agency business from the scratch requires reasonable capital base especially for promotion of athletes and sport clubs under your management, which is why we have perfected plans for steady flow of cash from private investors who are interested in working with us. We can confidently say that we have a robust financial standing and we are ready to take on any challenge that we encounter in the industry.
Our workers are going to be selected from a pool of talented and highly creative people with eyes for spotting raw talents in and around Los Angeles – California and also from any part of the United States. We will make sure that we take all the members of our workforce through the required trainings that will position them to meet the expectation of the company.
At Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. our client’s best interest will always come first, and everything we do will be guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely.
Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. will be owned majorly by Garry Bright and his immediate family members. Garry Bright has a Degree: B.S. in Psychology from the University of California, Berkley. Aside from being a celebrated athlete on campus, he is a successful local soccer coach and he is a certified and licensed FIFA football agent.
3. Our Products and Services
Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. is going to offer varieties of services within the scope of the Celebrity and Sports Agents industry in the United States of America. Our intention of starting our sports agency company is to make profits from the industry and we will do all that is permitted by the law in the US to achieve our goals.
Our business offerings are listed below;
- Managing athletes and sport clubs
- Career management services for athletes
- Licensing and contract services for athletes and sport clubs
- Other related sports agency services
4. Our Mission and Vision Statement
- Our vision is to become one of the top 10 sports agencies in the United States of America.
- Our mission is to engage in promoting our clients’ sporting careers.
- We will help them secure the best clubs, competitions, endorsements and sponsorship deals and for the best fee.
- We want to build a sports agency company that will become the number one choice for both athletes and sport clubs.
Our Business Structure
The fact that we are set to compete with other leading sports agencies in the United States of America means that we must build a business structure that can support our business goal. We will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, creative, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders.
As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company. Below is the business structure that we will build Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc.;
- Chief Executive Officer
- Legal Secretary
- Athletes Manager
- Admin and HR Manager
- Accountant
- Customer Service Executive/Front Desk Officer
5. Job Roles and Responsibilities
Chief Executive Office:
- Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results
- Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
- Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
- Responsible for providing direction for the business
- Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
- Evaluates the success of the organization
- Reports to the board
Legal Secretary
- Responsible for drawing up contracts and other legal documents for the company
- Advise athletes and sport clubs accordingly before signing any contract
- Produces information by transcribing, formatting, inputting, editing, retrieving, copying, and transmitting text, data, and graphics; coordinating case preparation.
- Provides historical reference by developing and utilizing filing and retrieval systems; recording meeting discussions; maintaining transcripts; documenting and maintaining evidence.
Athletes Manager
- Responsible for negotiating contracts and fees, finding and booking athletes for competitions, sponsorships deals and endorsements that match their career strategy, advising on career decisions, publicity and promotion, helping them on career decisions and managing media relations on their behalf
- Responsible for building a strong reputation for good client services, and attracting more high paying sponsorships and endorsement deals and contracts.
- Represent a roster of athletes and sport clubs, and cultivate relationships with the sports industry decision makers on their behalf. They will negotiate deals, and support and guide their clients’ careers.
- Keep up to date with what’s happening in the industry, and spend a lot of time establishing and maintaining relationships, using contacts to source clubs, competitions, sponsorship and endorsement deals for her clients.
- Promote her clients’ work, and will often be involved in liaison during the training sessions and preparation process. May also organize and negotiate contracts for release and publishing, and communicate with the press.
- Handle any other responsibility as assigned by the Chief Executive Officer
Admin and HR Manager
- Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
- Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
- Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
- Carrying out induction for new team members
- Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
- Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
- Facilitate and coordinate strategic sessions.
- Work directly with clients in a non-advisory capacity, such as answering questions, scheduling appointments and making sure all training concerns are properly taken care off
- Oversee the smooth running of the daily office activities.
Accountant
- Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
- Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports
- Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
- Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
- Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
- Responsible for administering payrolls
- Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
- Handles all financial transactions for the company
- Serves as internal auditor for the company
Client Service Executive
- Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
- Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
- Manages administrative duties assigned by the manager in an effective and timely manner
- Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the company’s products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries
6. SWOT Analysis
Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. engaged the services of a professional in the area of consulting and business structuring to assist the organization in building a standard sports agency that can favorably compete in the industry.
Part of what the business consultant did was to work with the management of the company in conducting a SWOT analysis for Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc.;
- Strength:
Our core strength lies in the power of our team and the location of our business. We have a team that can give our clients value for their money; a team that can effectively harness raw sporting talents in various sporting fields to become world – class athletes. We are well positioned and we know we will attract loads of clients from the first day we open for business.
- Weakness:
As a new sports agency company, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and attract some well – established athletes and sport clubs to sign under our agency; that is perhaps our major weakness. Another weakness is that we may not have the required cash to promote our business the way we would want to.
- Opportunities:
The industry is anticipated to continue growing in line with prevailing consumer spending and the ever-rising popularity of sports in the United States and all across the world. This goes to show that the opportunities in the Celebrity and Sports Agents industry are massive and we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way.
- Threat:
Technology and the internet which of course is a major tool for the advancement and gains achieved in the Celebrity and Sports Agents industry can also pose a threat to the industry. The truth is that with the advancement of technology, it is now easier for athletes to promote themselves especially via social media platforms.
So also, just like any other business, another threat that we are likely going to face is economic downturn. It is a fact that economic downturn affects purchasing/spending power.
7. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Market Trends
Entrepreneurs that are venturing into the Celebrity and Sports Agents industry are coming in with creativity and good business skills. The fact that revenue is nose – diving in the industry does not in a way stop some sports agencies from declaring profits year in year out.
In time past, big-name sponsorship deals were enough to satisfy sports marketers. But in recent time, the trend shows that amid a saturation of advertising and proliferation of new channels, fresh opportunities are arising for brands and clubs alike to cultivate deeper relationships with fans.
The trend in the Celebrity and Sports Agents industry is that most sports agencies are trying as much as possible to recreate themselves on a regular basis and also to be on top of their game.
8. Our Target Market
When it comes to sports agency business, there are no exemptions to who you can market your services to. There are loads of athletes and sport clubs out there who are interested in working under a well – structured sports agency company.
In view of that, we have created strategies that will enable us reach out to various clients within our target market. We have conducted our market research and survey and we will ensure that all our sports agency company is well accepted in the market place.
Our Competitive Advantage
We are mindful of the fact that there are stiff competitions in the sports business in the United States of America, hence we have been able to hire some of the best business developers to handle our sales and marketing.
Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. is launching a standard sports agency company that will indeed become the preferred choice for athletes in and around Los Angeles – California. This is because the location of our office makes us the first choice for athletes and sport clubs that make use of StubHub Center which is the largest soccer – specific in Major League Soccer in the United States.
Interestingly, the 125 – acre complex features state of the art stadiums and facilities for soccer, tennis, track and field, cycling, lacrosse, rugby, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball and other sports hence it will be easier for us to work with athletes in different sports.
Another competitive advantage for Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. is the quality and wealth of experience of its management team.
The management team comprises of professionals who have worked with some of the leading international brands in the Celebrity and Sports Agents industry. Our unique style of attracting gifted athletes also counts towards our advantage especially when it comes to competing with other sports agencies within the same category.
Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry, meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and objectives. We will also give good working conditions and commissions to freelance sales agents that we will recruit from time to time.
9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
- Sources of Income
Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the industry and we are going to ensure that we do all it takes to attract athletes that will sign under our brand. Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. will generate income by offering the following services;
- Managing athletes and sport clubs
- Career management services for athletes
- Licensing and contract services for athletes
- Other related sports agency services
10. Sales Forecast
One thing is certain when it comes to sports; sports never dies and the demand for talented and skillful athletes will continue to grow. This goes to show that any sports agency that is known to always represent athletes will continue to attract talents.
We are well positioned to take on the available market in the United States of America and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income/profits from the first six months of operation and grow the business and our clientele base beyond Los Angeles – California to other cities in the U.S.
We have been able to examine the sports agency market, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. Below are the sales projection for Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc., it is based on the location of our business and other factors as it relates to sports agency business startups in the United States;
- First Fiscal Year (FY1): $320,000
- Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $650,000
- Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $1.3 million
N.B: This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.
- Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy
Our sales and marketing team will be recruited base on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of the organization.
We will also ensure that our gifted and talented athletes and sport clubs and management style speaks for us in the market place; we want to build a standard sports agency company that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied athletes.
Our business goal is to grow our sports agency company to become one of the top 10 sports agencies in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in the United States of America but in the world stage as well.
Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;
- Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to athletes and key stakeholders in Los Angeles -California and other parts of the U.S.
- Advertise our business in relevant sports magazines, newspapers, TV and radio stations
- List our business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
- Attend relevant international and local talent hunts for athletes, sporting competitions, tournaments, seminars, and concerts et al
- Leverage on the internet to promote our business
- Engage in direct marketing approach
- Encourage word of mouth marketing from our loyal and satisfied clients
11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy
We have been able to work with brand and publicity specialists to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market.
We are set to take the Celebrity and Sports Agents industry by storm which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our sports agency company. Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise our sports agency company;
- Place adverts on both print and electronic media platforms
- Sponsor relevant sports TV shows and radio programs
- Maximize our official website to promote our business and athletes under our management
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and other platforms (sports online forums) to promote our business and athletes under our management.
- Offer Pro Bono services as part of our community social responsibility
- Ensure that our we position our banners and billboards in strategic positions all around Los Angeles – California
- Brand all our official cars/buses and ensure that our trademark label is boldly printed in all our promotional materials and every of our staff member wears our branded shirts and caps at all time.
12. Our Pricing Strategy
When it comes to the sports agency line of business, you may not automatically start making money, as a matter of fact, you are expected to groom the athletes until they becomes popular and well-sought out for. With that, you will be able to agree on percentage of the fee paid to the athletes to play in tournaments, competitions, guest appearances, endorsements or sponsorship deals.
- Payment Options
The payment policy adopted by Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.
Here are the payment options that Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. will make available to her clients;
- Payment via bank transfer
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via check
- Payment via mobile money transfer
- Payment via bank draft
13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)
From our market survey and feasibility studies, we have been able to come up with a detailed budget of achieving our aim of establishing a standard sports agency company. Essentially, these are the areas we are looking towards spending our startup capital on;
- The total fee for registering the business in the United States of America – $750.
- Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits as well as the accounting services (software, P.O.S machines and other software) – $3,300.
- Marketing promotion expenses for the grand opening of Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. in the amount of $3,500 and as well as flyer printing (2,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of $3,580.
- The total cost for hiring business consultant – $2,500.
- The total cost for the purchase of insurance (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $2,400.
- The cost for payment of lease for a small but standard office facility for 24 months – $50,000
- The cost for remodeling the office – $20,000
- The amount required for the promote our first set of athletes (sportsmen and sportswomen) and sport clubs – $50,000
- Other start-up expenses including stationery ($500) and phone and utility deposits ($2,500).
- Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $250,000
- The cost for start-up inventory – $10,000
- The cost for store equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – $13,750
- The cost of purchase and installation of CCTVs – $5,000
- The cost for the purchase of furniture and gadgets (Computers, Printers, Telephone, TVs, Sound System, tables and chairs et al) – $4,000.
- The cost of launching a website – $600
- Miscellaneous – $5,000
We would need an estimate of three hundred and fifty thousand dollar ($350,000) to successfully set up our sports agency company in Los Angeles – California.
Generating Funds/Startup Capital for Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc.
Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. is owned and financed by Garry Bright. He has decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital to 3 major sources.
- Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings
- Source for soft loans from family members and friends
- Apply for loan from the bank
N.B: We have been able to generate about $100,000 (Personal savings $60,000 and soft loan from family members $40,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $250,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.
14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
Part of the plans we have in place to sustain Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. is to ensure that we continue to make available sports men and women who are engaged in soccer, tennis, track and field, cycling, lacrosse, rugby, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball and other sports, and deliver quality services. We are not going to relent in providing conducive environment for our workers.
We are quite aware that our athletes are key component to the growth and survival of our business hence we are going to continuously engage them to give us ideas on how to serve them better. We will not waste time in adopting new technology, best practices and diversifying our services.
Garry Bright® Sports Agency, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at the top burner.
We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.
Check List/Milestone
- Business Name Availability Check: Completed
- Business Incorporation: Completed
- Renting of Office Facility: Completed
- Building of Music Studio: In Progress
- Intellectual Property Protection and Trademark: Completed
- Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
- Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
- Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
- Application for business license and permit: Completed
- Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
- Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
- Generating part of the startup capital from the founder: Completed
- Applications for Loan from our Bankers: In Progress
- Writing of Business Plan: Completed
- Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
- Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
- Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
- Printing of Promotional Materials: Completed
- Recruitment of employees: In Progress
- Purchase of the needed office furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
- Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
- Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
- Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
- Establishing business relationship with athletes and key players in the sports industry: In Progress