Top sports agencies of 2025: What states lead the industry?

There's no doubt that sports are big business in America. Most major athletes and their coaches bring in six-figure salaries. Basketball and baseball are amongst the highest paying sports, with athletes earning on average $11.9 million¹ and $4.66 million² per year, respectively. It's not surprising that most sports agencies operate out of luxurious skyscrapers in New York or sprawling beachfront compounds in California. However, there are many smaller sports outfits spread across the country.

This blog will look at some of the nation's top sports agencies by state and find out where the best agents make a living.

The role of sports agencies has evolved beyond traditional tasks like negotiating contracts for professional athletes. Rather, modern agencies have expanded to offer full-service representation. This covers everything from endorsement deals and media appearances to financial planning and long-term career strategies. Agencies now have the opportunity to build and manage an athlete's entire brand and business portfolio. Of course, this also means agents need a strong background in all areas of business, from marketing to relationship management and more.

New opportunities, such as the rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals for college athletes have opened up unique roads to success as well for enterprising agents. The changes in college sports regulations have created a huge surge in demand for professionals who can help college players make the most of their personal brands while staying within the bounds of these often complex rules.

Home to the two most successful sports agencies in America, California is the country's leading state when it comes to sports management.

Based in Los Angeles, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is the largest in the country, boasting a massive 2,900 clients³ and paying out $971 million in commissions per year.⁴ CAA manages $17.8 billion in contracts.⁴

Coming in at a close second is Wasserman, another LA-based agency with $733 million in commissions³ and 2,000 clients.⁵ Wasserman recently acquired several smaller agencies like Key Sports and Acme World, helping it compete for first place in Forbes’ rankings. Wasserman focuses on a wide range of sports, such as basketball, baseball, football, hockey, golf, and soccer.⁵

Outside of LA, in Newport Beach, you'll find the state's sixth-largest agency, Boras Corporation. Representing baseball heavyweights like Bryce Harper, Corey Seager, and Gerrit Cole, this West Coast sports giant handles 110 clients⁶ and brings in $206 million in commissions per year.³

New York City hosts the state's largest sports agency, Excel Sports Management, with 450 clients⁷ and $499 million in annual commissions.³ The agency deals in basketball, baseball, and golf, and manages stars like Tiger Woods, Cade Cunningham, and George Springer.⁷ With almost $6 billion in contract value, Excel Sports Management is the country's fourth-largest sports agency.³

With A-list rapper Jay-Z at the helm, Roc Nation has emerged as the seventh largest sports agency in the nation with $203 million in annual commissions³ and 190 clients. Although it represents athletes from a diverse range of sports, including cricket and rugby, the agency's best known players include stars from the NBA and NFL, like Saquon Barkley and LaMelo Ball.⁸

In Brooklyn, New York, you'll find famous baseball agency ACES, a smaller outfit with only 90 clients⁹ and less than a billion dollars in contracts.³ Led by brothers Sam and Seth Levinson, ACES paid out $43 million in commissions last year,³ managing top players like Charlie Blackmon and Nathan Eovaldi.⁹

Rosenhaus Sports Representation (RSR) is the sunshine state's leading sports agency, with 200 clients¹⁰ and $1.3 billion in contracts.³ Led by one of the nation's leading and most controversial agents, Drew Rosenhaus, RSR is based in Miami Beach and manages top NFL athletes like the Dolphins' receiver Tyreek Hill and the Eagles' cornerback Darius Slay.¹⁰

The recent expansion of legalized sports betting in Florida is likely to open up new opportunities for sports agents. Online betting could drive an increased interest in sports, which could lead to more opportunities for agents to negotiate endorsement deals, salaries, and much more.¹¹

Texas has long held a reputation for leading the nation in college football fandom, and that's extended to prominent agencies across the Lone Star state. With Austin and Dallas emerging as rising agency hubs, there's been an increase in opportunity for representation among rising collegiate superstars at agencies like Team Sports Agency¹² and Athletes First.¹³

Sports marketing has taken off in Georgia. Although no home-grown agencies have moved into the top 20 nationally, there's a solid presence of smaller firms and branch offices. From prominent local agencies like Moye Sports¹⁴ to Universal Sports Entertainment,¹⁵ there's no shortage of opportunity for budding agents in the Southeast.

Priority Sports and Entertainment, based in Chicago, Illinois, is the 14th largest sports agency in the US. With $1.2 billion in contracts across 340 clients, the agency focuses on basketball and football.³ Top clients include basketball players Bradley Beal, Gordon Hayward, and Kyle Lowry and NFL quarterbacks Cam Heyward and Braden Smith.¹⁵

However, with the growth of hockey, new opportunities have arisen for agents in Illinois. The state has the fourth highest number of division one hockey athletes in the nation¹⁶ and several professional ice hockey teams, including the Chicago Blackhawks¹⁷ and the Chicago Wolves.¹⁸

Getting a job at a sports agency requires standing out from the competition. To make yourself an attractive candidate, you need to have a bachelor's and master's degree or JD from an accredited university. You will also likely need to be certified by the league(s) or association(s) in which the athletes you represent participate.

For example, to be a certified sports agent within the National Football League Player’s Association (NFLPA), you’ll need to submit to a background check and pay a non-refundable application fee of $2,500. Additionally, applicants must attend a two- to three-day virtual seminar, after which you'll have to pass a proctored, multiple-choice exam at an authorized testing center. The education requirement can be waived if you're able to show proof that you have at least seven years of negotiating experience that meets the NFLPA's guidelines before you can get a job as a sports agent. Once you have your certification, you'll need to complete several steps every year to ensure you remain in good standing. This may include paying an annual fee, maintaining professional liability insurance coverage, attending seminars or continuing education courses, and negotiating a minimum number of play contracts annually.¹⁹

Getting your foot in the door at one of these leading agencies requires more than just experience. If you want to upgrade your sports management acumen and improve the quality of jobs available to you, a master's in sport management will separate you from the competition. Many of the country’s leading sports management firms look for experience combined with top-quality education to ensure they have the best agents caring for their clients.

The University of Kansas offers a convenient online master's in sport management* that can be completed from the comfort of your own home. As a university that is globally recognized as an athletic powerhouse, a master's from KU will accelerate your career in sports management.

*This program is a Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.) degree in health, sport management, and exercise science with an emphasis in sport management.