In today’s rapidly evolving football landscape, agents play a far bigger role than brokering transfers. They are now brand architects, deal-makers, media strategists, and business developers. For those with vision, a well-built network in football can become the foundation of a full-fledged football business empire.
This blog explores how football agents can scale their influence and revenue by leveraging their existing relationships, while spotlighting a few agents who have already paved the way.
Why a Network Is More Than Just Contacts
An agent’s network includes players, club executives, lawyers, scouts, sponsors, media figures, and even influencers. When managed strategically, this network can evolve into the backbone of a football business empire.
What Are Football Agents Doing Beyond Player Contracts?
- Developing content brands
- Launching academies
- Creating marketing and image rights businesses
- Offering holistic athlete services like legal, financial, and mental wellness support
This shift moves them from being agents of transactions to owners of ecosystems.
How to turn your Network into a Football Business Empire
1. Go Beyond the Deal
Every negotiation introduces new people and opportunities. A smart agent treats each deal as an entry into long-term collaboration—with clubs, sponsors, and even broadcasters. Building infrastructure around contract services (e.g., legal, image rights, tax planning) helps convert one-time deals into lasting partnerships.
2. Control the Athlete’s Brand
Players are more than athletes; they are brands. Agents who help build that brand through social media, PR, endorsements, and community projects are not just helping their clients—they’re creating a football business empire. For example, content creation, digital marketing, and merchandising can become separate revenue channels.
3. Build Infrastructure and Scale
Top agents build teams. They don’t work alone. Legal experts, data analysts, scouts, psychologists, brand consultants, and even filmmakers become part of the system. This allows for scalability. A strong infrastructure can serve many athletes and partners, enabling long-term growth.
4. Expand Regionally and Globally
Some agents dominate local scenes but never branch out. The next step? Building pipelines with emerging markets. Scouting talent in Africa, Asia, or Eastern Europe, and creating club/academy partnerships in these regions can create new power bases. The future of football is global—agents who adapt to that reality will lead it.
5. Create or Own Media and IP
Football stories generate attention. Agents who help players produce documentaries, launch YouTube channels, or run football podcasts are no longer just managers, they become storytellers. This builds cultural capital and opens doors to sponsorship, streaming, and influencer marketing deals.
Which Agents have been able to do this successfully
- Jorge Mendes (Gestifute)
Representing stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and managers like Mourinho, Mendes turned Gestifute into a powerhouse. He built an infrastructure of legal, media, and branding teams around his clients. His partnership with CAA (Creative Artists Agency) connected European football to global entertainment.
- Mino Raiola (RIP)
Raiola made his name with players like Zlatan Ibrahimović and Paul Pogba. He focused on owning the brand and narrative of his athletes, often pushing for full control of image rights and long-term commercial value. He invested in youth development and built an agency model that was bigger than himself.
- Jonathan Barnett (ICM Stellar Sports)
Barnett took Stellar Group global by representing Gareth Bale and later merging with ICM Partners. His move into entertainment and other sports showed that agents can diversify beyond football while maintaining their influence.
- Pini Zahavi
Zahavi has played a key role in deals like Neymar’s record-breaking move to PSG. His skill lies in navigating complex negotiations and connecting stakeholders across continents. His reach extends into club ownership and media circles, proving that a football business empire can span multiple industries.
Final Thoughts: The Empire Mindset
In the modern football economy, the agent is more than a middleman. They can be the engine behind athlete success, the architect of a player’s personal brand, and the founder of an ecosystem that stretches far beyond the pitch.
Networks are good. Empires are better.
And those who make the shift early will be the ones who shape football’s next era.
