A
sports agent procures and negotiates employment and
endorsement contracts for an athlete. Agents are responsible for communications with team owners, managers, coaches, and other individuals. Primarily, agents are used to broker and negotiate contracts for their clients. Also, they are responsible for making recommendations in regard to the athlete's options. In addition to finding income sources, agents often handle
public relations matters for their clients. In some large sports agencies, such as
IMG,
Creative Artists Agency, and
Octagon, agents deal with all aspects of a client's finances, from investment to filing taxes.