Who the agent laws cover
Three sets of rules define "athlete agent", and each treats family differently.
| Law | What it says about family |
|---|---|
| SPARTA (federal, 2004) | The definition of "athlete agent" does not include "a spouse, parent, sibling, grandparent, or guardian" of the student athlete. The parent or guardian signs the agent's disclosure for an athlete under 18. |
| Uniform Athlete Agents Act (2000), 42 states | Excludes "a spouse, parent, sibling or grandparent" (the uniform text adds guardian). Florida's licensing law carries the same list. |
| Revised Uniform Act (2015, amended 2019), 19 enactments | No named exemption. "Recruit or solicit" excludes "giving advice on the selection of a particular agent in a family, coaching, or social situation" unless the person is paid by the agent. The official comment: a parent advising their child on agent choice "is not an athlete agent unless the advice is given in exchange for compensation" from the agent. A person who, for compensation, manages the athlete's business affairs or advises on finances or career is an agent, whoever they are. |
| California (Miller-Ayala Act) | Most sections "do not apply to an individual acting as an athlete agent solely for their spouse, child, foster child, ward, or grandchild." |
| Texas (Occupations Code ch. 2051) | No family exemption; the definition turns on compensation ("for compensation", "for a fee"), so unpaid help by anyone is outside it. |
What every version shares: the laws bind the agent, not the athlete, and none requires an athlete to have one. Registration, the written contract with its warning box, the 14-day cancellation right and the 72-hour notice to the athletic director are duties of the person acting as agent.
High school, college, pro
- High school. The state association rules set who must be told of a deal and when; they do not bar a parent from helping. For an athlete under 18 the parent is part of every deal anyway: they sign it. The reporting windows by state are on the high school pages.
- College, NIL deals. NCAA Bylaw 22.3.1 lets an athlete use professional services for NIL; nothing stops a parent from being the help instead. Where a school acts as the athlete's marketing agent, Bylaw 22.1.1(b) says "a parent, guardian, lawyer, or other competent representative may assist the student-athlete" unless the athlete waives that in writing. The athlete may name one representative to enter deals into NIL Go; the athlete makes the final submission.
- College, a pro contract. Bylaw 12.2.3.3: "the individual (or family members) or the institution's professional sports counseling panel may enter into negotiations with a professional sports organization" without the athlete losing eligibility. In men's basketball, the rule that anyone soliciting a player must hold NCAA agent certification exempts a family member.
- Pro. The NFLPA regulations say "no person (other than a player representing himself)" may negotiate a player contract without certification; the NBPA's say the same, adding the union itself at the player's request. Neither has a family exception. The NFL fines a club that negotiates with an uncertified person. In the NHL, clubs may negotiate only with the player or a certified agent. The WNBPA's rule reads the same as the NFL's. A parent can be in the player's ear; the player, or a certified agent, is the one who speaks to the club.
That is the arrangement on record from the 2023 negotiation: Felicia Jones ran his business as manager and was not NFLPA-certified, and the league's memo to all clubs that March said an offer sheet "may only be negotiated with the player, if he is acting on his own behalf, or with the player's NFLPA certified agent." The deal that followed was five years, $260 million.
When a parent is paid
Payment is where the exemptions thin out. The 2000 Act, SPARTA and Florida exempt a parent whether or not they are paid. The Revised Act does not: its definition reaches anyone who, "for compensation or in anticipation of compensation," advises on "finances, business pursuits, or career management decisions" or manages business affairs "by providing assistance with bills, payments, contracts, or taxes." Texas's definition likewise turns on compensation. So a parent who takes a percentage of their child's deals in a Revised Act state is in different territory from one who does not, and the state's own text decides it. The states' texts are linked below; the full guide covers what registration involves.
Under 18
A contract signed by a minor is generally voidable by the minor, which is why a business asks a parent or guardian to sign. Under the Revised Act, a parent or guardian must sign any agency contract for an athlete under 18; under SPARTA, the parent or guardian receives and signs the agent's disclosure. California goes further: its Family Code lets a court approve a minor's contract for services as a player in a sport or for a licence of their likeness, after which it cannot be disaffirmed, and the employer sets aside 15% of gross earnings in a trust the minor receives at 18. Texas bars NIL arrangements with prospects under 17 who are not enrolled in college.
How Leave fits
Leave is built for exactly this arrangement. An athlete 13 to 17 uses it through an account a parent or guardian creates, so the person signing the deal is the one holding the contract explanations, the rules summary and the disclosure deadlines. Every athlete, at any age, can add one Teammate: a parent, a sibling, a friend who reads every contract. The Teammate sees what the athlete sees and holds no strands and no money. Leave is software; it does not negotiate, represent or sign for anyone, and it is not legal advice.
Questions parents ask
Does my dad need to register as an athlete agent to help me with NIL?
Not when he helps you for free. The federal SPARTA statute and the 2000 Uniform Athlete Agents Act exclude a parent by name. The Revised Act has no named exemption but treats unpaid advice in a family setting as outside it. Texas defines an agent by compensation, and California exempts a person acting only for their own child from most of its sections. A parent who is paid a percentage can fall inside the definition in some states.
Can my mom negotiate my NFL or NBA contract?
Not with the team. The NFLPA and NBPA regulations allow only a certified agent or the player himself to negotiate a playing contract, and neither has a family exception. A club that negotiates with an uncertified person is fined. A parent can advise the player, who then speaks to the team. Lamar Jackson's mother was his manager through his 2023 negotiation; he was the negotiator of record.
Can a parent take a percentage of a child's NIL deals?
No law found prohibits it, but payment is the line the agent laws draw. The Revised Act covers anyone who, for compensation, manages an athlete's business affairs or advises on finances or career; Texas's definition turns on compensation; the 2000 Act and Florida exempt parents regardless. Whether a paid parent must register depends on the state.
Can a parent negotiate with a pro team for a college athlete?
Under NCAA Bylaw 12.2.3.3, the athlete or family members may enter negotiations with a professional sports organization without the athlete losing eligibility. Once the athlete signs with a team, the union's rule applies: in the NFL and NBA the family member would need certification to negotiate with the club.
What does a parent sign for an athlete under 18?
A minor's contract is generally voidable, so businesses ask a parent or guardian to sign. Under the Revised Act a parent or guardian signs any agency contract for an athlete under 18, and under SPARTA the parent or guardian receives and signs the agent's disclosure. In Leave, athletes 13 to 17 use the app through an account a parent or guardian creates.
Be your own agent. Leave.