The Coppel Sports USP

Most weeks I use this space to talk about my athletes, and why they would (and do) make great ambassadors, partners and sponsees (I think that’s the word). This week, I wanted to use it as a chance to promote the agency, and what sets Coppel Sports apart.

I’ve had some really interesting conversations about sports managers, lawyers, athletes and advisers in the past week, and those conversations got me thinking about what sets me apart from other sports agencies in Australia.

There are a few obvious ones - I don’t do sports management 9-5, I still have a professionally satisfying full time job outside of sport, and also I think my own athletic experience is different. I am nobody’s idea of a professional athlete, but I’ll bet that few of my athletes would manage a half ironman triathlon or a marathon better than me if we had to complete a challenge this weekend.

There are other things too, that maybe aren’t completely unique, but they are unusual in the sports management world. I have a law degree, with years of legal practice behind me, and I have previous corporate and startup experience, that give me a good lens into the business world.

All of this is to say that there are some unique or unusual skills that make up part of the mix for me as a sports manager.

But it’s more than that too - there are principles from those experiences that stand me in good stead, and allow me to work with my clients in a different way.

It was actually a conversation with another lawyer this week, where we talked about fidelity as part of the legal habit that I have developed. Fidelity is defined as the faithfulness to a person, cause or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support. And fidelity is one of those things that I think sets me apart.

I am loyal to my athletes and their causes. I can advise them on the best long term picture, and help them maximise the now, the next and the later when it comes to their careers and lives.

As a lawyer, I also have the ingrained habit to be wary of a conflict of interest - if I represent two competitive athletes, I will always discuss with them both before signing the second, and ensuring that clients don’t feel like there’s any unfair treatment.

Then there is the grounding in facts and truth - this one is a habit that is almost certainly hurting my bottom line to some extent (especially in the short term) - I am not someone who naturally leans towards exaggeration and embellishment for sales, whether with athletes or sponsors. I won’t promise the world, or any more than I can deliver, and I am clear with my athletes about where my time management priorities lie (if work is reading this, the answer is still work).

My athletes know that what they see, and what they are promised, is what they get. It’s often less than someone else has ‘promised’, but it’s still often more than what others are delivering.

And there’s one last trait, that I think makes the biggest difference of all. Client engagement - I treat my clients and my athletes like the people they are. Not like invincible superstars, or commodities to extract value for. The human element - and I think it’s the biggest difference of all.

The example is as easy as this week - I am working on a deal for a couple of athletes, and in the end, it will be commission and contra (product) only, which means that I won’t actually be paid for the deal. But for the athletes, its better to get this value in kind, rather than cash, so I worked with the athlete and we discussed that the non-cash deal was a better proposition than the cash deal, and so off we went.

So ultimately, all of this is to say that if you know an athlete who is in need of a manager, a mentor, or just someone to talk to, please send them my way, or reach out.

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