August 1 – Football agent Jon Smith, one of the first of the so-called band of Super Agents, is behind a fund-raising for a new player agency that will be part-owned by fans.
The Fans Agency is currently raising £500,000 of initial finance on CrowdCube with 25% of shares allocated for fan ownership. So far £180,000 has been raised on the pre-money valuation of £2 million.
The player agency sector is worth £220 million in the UK and is the one sector guaranteed to ignite passions – usually negative – in all areas of the football business eco-system.
“It’s time for a change. We will be completely transparent and fully involve the fans by listening to what they believe in. We want to be the number one Sports Agency in the world,” said Smith, whose brother Phil is an early investor.
The Fans Agency says it “is turning the existing football agent model on its head by giving the fans the opportunity to become shareholders in the business, buy shares in players’ agency fees and by giving shareholders the power to decide where grassroots investment will be spent.”
The business itself is based on traditional player agency activities of offering commercial, legal, financial and media support to players, as well as handling contract negotiations and transfers.
Shares can be bought for as little as £10. “As shareholders in the business they also have the potential to benefit financially, and they will be able to own and trade shares in individual player’s agency rights,” says the investor pitch.
Contact the writer of this story at paul.nicholson@insideworldfootball.com