Be nice
In all negotiations, however, sports agents agree that the tenor must be professional, courteous, and ethical. As soft as it sounds, many agents say building good relationships is what is most critical to getting the best deals. “It’s a small world, and what goes around comes around,” says Duffy.
Such an attitude paid off in spades for agents Mark Bartelstein when client Darius Songaila’s contract with the Sacramento Kings came up for renewal last year. Bartelstein could have secured a release by working up a three-year deal with another NBA team that the Kings could not have matched, but Songaila’s preference was an offer the Kings easily could have topped, a shorter contract from the Chicago Bulls.
So, with nothing to offer, Bartelstein went to the King’s operating chief, whom he considers a friend, and asked for a favor. “I went to Jeff and said, ‘would you do the right thing for Darius”? Bartelstein recalls, at which point Patrie backed off the negotiations. Bartelstein believes the implicit agreement was that he would remember the goodwill in the future when it came to marketing the Kings to clients. “He knows I am not going to forget he did something for me,” says Bargtelstein.
The ultimate prize for a CFO in any negotiation, however, may be the personal satisfaction that comes from a battle well fought, regardless of the final terms. If a CFO won’t argue for what he really wants, says Steinberg, he will be consigned to “that great mass of people who walk through life with a terrible roiling sense in their guy, feeling underappreciated and trod on.” And, of course, if you can show shareholders the money, you may just feel like a star.