Alumni Profile - Max Meltzer, BA Business Administration, 2008
1. Firstly, tell us a bit about your role as a Players Agent Licensed by the English FA. How long have you been in the position and how did it come about? What players do you manage? Was this something that you always wanted to do?
As a Licensed Agent my main duties are to handle players transfer / contract negotiations and help them exploit commercial opportunities. I often also help clubs exploit commercial opportunities.
I qualified for the licence in October 2008 and began by doing some scouting work for a small agency whilst I studied for a Master in Laws also at Durham. Achieving that opportunity to work for a football agency, despite having no football background or contacts whatsoever was incredibly tough. I must have contacted over 100 agencies or agents and ended up working for free initially just to get a chance. In all, part-time or full-time, I’ve been in the position for around 3 years now.
My main client is Tomer Hemed who scored for Real Mallorca against Real Madrid not too long ago. I had arranged with Ally McCoist for him move to Rangers in summer but the lure of Spain was too much for Tomer. I’ve also worked with Celtic’s vice-captain, Beram Kayal, Manchester City’s Alex Nimely and recruited to my previous company, Chubby Chandler’s International Sports Management, their first Premier League player at the time in Dekel Keinan at then, Blackpool. I also represent a range of top youth talents at Premier League clubs.
It’s not always something I wanted to do, I actually did a bit of work as an agent for musicians whilst at university and managed to get a composer called, Neal Acree a big project called, World of Warcraft. However, on the day I found out you could actually become licensed to become a football agent, my mind went into overdrive and a day hasn’t passed since where this isn’t all I want to do. This is my calling.
2. Can you describe your typical day?
I’m delighted to say as of very recently I am now a Co-owner and Director of my own business, Simply Sport Management, as a result of receiving substantial private investment. This adds new duties to my day in addition to the typical licensed agent role. Initially that means all that is involved with starting up a business to ensure all the foundations are set and will surely evolve to managing people and processes effectively towards our end goal. By donating profits to a leading children’s charity, linking with universities and setting a code of ethics for clubs to sign we are innovating and hoping beyond the standard agency activity we will set a higher ethical benchmark in our industry that other agencies will have to follow.
As for a typical day of what I’d term ‘agency activity’ it is almost primarily all about communication – creating and sustaining relationships for short and long-term goals. This means meetings and lots of them – I’m constantly driving up and down the country (sometimes abroad) to meet clients (prospective or current), clubs, companies who may be interested in sponsorship (i.e. a major sports clothes manufacturer), scouts and more. When I’m not in those meetings then I’m on the phone following up to meetings or setting other plans into motion or dealing with whatever is thrown at me. These calls can range from a client wanting to discuss his future to conversing with a sports merchandiser about a sponsorship deal for a client to recommending players to club managers to hearing about the latest talent from a scout to talking to a major sports betting organisation about club shirt sponsorship and so on.
3. What aspect of your job do you enjoy most? Do you get any perks of the job?
The variation is the best part of the job. I become very bored going to the same location every day at the same time. Every day I am somewhere new or haven’t been for some time, meeting new people or building upon established relationships and I really enjoy that.
The perks have to be the international travelling – it brings its own pressures but if you get a bit of down time and you’re in the mediterranean in mid-february, I know where I’d rather be. Of course also, the free player tickets to big games but importantly I still feel privileged at times to be in a business and speaking regularly with many former players I used to idolise when I was younger.
4. Do you feel your BA prepared you for/helped you obtain your current role? If so, how?
If I’m honest, whilst doing my studies there were the odd modules I thought to myself I’d never use in ‘real’ business. However, the more immersed I become in ‘real’ business, particularly in relation to running my own business, I’ve realised how just having a little foundational knowledge of that subject can really help out. I always think it’s good to know a little bit of everything you’re involved in (or as much as you can) so you can understand who to work with and who not to and what to be aware of. The BA really helped me on this front, particularly in areas I feel now are imperative to have some knowledge in like financial accounting. For that reason I feel it really has helped with where I’m at now.
5. What are your fondest memories of your time in Durham?
Each and every fresher’s week – albeit, my memory of the entirety of these weeks is somewhat distorted. In truth, I found the social side of Durham to be excellent. The college system just makes it all, from day one you really feel that sense of belonging in your college and the rivalry with other colleges that forms is great – it all goes to make everything from nights out to inter-college sports a unique experience other universities can’t offer.
6. Have you been back to Durham since graduating? If yes, when? If no, do you intend to visit again in the future?
I have. As I’m often travelling and I still have friends at Durham that are doing Masters or other courses, I try to drop by when I can – if only to revel in the memory of what it used to be like to be a student. Of course, I’m always there to try and blend back into a student night out somewhere too – that said, I’m probably getting too old for that stuff now!
7. Do you keep in contact with many of the people you met at Durham?
Yes, I keep in touch with a huge amount of people; I don’t think you lose that connection - with so many memories shared. I had amazing flat mates if there’s enough room to give them a mention here: Jason, Dom, Drew, Juan, Ben, JD, Dave, Ricky, Chris, Pez, Ross – just a great bunch of lads. Of course there’s so many other people as well who I remain good friends with and it’s always fun reminiscing on our times at Durham.
8. Tell us something about yourself that your fellow alumni would find interesting.
I tried to start my first business with friends aged 13. My family tree is quite mixed with grandparents or great grandparents from Denmark, Russia, Poland and Ireland – making for quite a broad spectrum of differing cultural values and religious beliefs across my wider family.!
9. What do you do to unwind?
I think a good night out is the best way to unwind.
10. What do you consider to be your main strengths and weaknesses?
I think my main strength is my ability to network, communicate and connect with people anywhere – even if we don’t share a common language. My weaknesses probably outweigh my strengths! I am not the most organised of people and my time management leaves much to be admired – albeit I am improving on these as a matter of necessity.
11. Where do you envisage your career going in the future?
The vision I have for myself and my business is huge. In 15 years, I envisage myself spearheading one of the UK’s leading and most professional sports management companies. I’m inspired by the American professionalism approach to sports management – I think what IMG do in America is incredible and I think if we can look to emulate and improve upon that type of model eventually in the UK I’d be extremely happy with what I’d have achieved.
12. If you had one piece of advice to current students, what would it be?
I’d suggest to get involved as much as possible at University. From putting yourself up for election to any of the JCR or course positions, or set up your own society, or take part in one of the college sports teams, not only will it add just a little extra to your CV on graduating, I just think taking part helps you get the best out of the University experience.