Top Sports Agencies in the World: Who Represents Elite Athletes
On this page8
Behind almost every big-money transfer, draft contract, or endorsement deal, a sports agency is doing the negotiating — and most fans never hear its name. As of 2025, Forbes ranks Creative Artists Agency (CAA) the most valuable sports agency, ahead of Wasserman, Excel Sports Management, Octagon, and Klutch Sports Group. Between them, these firms manage tens of billions of dollars in athlete contracts across football, basketball, baseball, and beyond.
What sports agencies do
A sports agency is far more than someone making phone calls on an athlete’s behalf. The leading firms run a full-service business:
- Contract negotiation — playing contracts with clubs, franchises, or federations
- Endorsements and sponsorship — connecting athletes with brands and managing NIL deals
- Media and PR — managing public image and media relationships
- Financial planning — budgeting, investment, and long-term wealth management
- Legal counsel — contracts, disputes, and intellectual property
- Career transition — post-playing planning and personal brand development
The best agencies combine sport-specific negotiating expertise with a marketing arm that can turn on-field success into lasting commercial value.
What makes an agency elite
Not every firm that signs athletes competes at the top tier. The agencies that dominate share a few traits: deep rosters of star clients, negotiating leverage built over decades of deals, and marketing divisions capable of landing eight-figure endorsement contracts. Forbes measures them primarily by estimated maximum commissions — the fees an agency could earn across all the playing and non-playing contracts it manages — which rewards both roster size and the value of individual deals.
The leading sports agencies
Ranked by Forbes’ 2025 valuation of estimated maximum commissions.
| Rank | Agency | Headquarters | Max commissions (2025) | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CAA | Los Angeles, USA | ~$1.14 billion | NFL, NBA, MLB, football, marketing |
| 2 | Wasserman | Los Angeles, USA | ~$956 million | Soccer, baseball, hockey, Olympic sports |
| 3 | Excel Sports Management | New York, USA | ~$783 million | Golf, basketball, baseball |
| 4 | Octagon | Stamford, USA | ~$463 million | Olympic sports, tennis, baseball |
| 5 | Klutch Sports Group | Los Angeles, USA | ~$351 million | NBA, NFL, MLB, soccer |
Figures are Forbes’ 2025 estimates and shift year to year as contracts turn over.
The agencies that lead the field
CAA (Creative Artists Agency) sits atop the sports world for the tenth consecutive Forbes ranking. The firm manages roughly $20 billion in total contracts and about $5 billion in non-playing branding deals, with a roster spanning every major North American league. Clients include baseball’s Shohei Ohtani and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Wasserman ranks second, having grown its estimated commissions 31% over three years to about $956 million. Its footprint is unusually broad — soccer, baseball, hockey, and Olympic sports — with a reported 4,000-plus clients, more than $9 billion in playing contracts, and a marketing division managing close to $2 billion in endorsements for stars such as Maxx Crosby and Giancarlo Stanton.
Excel Sports Management has been the fastest riser near the top, boosting commissions roughly 57% over three years to around $783 million. Built on a golf foundation that historically included Tiger Woods, Excel has expanded aggressively into basketball and baseball.
Octagon anchors the top five in Olympic and tennis representation, with about $463 million in estimated commissions, and pairs athlete management with a large sports-marketing and events business.
Klutch Sports Group, founded by Rich Paul, has been the industry’s breakout story. Managing over $7 billion in total athlete deals across the NBA, NFL, MLB, and soccer, Klutch entered Forbes’ top five in 2025. It is now part of United Talent Agency (UTA), with Paul serving as an agency partner and board member.
The industry in 2025-2026
The most recent Forbes data points to a “rich get richer” era in athlete representation. Combined, the top 10 North American agencies generate up to $4.61 billion in commissions on more than $72 billion in active contracts, and the top 20 individual agents manage over $32 billion in deals. Soaring NIL values and league salary caps have pushed contract figures — and therefore commissions — to record highs.
Two shifts stand out. First, consolidation: talent conglomerates are absorbing sports agencies, as with UTA’s stake in Klutch and its 2024 acquisition of the soccer agency ROOF, which now anchors Klutch Global Football across Europe’s “Big Five” leagues. Second, individual star agents wield enormous power — Forbes named baseball’s Scott Boras the most powerful agent in North American team sports for 2025, with up to $244 million in commissions on an estimated $4.89 billion in active playing contracts.
How athletes choose an agency
Elite athletes weigh several factors before signing:
- Track record in their sport — relevant contract and negotiation expertise
- Existing relationships with clubs, brands, and broadcasters
- The individual agent assigned — personal chemistry matters
- Commercial capabilities — the quality and reach of the endorsement network
- Conflict of interest — whether the agency represents competing athletes or clubs
The regulatory landscape
Player representation isn’t policed the same way everywhere. In football, FIFA reintroduced a licensing system for agents, requiring an exam and compliance rules, though parts of it have faced legal challenges in Europe. In North America, players’ unions such as the NFLPA, NBPA, and MLBPA certify their own agents and cap commissions. Markets with weak regulation carry real risk for athletes, which is part of why established agencies with compliance infrastructure keep attracting the top-tier clients.
The bottom line
The upper tier of sports representation is now dominated by a handful of US-headquartered giants — CAA, Wasserman, Excel, Octagon, and Klutch — that pair contract muscle with global marketing reach. But the field keeps shifting as talent agencies consolidate and football’s global market grows, meaning the names at the top are powerful but never permanent.
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest sports agency in the world?+
As of 2025, Forbes ranks Creative Artists Agency (CAA) as the most valuable sports agency, a position it has held for ten consecutive rankings. CAA manages roughly $20 billion in total athlete contracts and represents around 3,000 clients, including baseball's Shohei Ohtani and NFL quarterback Josh Allen.
What does a sports agency do?+
A sports agency represents athletes in contract negotiations with clubs or franchises and secures endorsement and sponsorship deals. Larger firms also handle media and public relations, legal and financial advice, and brand development. Many now offer post-career planning and NIL (name, image, and likeness) commercial management as well.
What percentage do sports agents take?+
Sports agents typically earn between 3% and 10% of a client's contract value, though the figure varies by sport and region. Union rules cap playing-contract commissions in several leagues — for example, the NFLPA limits agent fees to 3% and the NBPA to 4%. Endorsement and marketing deals usually carry higher rates, often 10% to 20%.
Who is the most powerful individual sports agent?+
In North American team sports, Forbes named baseball's Scott Boras the most powerful agent in 2025, with up to $244 million in commissions on an estimated $4.89 billion in active playing contracts. Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who represents LeBron James, ranks among the top three.
Are the top sports agencies all based in the United States?+
The largest full-service agencies by Forbes valuation — CAA, Wasserman, Excel, and Octagon — are US-headquartered, reflecting the value of North American league contracts. However, football (soccer) representation is far more global, with major operations in Europe, and firms increasingly build cross-border divisions to cover the sport's biggest leagues.
What is the difference between a sports agency and a sports agent?+
A sports agent is the licensed individual who directly negotiates on an athlete's behalf, while a sports agency is the company that employs agents and provides supporting services such as marketing, legal, and financial teams. Athletes often sign with an agency largely because of trust in one specific agent.
How do sports agents get certified or licensed?+
Certification depends on the sport. In the United States, players' unions such as the NFLPA, NBPA, and MLBPA certify agents through exams and background checks. In football, FIFA reintroduced a licensing system for agents, requiring an exam and ongoing compliance, though parts of the framework have faced legal challenges.
How do athletes choose which agency to sign with?+
Athletes weigh an agency's track record in their specific sport, its relationships with clubs, brands, and broadcasters, and the chemistry they have with the individual agent assigned to them. Commercial reach and freedom from conflicts of interest — such as representing rival athletes or clubs — also factor heavily into the decision.
Sources
Related guides
Most Famous & Marketable Female Athletes in the World
The most marketable female athletes combine elite competitive results with broad public appeal, social media reach, and endorsement power — spanning tennis, gymnastics, track, basketball, and beyond.
Athletes Who Died on the Field: Tragic Cases in Sports
A sobering look at athletes across multiple sports who died during competition or training, and what their deaths revealed about safety in sport.
Fittest Female Athletes in the World: The Elite List
A look at the female athletes widely regarded as the fittest on the planet, spanning endurance, strength, power, and agility across multiple sports.
Athletes Who Used Steroids: High-Profile Doping Cases
Some of the most famous athletes in history have been linked to steroid use. Here are the most significant doping cases and what they meant for sport.
Fittest Male Athletes in the World: Elite Physical Specimens
An exploration of the male athletes widely considered the fittest on earth, covering the sports, training methods, and fitness qualities that set them apart.
Athletes Who Lost Their Lives in Military Service
Professional athletes from the NFL, Major League Baseball, English football and cricket who died serving in the World Wars and Afghanistan, remembered here with verified detail.