The Players’ Corner

Christopher Overton didn’t become a sports agent for personal gain; he was driven by a desire to improve the industry and help players, as Christopher recalled him thinking, “This is an industry I can thrive in, but it’s also an industry where we can make a real impact and change the stigma behind the athlete-agent relationship.”

From the locker room to the negotiating table, Christopher brings a rare perspective. This is his story, and his vision for reshaping the athlete-agent relationship.

From the Gridiron to Representation

Christopher isn’t just a businessman; he’s a guy who’s been in the locker room, battled on the gridiron, and experienced the “ups and downs” of the sport. As a former Division I football player at Kent State and Indiana State, he’s been in the players’ shoes.

But when injuries sidelined him at Indiana State, he had to adjust his approach to impacting the team. He turned to helping the guys around him on the business side.

In the midst of guiding his teammates and friends, Christopher realized the longer potential, “I would sit down with agents and have conversations and hear what they were going to provide and how they were going to help the guys that were on my team. And from that standpoint, it was, hey, what are these guys doing that I can’t do?”

He saw an opportunity to expand on the athlete representation market, as he said, “I saw a lot of good things, but I also saw some missed opportunities within the athlete representation market. That was a part of the fire that lit under me.”

Now he’s able to bring his experience as a player to the business side of the sport, “Being able to be a guy that has been in their shoes, being able to be a guy that not only has dealt with the injuries and the tough parts of that and the transition already from going from athlete to figuring out what’s going to come next.”

His unique background informs his insights, reflecting the modern era and an understanding of players’ viewpoints.

Building a Brand: Take Advantage of the Influence

One viewpoint Christopher understands is a player’s desire to capitalize on social media. In a time where lucrative personal brands can be built on social media, but players also face criticism for posting, Christopher’s advice for his clients is clear: “I think it’s something that is a constant battle for these guys… we preach that to our guys, use your platform while you have it.”

It’s important to take advantage of the spotlight, as he explained, “They (players) are at the peak of their influence and of their reach while they’re playing ball. Once they’re not playing anymore, the following, the influence, all of those things start to taper off.”

And while players can face backlash for posting, he said that comes down to knowing the time, place, and manner for it, “You want to be responsible with it like anything else. And I think that’s just a matter of discipline, being able to say, ‘This is my time to take care of that. This is my time to post TikToks or to do my brand promotions.’ And then when it comes to being in season, being in practice, or being in a locker room, focusing in on those things.”

Christopher has some advice for his players on how they can compound their success and offload the process: hire a social media manager. He said, “I’m big on buying your time back. So when you get your NIL money, if you are one of those guys that has influence and you have a following, instead of spending X amount of dollars on jewelry, why don’t you spend that on a social media manager? Spend that on something that can automate what’s gonna bring you in more money.”

Contract Negotiations: Get What You Deserve and Sign the Right Deal

Contract negotiations: The center of the sports agency industry. Currently, contract negotiations are getting extreme publicity. At its height this offseason, there was a trade request by Myles Garrett and holdouts by Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson. The decisions led to extremely lucrative and even record-breaking contracts.

Christopher expressed his thoughts on players battling to get the money they deserve, “I think these guys should stand on the table and do what they need to do to get the dollars that they deserve because it’s a brutal sport at the end of the day. These guys are putting their bodies—their lives—on the line on a daily basis.”

These players used their leverage to bargain for the best deal for themselves. Christopher explained the importance of leverage, “When you talk about contract negotiations, the one thing that you don’t want to do is to give up that leverage… That’s the main asset you have in negotiations… the ability of the player, the resume, whatever the case may be.”

Contract negotiations are about using that leverage to get the best possible deal. And Christopher mentions this doesn’t just mean the most money, “It’s just about finding that balance, making sure that they get maximum dollar, maximum value, but also in the right situation with the right contract.”

Keeping the long-term goals in mind, at the heart of every NFL contract is the risk of injury. Christopher mentions why guaranteed money is so important, “We want to try to get guaranteed money within those contracts because the biggest risk for these guys is always going to be an injury. [Every time] they step out on that field [or] they step out on that turf, it’s a dangerous game.”

When it comes to negotiations, Christopher believes in players fighting for what they deserve, using their leverage, and understanding what the unique best deal is for them.

Believe Sports Group: A Name With a Deeper Meaning

Negotiations are only one piece of the puzzle. For Christopher, being an agent is about much more than dollars and deals; it’s about trust, faith, and long-term relationships.

Christopher is helping guys capture their opportunity to live out their dream, as he said, “We have the NFL clientele, but we also have guys that are playing in the Arena League. We have guys that are playing over in Europe…[our representation] is allowing our guys to continue their career, to continue their journey, and have opportunities to try to move up.”

At the foundation of this representation is trust. He mentioned, “A big thing in this business is trust. We have to trust the guys we’re working with. And of course, they and their families have to trust us as well.” He expressed why trust is so important:

“At the end of the day, if I’m sitting down at the table, and I’m going to bat and going to fight for one of my clients… not only do they have to believe in us, you know, as their representation, we have to believe in them. We sit down at that table, you know, we can’t fake it. These emotions and the passions that we have. It’s not fake. So we sit down and we really believe in these guys. We believe in them as players, but also as humans, and as men.”

A part of building this trust is having a relationship where he’s able to be honest, “So you got to be that guy that… has the certifications, the education, and the contract language down pat, but you also have to be able to relate and have those conversations with those guys that may be tough conversations and not be like a yes man.”

It’s more personal than just negotiating contracts and business deals, as Christopher elaborated, “It’s much bigger than the contracts, man. We’re hands-on. We’re day-to-day management. We’re with the families, we’re doing everything we can to help these guys out. So I think it just plays into that. You have to be able to walk the walk as well.” It’s a holistic approach, not just a focus on transactions.

This holistic approach, founded on trust and honesty, is at the forefront of the company name. Believe Sports Group stands on faith, as Christopher emphasized, “We understand how big faith can be in regard to those ups and those downs… I think that’s one of the things that we bring. I think that is the image and the vision that we put off through not only the name, but also through our actions. Our morals are big; we stand on those morals.”

Christopher believes in the players he represents. He fights for their interests now and for when their playing careers come to a close. He became an agent to positively impact the industry, and he’s doing this with each and every one of his relationships.

Disclaimer

The information in this article is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It should not be construed as legal, financial, or professional advice for athletes or any other individuals. Readers should consult with qualified legal, financial, or professional advisors before making decisions regarding contracts, representation, or personal matters discussed herein.