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New York Times
21-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Packers' new era: How Ed Policy's journey prepared him for top job
More than three decades before he negotiated contracts for Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur, Ed Policy was part of Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young's contract negotiation. Kind of. Carmen Policy, Ed's father, was the Super Bowl-winning president and CEO of the San Francisco 49ers from 1991 to 1997. He negotiated with Young's super-agent, Leigh Steinberg, via old-fashioned car phone with Ed riding shotgun en route to training camp. Ed only heard one side of the conversation, but his interest was piqued. Advertisement He peppered his father with questions after overhearing such talks. Why is each side approaching a negotiation in a certain way? Why is a player holding out? How are they allowed to hold out? 'Listening to him negotiate contracts, listening to him talk to head coaches about difficult things, talk to Bill Walsh or talk to GMs about difficult things, those were great experiences,' Policy said. 'We talked about the NFL and the business of the NFL and pro football every night at the dinner table.' Policy, 54, will rely on those lessons as he assumes the role of Packers president and CEO on Friday. For an organization without a traditional owner, Policy will be the closest thing to it. Mark Murphy has led the team for the past 17 years, but per Packers bylaws, executive committee members must retire at 70, an age Murphy reached on July 13. Policy, who has served as Packers general counsel, vice president and chief operating officer since 2012, will now sit atop the food chain of one of the most iconic and unique organizations in sports. 'Ed is absolutely ready and will do a great job,' Murphy said. 'He's very sharp, knows the league inside and out … he's been invaluable to the organization during his tenure here.' Other NFL team presidents have minimal influence on football decisions, but Policy's primary duty will be to oversee, evaluate and ultimately hold accountable the GM and head coach. He rose to the top of an NFL organization not by outbidding billionaires — or being born to one — but by proving his worth to the Packers, beginning with a chance meeting with Murphy in a New York City hotel lobby over 13 years ago, and culminating in his selection from nearly 100 other candidates to lead the franchise, guided by lessons he learned from his father. 'Winning Super Bowls and celebrating Super Bowls and drinking champagne were great memories,' Policy said. 'But the things I really rely on now, the lessons, are really watching him struggle through some of the tougher times.' Advertisement Atop the list of difficult decisions Carmen made with the 49ers was the 1993 trade of quarterback Joe Montana, who won four Super Bowls and three Super Bowl MVPs in 14 years in San Francisco. Montana had missed the majority of the 1991 and 1992 seasons, and though he still had plenty left in the tank, it was finally Young's time to take over. The 49ers didn't have the manpower to sort through all the hate mail they received after moving on from Montana, so they stored it in a warehouse. 'I remember talking to him about it and (saying), 'Gosh, they're writing this stuff about you,' and he would say, 'Well, thank God they care … They don't like this decision right now. I hope in time, they come to really like it, but thank goodness they care,'' Policy recalled. 'If it was the right thing for the 49ers, he always did it.' Sure enough, Young won Super Bowl MVP two seasons later. Carmen wasn't a lifelong football man, but a lawyer from Youngstown, Ohio, one who counted 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo among his clients. DeBartolo wanted Carmen as his consigliere in San Francisco. Carmen, smooth, intelligent and charismatic, was a clean-up man for DeBartolo, a mercurial head of the organization who tended to turn nuclear. Carmen was organized and respected by then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue and worked with Walsh and others on personnel decisions. Ed may not exhibit as much influence on Packers personnel matters, but he inherited his father's thick skin for when difficult decisions arise. 'He's so much better than I am in so many ways,' Carmen, 82, said. 'He's a little more deliberate and will condition himself to be able to anticipate what the problems are and how better to handle it in advance (rather) than allowing 'em to get too far out of line.' As he watched his father stand firm while trading a franchise icon in Montana 32 years ago, Policy likely didn't imagine he'd one day make a similar call with the Packers after stops at Stanford Law School, the Arena Football League, the NFL office, and beyond. Regardless of what those outside — or even inside — 1265 Lombardi Ave. may think, Policy said he will always do whatever best helps the Packers win. Advertisement Whether it was the Montana trade, the Packers firing Mike McCarthy in 2018 after almost 13 years as head coach, Green Bay drafting quarterback Jordan Love in the 2020 first round with four years left on Aaron Rodgers' contract or refusing to trade a disgruntled Rodgers in 2021 despite his agent's request, Policy has seen firsthand how to follow the principle that could determine whether the Lombardi Trophy returns to Green Bay for the first time in 15 years. More than 10,000 Packers fans are expected to gather in the Lambeau Field bleachers Friday, well before the season's first public practice or game inside the stadium. The Packers call this gathering their Annual Meeting of Shareholders. They're the only publicly owned team in North America's four major professional sports leagues. Their 'owners' are fans, players and others who have bought shares of the team for anywhere from $5 to $300 during one of six stock sales over the last 102 years (their stake doesn't offer return on investment or give them input in football decisions). The meeting, held to invite shareholders to discussions about the team's financials, the prior season's performance and offseason moves, carries added significance this year. In what is hardly the traditional behind-closed-doors setting for ratifying an NFL ownership change, the Packers' equivalent will happen on a stage in front of thousands. While Policy has acclimated to his new role since the Packers announced their succession plan last June, he has been preparing for his turn in charge for much longer. Whenever Murphy encountered a challenging or unique decision, Policy would role-play while driving home from Lambeau Field, putting himself in Murphy's shoes and imagining how he'd handle it. He said he's been doing that since he joined the organization in 2012. Those reps paid off last year during Policy's final in-person interview, for which Murphy was present. 'There were a few moments where I began the answer and sometimes Mark would even kind of finish for me,' Policy said. 'The panel would kind of look at him … and at first I thought, 'Geez, Mark, this is my interview,' but then I realized it was such a great moment because it really showed how in tune I was with his thinking. Advertisement 'You'd have to ask the panel, I even think that went a long way in their selection because certainly, I think continuity has always been a hallmark of the Packers way.' Policy speaks with his father via telephone twice weekly to solicit advice or feedback. 'I'm pleased to see that he's not bored with me,' said Carmen, 82. This offseason, Policy asked Murphy's predecessor, Bob Harlan, if he had 20 minutes to chat. Policy and the 88-year-old Harlan, who worked for the Packers from 1971-2008 and served as CEO from 1989-2008, spoke for three hours at a high-top table on Lambeau Field's club level. 'I didn't know him at all,' Harlan said. 'I knew his dad very well because his dad was working with the 49ers when I was working with the Packers, so I started to see him at league meetings all the time, and he was a very capable administrator. I've got a son who is an agent and he used to deal a lot with Ed when Ed was in the (AFL), and so he's raved about him. 'He'll do an excellent job. Couldn't be a better choice because he's sound, he's intelligent, he'll be careful in his decision-making.' Despite his newfound authority and a heightened urgency to reach the game's biggest stage again entering Gutekunst's eighth season, LaFleur's seventh and Love's third as starter, Policy wants little to no influence on personnel matters. He's keeping the structure that Murphy implemented in 2018, in which the general manager, head coach and executive vice president/director of football operations report directly to the president. Previously, only the GM reported to the president while the other two reported to the GM. Murphy changed the hierarchy seven years ago so Gutekunst, then a new GM, could focus on personnel and not have to oversee McCarthy and Russ Ball, the team's executive VP and director of football operations, who remains in the role. 'What I see the president's role being in this structure is to be kind of the chief facilitator,' Policy said. 'Selecting football leadership, guiding them and giving them all the resources they need and supporting them, evaluating them and then ultimately holding them accountable. Really, I think it's important to let them do their jobs.' Advertisement Continuity is synonymous with the Packers. They've had two GMs in the last 20 years, two head coaches in the last 19 and three starting quarterbacks in the last 33. They made the playoffs in 13 of Murphy's 17 years in charge. Winning consistently has kept the Packers among the NFL's elite franchises. However, Murphy wrote in his penultimate monthly Q&A on that he regrets delivering only one Super Bowl appearance during his tenure. How Gutekunst and LaFleur do their jobs this season might dictate whether Policy brings them back in 2026. It will likely be his first significant decision in charge. The GM and head coach each have two years remaining on their contracts, and Policy isn't extending them now. He also doesn't want either in lame-duck contract years next season. Policy could be leaning toward keeping the pair — he served on the hiring panels for both, raved about what they've done since and has strong personal and professional relationships with them — but in what will be an early test, Policy must do what his father taught him: put personal feelings aside to make the best decision for the Packers. (Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; Mike Roemer / Associated Press)
BBC News
15-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
How do football agent fees work?
The transfer window is peak season for football agents. That is when agents broker deals for their clients as they pop up, revive moves that may have fallen through, and ring round clubs to see if they can secure a dream move for a biggest agencies - such as Base, Stellar, and Wasserman - have hundreds of players on their 'super agents' - including Jorge Mendes, widely known for guiding Cristiano Ronaldo's career - often find themselves in the spotlight nearly as much as their clients. Like it or not, agents are an integral part of the business of football. They receive payment for helping to organise transfers, and from commissions earned when players sign new contracts. It can, therefore, be in the financial interests of an agent for their client to move or agitate for a new agents also have to be advisers - looking after the best interests of their players, be a sounding board for them and their families, and look after their mental is a deeper job than just trying to sell the player to the highest bidder. Player representatives can also help and advise clubs, in exchange for payment, even to the point of ensuring two parties in transfer negotiations are responding to each other. How much do clubs spend on agent fees? At the top of the game, there is serious money to be made by 2 February 2024 to 3 February 2025, Chelsea spent a little over £60m on agents fees, while Manchester City spent about £ 20 Premier League teams paid a combined £409.1m on fees - down from £409.5m in the previous lowest spenders were Ipswich, who paid out £6.2m across a period during which they were promoted to the Premier down the pyramid, League Two clubs paid agents a total of £2.7m - the top spenders being Fleetwood, with £284,000. How much are football agents paid? This is harder to did say in 2016 that Paul Pogba's former agent Mino Raiola, who died in 2022, had made £24m from the midfielder's £94m transfer to Manchester responsibility to pay an agent is their client's, but it is commonly negotiated during a transfer that the buying club pays the agent's commission on the player's behalf, especially at the top level. Some agents at bigger agencies will be salaried, earning commission alongside their regular wage, while others earn their income entirely from regulations state fees to agents are paid on an invoice basis - every three months for any player contract lasting longer than six in reality, money could come every six months or even once a year. The bigger the club the more likely it would be to come in one payment, and often clubs will pay agents their service fees in September and February - after the transfer window. With each transfer, a three-way agreement is typically signed between the club, the player, and the agent - intended to foster a positive working usually includes a list of duties outlining how the player's relationship with club can be maintained, what the agent has done for the club so far, and a list of what each party should carry on agreements are designed to prevent issues like players skipping training - by discouraging agents from giving advice that could harm club relations, which would breach contract can still go against a club's wishes, of course. Riyad Mahrez missed training at Leicester in 2018 when he failed to get a move to Manchester City, which eventually went such circumstances, clubs can threaten to withhold payments to an agent. But a transfer could mean greater financial reward for an agent than any money lost from withheld payments, so the three-way agreement can be viewed more as an understanding than a rock-solid binding agreements last for the duration of the player's contract, and details the payments due to the agent, both from the player and the club. What happens if a transfer agreement is broken? How does somebody become a football agent? To represent players, agents need to pass Fifa's agent exam, which was reintroduced in 2023 having been withdrawn in the industry was essentially deregulated in the past, agents merely had to pay a fee for their licence and could then represent revamped exam tests agents' knowledge of Fifa's transfer regulations and the football industry, although some agents complain it does not reflect their day-to-day jobs and what it takes to look after a exam is a 20-question multiple-choice paper which candidates have an hour to year the global pass rate for the two exams - held in May and November - was 40%. Why are football agents taking action against Fifa? In 2023, Fifa introduced a service fee cap for agents, but legal challenges from multiple countries led to it being suspended, with the argument being it violated competition law and was proposed capping agent earnings at 10% of a transfer fee if representing the selling club, and 5% if working for the buying club. So, for example, if an agent was representing the selling club in a £50m deal, they would earn a maximum of £ new rules were challenged by two football agents' associations - Pro Agent and the European Football Agents' years ago, the Dortmund Regional Court stopped Fifa and the German Football Association from applying certain aspects of the new rules, including the limitation of agents' opted to suspend the regulation to ensure a level playing field, and the service fee cap does not currently apply to English transactions and to international issue remains unresolved, but agents are nervous about the cap because they would potentially lose a lot of money if their fees are article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team. What is Ask Me Anything? Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you team explores everything you need to know and calls upon a network of contacts including our experts and answer your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and go behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting coverage spans the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio. More questions answered... What do football clubs do in pre-season training?Who are Premier League clubs playing in pre-season?How are Premier League fixtures decided?When does the summer transfer window close?How do add-ons work in football transfers?
Telegraph
15-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Tottenham hire ex-Man Utd executives who left during Sir Jim Ratcliffe's jobs purge
The leading Manchester United executives who oversaw soaring commercial revenues and then left after Sir Jim Ratcliffe's major cost-cutting programme have been hired by Tottenham Hotspur. The team led by United's former commercial star Victoria Timpson is comprised of many of the club's former leading women in the executive team, including Ali Edge and Florence Lafaye. While they were not public figures under the previous regime they drove United's big commercial shirt deals with the likes of TeamViewer and Snapdragon, which in turn helped finance the signings of a series of managers. Timpson, who left United last summer after 16 years, was most recently its chief executive of global alliances and partnerships. She led the club's central London office in pushing up commercial revenues – by 17 per cent in her final year. Timpson was briefly succeeded by Lafaye, United's commercial director, who then also departed after 13 years with United. Edge worked at United for 29 years, a longer stint than even Sir Alex Ferguson, and was most recently a director in Timpson's department. She was chiefly responsible for retaining commercial deals. The trio, along with another former United commercial executive Tom Liston-Jones, who was head of data and strategy, have established a new 20-strong agency, which will be known as Altius8. It has agreed a deal with Spurs chairman Levy with the intention that they will have the same transformative effect on the club's revenues as the team did at United. It is understood that a whole range of sponsorship assets will be overseen by Timpson and her colleagues although it is not clear yet whether that might include a potential naming rights deal for Spurs' new stadium. A title sponsor is still yet to be sealed more than six years after the £1.2 billion stadium opened. The new Spurs stadium has a F1-branded karting track, as well as the multi-use function that allows it to stage concerts and regular season NFL games by storing the football surface in a subterranean chamber. The arrival of Timpson and Altius8 along with new chief executive Vinai Venkatesham represents a new direction for Spurs under Levy. The formation of Altius8 under Timpson's leadership, industry sources say, will ask intriguing questions as to whether Ineos made the right decision in dismantling what was one of the few unqualified successes of the Glazer era at Old Trafford. The Florida-based family, that has owned United for more than 20 years, had no choice but to drive commercial revenues in the early years to ensure it could meet the huge borrowing costs of the takeover. The operation that developed drew admiration and many attempts to replicate, across the European game. While former chief executive Ed Woodward, and his deputy – later successor – Richard Arnold established the London office it was Timpson and her team who came to seal all major deals over the last decade. United's Snapdragon shirt-front deal, agreed with parent company Qualcomm in September 2023 for three years for £60 million annually, was then renewed in August by Timpson before she left. She chose to depart last summer during the first major wave of redundancies and departures initiated by Ratcliffe and Ineos. Timpson previously secured the TeamViewer sponsorship during the Covid lockdown. That was worth £235 million over five years. The German tech company withdrew after the first year. Other commercial partners such as IT giant DXC; blockchain platform Tezos; the Microsoft PCs range CoPilot+; cosmetics multinational Estee Lauder; and Malaysia Airlines were deals agreed on Timpson's watch. As well as the quartet from United, Altius8 has signed Andrew Markham, formerly of Liverpool and Jon Naspe, who has worked at Manchester City and with sports car manufacturer Ferrari. Altius8 has launched with investment from Teneo, the global consulting and strategy consultancy. Representatives for Altius8 declined to comment.
