Jay Z, you’re no longer the only big name in the sports agent business. Here comes Roger Federer.
Federer has formed a sports agency called Team8, joined by his agent, Tony Godsick, and two investors. Though Federer, 32, will still mostly be occupied by playing tennis for now, he can be expected to jump into the business fully when he retires.
Team8’s plan is to be a boutique agency, representing a select group of athletes, not necessarily just tennis players. Of course, one of those athletes is Federer himself. Though he no longer is a dominant force, Federer still ranks among the 10 best players in the world and was No. 2 on this year’s Forbes list of the world’s highest-paid athletes at $71.5 million. (Tiger Woods is No. 1, at $78.1 million.)
Team8 also has signed one of Federer’s on-court competitors, Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, and a youngster for whom great things are predicted, Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria.
“(Team8) will manage just a small stable of iconic athletes,” Godsick told The New York Times. “… I think small is the new big. We’re for more of a personalized approach, and you’ve seen it now with so many different athletes.”
Godsick also said Team8 would look to rep entertainers as well as athletes. So, Jay Z, just in case you’re looking for a new agent, maybe you could give Fed a call.
