Leigh Steinberg is the World’s First ''Super Agent''

Personal Life

Leigh Steinberg runs and manages Steinberg Sports & Entertainment located in Newport Beach, CA. Leigh was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. While enrolled at Hamilton High School, he was nominated student body president and voted most likely to succeed. When Leigh attended University of California, Berkeley, he joined the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity and he eventually established Unity, which was his own student government political party. Leigh explained that the 1960’s were tumultuous years and he recalled protesting the Vietnam War on campus. His moderate politics appealed to Berkeley students who appointed him President of the Associated Students of the University of California, the university’s student government. In 1970, Leigh graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from U.C. Berkeley.


In 1973, Leigh earned his J.D. from Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. He originally planned on becoming a district attorney until he represented Cal quarterback Steve Bartkowski, who was the first overall pick in the 1975 NFL draft. After Leigh negotiated a then-record contract for Bartkowski, surpassing the previous standard bearers in O.J. Simpson and Joe Namath, he established his sports law practice in 1975.

For the past thirty-nine years, Leigh has represented the greatest athletes in the world, which include: Bartkowski, Steve Young, Troy Aikman, Bruce Smith, Warren Moon, Drew Bledsoe, Ben Roethlisberger, Eric Dickerson, Thurman Thomas, Derrick Thomas, Jeff George, Kordell Stewart, Matt Leinart, Edgerrin James, Mark Brunell, Myron Rolle, Ricky Williams, Jevon Kearse, Howie Long, Dusty Baker, Eric Karros, Lennox Lewis and Oscar De La Hoya as well as a number of MLB, NBA, and Olympic athletes. The sports agent represented the number one overall pick in the NFL draft a record eight times, unprecedented within the sports industry, and has also represented over sixty first round draft picks. In all, the world’s first “super agent” has represented over one hundred fifty professional athletes and has successfully negotiated over two billion dollars in athlete contract and endorsement deals.

In addition to Leigh’s exceptional representation of athletes in all of sports, he has played a pivotal role in assisting his clients develop over a hundred charitable foundations. These foundations have raised over seven hundred million dollars for several causes, which include: helping abused or disadvantaged children, protecting endangered species and building wings in children’s hospitals. Leigh encourages his athletes to find a cause they deeply care about. For example, Warrick Dunn’s “Home for the Holidays” allows single parents to purchase a home for the first time while Rolf Benirschke’s “Kicks for Critters” raises money to protect endangered species.

Leigh also volunteers his time to several humanitarian causes. He has been involved with the Starlight Foundation, CORO Fellows Program, Human Relations Commission, Children Now and the Children’s Miracle Network. He established the Steinberg Leadership Institute, a national program managed by the Anti-Defamation League of B’Nai Brith, which prepares young individuals to battle inequality and racism throughout the world. Leigh founded the Steinberg Leadership Program with the Human Relations Commission of Orange County to provide tolerance and leadership training to middle school as well as high school leaders in a series of one-week camps. He contributes his resources and time to organizations such as Junior Achievement, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and Special Olympics. Leigh community service has been recognized both locally and nationally. He has received acclamations from the Los Angeles City Council, the Orange County Board of Supervisors, State Legislature, State Senate, Congress, President Reagan, President Bush and President Clinton. Leigh has been named Man of the Year several times by a variety of organizations, which include the Los Angeles and Orange County divisions of the Anti-Defamation League, the Los Angeles and Orange County Human Relations Commissions, the Southern California Boy Scouts, Cedars Sinai, the March of Dimes as well as other charitable and professional organizations. The sports agent has been presented the “Keys to the City” of four cities: Jacksonville, FL; Memphis, TN; San Francisco, CA; and Concord, CA.

In the early 1990s, Leigh prevented the San Francisco Giants baseball team from relocating to Florida and the Oakland Athletics baseball team from relocating to San Jose or Sacramento. At that time, San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan recognized Leigh’s efforts to keep the Giants at their rightful home and honored him by announcing “Leigh Steinberg Day” in the city of San Francisco. Although unsuccessful in trying to keep the Los Angeles Rams in the City of Angeles, Leigh served as Co-Chairman of the “Save the Rams committee.”

Leigh is credited as the real life inspiration of the Cameron Crowe film Jerry Maguire. He is also frequently contacted to act as a consultant on a number of entertainment projects such as Any Given Sunday, For Love of the Game and the television series “Arliss.” The sports agent has regularly appeared on national television programs, which includes “CNN,” “CNN World News,” “60 Minutes,” “Larry King Live,” “Charlie Rose,” “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” “CBS Morning News,” “Fox News,” “Fox Business,” “Morning Joe” on MSNBC, “The Pat Sajak Show,” “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” “The Leeza Gibbons Show,” “The Man Show,” and “Living Large.” Leigh has also been featured in many magazines such as Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine, Forbes, People, Business Week, Success, GQ, Playboy, FHM, Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, LA Times Sunday Magazine, US Airways Magazine, United Airlines’ Magazine Hemispheres and Hawaiian Airlines’ Magazine Hana Hou! He has given his advice and commentary about athletes as well as the business of sports for “The Jim Rome Show,” “The Dan Patrick Show,” “Mike and the Mad Dog,” “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” “Coppock on Sports,” WFAN NY, “Ticket,” “The Ticket,” KFWB 980, Fan590 Toronto and 710 ESPN. During the 1990s, Leigh was a regular guest host on “The Jim Rome Show,” and frequently hosted talk radio shows on “Sportsbeat” on the “The Mighty 690” on XTRA in Los Angeles and on KCBS in San Francisco. He currently contributes a weekly column to The Huffington Post, Daily Pilot and Forbes. Leigh also contributes a guest column to Sporting News and The New York Times.

The legendary sports agent is halfway through completing his autobiography, which will be published by St. Martin Press. In 1998, he wrote a best-selling book entitled Winning with Integrity, which explains to individuals how to improve your life through non-confrontational negotiating. Most of the profits made on Leigh’s 1999 book tour was contributed to the Junior Achievement Educational Foundation.

When Leigh isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his kids, watching movies, reading, going to plays, musicals and the beach. He also enjoys body surfing and “follows politics pretty avidly.” His favorite authors are James Ellroy, Bob Woodward and Jared Diamond. Leigh roots for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, Clippers, any UCLA and Cal Berkeley teams, as well as the Pittsburg Steelers, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. He is a frequent visitor of Mayur, an award winning Indian Restaurant located in Corona Del Mar and Lawry’s The Prime Rib Restaurant & Steakhouse nestled in Beverly Hills.

Leigh’s Successful Sports Law Practice

When asked, “At Hamilton High School, you were elected student body president and voted most likely to succeed. Did you know how successful you were going to become?” Leigh replied, “I never viewed success as monetary. I thought I could make a difference in helping people in the world, but I didn’t anticipate becoming a sports lawyer. There were no sports lawyers at the time.”

He was asked "You were elected President of the Associated Students of the University of California, the university’s student government. How was this experience?" Leigh recalled the following: “The Vietnam War was in full string and people were worried about being drafted. There were many days of tear gas and arrests and police charging students. We were not going to win demonstrating on the streets.”

Does Leigh have a most memorable law school experience? He explained he was class president and he gave a speech at graduation, which were both very memorable. He also said he had incredible professors and remembers coming late to Professor Adrian A. Kragen’s class. The law professor asked Leigh, why are you late? The future sports agent answered, “I normally sleep in, but I came because I am inspired by you.” Leigh noted that he thought his education at Boalt Hall School of Law would focus on criminal law, but the law student had also enrolled in property law and civil procedure courses and didn’t see the relevance in those classes.

Leigh discussed why he became an attorney. “When I was young, I watched shows featuring attorneys such as The Defenders and Perry Mason. I saw attorneys as ‘fighters for justice’ and loved the potential drama in the courtroom. Since I was ten I wanted to be an attorney.”

He was asked the following: "When you represented Steve Bartkowski, was that when you realized you wanted to become a sports agent?" He answered: “When we got to Atlanta, he was the biggest sign for a rookie.” Leigh continued to explain that the media interrupted The Tonight Show Staring Jonny Carson to cover Bartkowski and Steinberg in Atlanta. The attorney acknowledged that after he saw how excited people in Atlanta were over sports, he knew he wanted to be a sports agent.

"You represented one hundred fifty professional athletes in football, baseball, basketball, boxing and Olympic sports. You represented the number one pick overall in the NFL draft a record eight times, a milestone unmatched within the sports industry. How does someone become as successful as you? What’s your secret?" was the next question asked. He replied: “Part of it was serendipities and then a lot of it was being able to visualize markets that were not available. Listening to people and focusing on their needs and having a passion for what you are doing. I didn’t see it as work. It was my life’s work.”

He was asked if he represents other individuals who are not athletes? He said he represents television and radio newscasters and play-by-play commentators on shows.

What is the best part of his job? Leigh pointed out that in the past thirty-nine years, he has counseled young men to be role models and he has assisted them in developing meaningful post-athletic careers. He is very proud that these role models are actively involved in charitable community programs, which make a great difference in people’s lives.

The sports agent also discussed what he is known for professionally. He stated, “Contract negotiator. I negotiated billions of dollars in contracts.”

In regards to his strengths and weakness as a sports agent, Leigh acknowledged, “I have the ability to understand my client's deepest hopes and dreams and anxiety and fears. Listening is the key to be[ing] successful and I have a passion to make a difference in people’s lives. As for his weakness, he said, “I’m sixty-three years old. I need younger attorneys and agents to do client maintenance.”

So what does Leigh think about the sports agent field today? What would he change about it? “There are thousands of people trying to represent athletes, which leads to hyper competition. It’s centered around profit motive, when it should be centered around men to do good. We need more people with idealism and good values in the sports profession.”

If he weren’t a lawyer, what would Leigh probably be doing? He declared, “I would be writing.” Leigh mentioned he contributes columns for Forbes, Yahoo.com, The Huffington Post, Daily Pilot and is currently working on his autobiography.

When asked where he sees himself in five years time, the candid attorney stated, “Still representing athletes. I am active in the field of marketing and content supply. I am also active with charities in communities.”

How does Leigh want to be remembered? He said he lives by his father’s edict and wants to be remembered as a good father, family member and friend. He also wants to be remembered for trying to help people who couldn’t help themselves.

Leigh’s Mentor, Advocating Player Safety and Show Me the Money!

Leigh’s father is his mentor and he learned two significant core values from the man who raised him. The agent said the most important value he learned from his father was to love and care for your family. The second value is to make a difference in the world and help individuals who can’t help themselves. Leigh explained that when he started out as a sports agent, players did not have a right to be represented since sports law was in its infancy. Over the years, he mentored a number of young lawyers. Leigh has spoken at seventy-five colleges and tries to pass his knowledge and expertise to the five to ten interns his sports and entertainment firm hires every year.

Leigh is a leader in advocating player safety. He is a keynote speaker at several conferences including “New Developments in Sports-Related Concussions.” He was asked "When did you realize concussions were a serious issue? What is currently being done for athletes?" He said: “In the late 1980’s. I was representing half the quarterbacks in the NFL. I knew them getting hit had to have ramifications. I started [a] crusade for better helmets and held three concussion conferences in Newport Beach in the 1990’s and had more conferences in Los Angeles in 2000.” Although Leigh said the NFL adopted baseline testing, he emphasized “so much more needs to be done” because concussions have led to Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, Post-Concussion depression (also known as CTE) and suicide.

Cameron Crowe said he shadowed you and you often get credited as the real life inspiration of the sports agent from the film Jerry Maguire. What did you teach Crowe? “Crowe followed me from 1993 until 1995. He was doing research and he came with me to the 1993 NFL draft, pro scouting at USC, my Super Bowl party, meetings and came to my office. Crowe saw Drew Bledsoe picked in the draft and saw the process up close and first hand.” Although Leigh said Jerry Maguire is not a biographical, he recognized that some of the movie themes actually occurred during his life such as sports agents stealing his clients away. Leigh read Crowe’s script and made sure the dialogue was realistic so the viewers were not distracted. He believes the most important aspect of the film was that a caring sports agent had a close relationship with his client.