Many of you have asked how we came to the decision as a company to partner with Entertainment Executive, NBA Attorney and Thomas Jefferson School of Law Adjunct Professor, Jonathan Mputu, Esq., for the 'How to Break Into the Sports and Entertainment Law' course.
We decided to spotlight Jonathan in order to give you his background and career path, as well as give you a glimpse of what you can expect from this course. We are confident that you will see that he embodies the spirit of breaking into the industry and is the perfect candidate to teach this course. Enjoy!
Q: How did you become interested in the sports and entertainment industry?
A: When I decided to apply to law school, I knew that I wanted to be involved in the sports and entertainment industry in some capacity. I wasn't sure if I wanted to be an Agent, an Attorney or an Executive for a Sports Team, but with a college football background I knew that I wanted to be involved in the space in some capacity. Taking that mindset into law school made it easy for me to focus all of my time and attention on getting internships in the space. I knew that I needed to explore every avenue in order to find the right path for me.
Q: How long have you been in the Industry?
A: If you count my time as a college athlete, then I would say a little over 13 years. I include the time as a student athlete because although we did not get paid the way that NIL athletes get paid today, we understood the business model of college athletics. The recruiting process, playing time, the transfer portal all introduce student athletes to the business of the sports and entertainment industry. It's a similar process to how Sports Agents recruit their own Clients today or how Entertainment Clients jump from Agency to Agency based off of recent performance and what that Agency can do for them at that time. My time as a student athlete gives me a different perspective than most when it comes to looking at the experience of Talent in the industry and compliments my time as an Entertainment Executive, Attorney, Law Professor, and Athlete Agent.
Q: How did you gain the knowledge to teach this course?
A: I've worked at two top 3 sports agencies for the NFL and MLB in Athletes First and MVP Sports Group. I've worked for an NBA team and have built several contacts within the league due to my work as an NBA Attorney and I also have my NBA Agent license. I was an Executive at the entertainment conglomerate, Endeavor, where I had several vital roles over about a 5 year time period throughout the organization as a coordinator, Associate Counsel, and Business Affairs Executive. If you've ever seen the show 'Entourage' with Ari Gold, well Endeavor is the Parent company for WME, the actual agency that the show was based off of and Ari Emmanuel is the real life Ari Gold. I'd say the breadth of my knowledge has come from that experience because that's where I learned the ins and outs of the Entertainment Industry. It is a powerful, but intense industry and you have to bring your best every day or you might not last. However, it is also a very rewarding industry once you've learned how it works. From TV to Film, Music to Podcasts, Brand Partnerships to Sports, Digital Media to Modeling. There are a lot of factors at play and each one is critical, but there is a method to the madness and learning it in fast paced environment can be difficult at times. I've learned a tremendous amount of knowledge working with my colleagues, opposing lawyers from the top firms and brands across the world, managers, guilds, associations, etc. You name it, I've seen it, done it myself, or worked with someone who has. I've spoken on numerous panels for top 25 schools, different associations. I currently teach a course at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, a top 10 sports law school in the country. I've been mentoring students for years. I've had a lot of people help me along this journey and the one thing that they asked me to do was pay it forward. So, I'm excited to do that.
Q: Why should students sign up for this course?
A: The sports and entertainment industry is somewhat of a mystery. People can name the industry, but not too many people actually know what it is, what its made of, what the structure is, or who the big players are. This course teaches that. A lot of students that I mentor typically don't know the kinds of jobs that exist within the industry or the difference in job descriptions. This course will teach you what a lawyer does or can do compared to an agent, executive or even manager. It goes into the different sectors of the industry and breaks it down. Most importantly, it teaches students the process of breaking into the industry. What is networking and how do you do it with sports and entertainment personnel? How do you cold email or cold call efficiently? Where do I get internships and how do I separate myself from other candidates? How and where do I meet or work for my idols? What resources can I start using now that will give me a leg up once I graduate? These are all questions that are explored and answered in this course. Pretty much it comes down to how committed a student is to learning how to break in or further their career in the sports and entertainment industry. This course has been developed and designed to breakdown 9 years of work experience into 6 weeks worth of knowledge, tips, advice, skills and motivation. If a student is interested in saving 9 years to jump start their career, this is the course for them. If a student believes in themselves and thinks that with the right roadmap they have the work ethic, discipline, attitude and hustle to make it in this industry, then this is the perfect course for them. If a student believes that a $1497 bet on themselves could help them land their dream job or lead to 6 or 7 figured job in the future, then this is the course for them.
Q: Do you have any tips for people who are interested in learning more about the Industry?
A: Well, they should definitely take this course, HaHa, but I'm being serious. Other than that, they should do their own due diligence. Not everything is for everyone, so make sure you find what's for you. There are a lot of ways to break into this industry and there are a lot of resources out there. Filtering through everything is the hard part. Not everyone is an expert. A lot of people don't have experience, so make sure you do your homework before following anyone blindly. If they have doubts or questions, then they should reach out and ask questions. In general, I recommend that they stay curious, hungry and persistent. One 'no' does not mean that 'yes' does not exist. Keep going, keep fighting and never give up. If you can look up, then you can get up and keep going. Reach out to me on LinkedIn. I'm always happy to connect and help out.
