The 2022 NFL Draft is just around the corner, and as April 28 draws closer, we will begin to hear more and more about the prospects, their comps, and what they could potentially bring to the game. Beyond their talent, great coaches and discipline, many great athletes have a top-tier sports agent who is right there in the trenches guiding and supporting them, which is invaluable and helpful to any new pro athlete’s career.
Women comprise than 1% of sports agents, and Black women even less than that. However, Rasheed S. Liberty of Lady Lib LLC, an independent agent, is quickly becoming the go-to and highly sought-after agent in this space. Rolling out spoke with Liberty about her agency, goals and plans for the future.
How did you get involved in sports management?
My husband is a former NFL coach, and he currently is a college coach. Working with young men and seeing them in and out of our home, being by his side as a coach’s wife, and just mentoring [these young men]. I saw a need to nurture, help and educate young men through this complicated process on how to get compensated for something they’ve loved for so long.
How has your education and background helped you as a sports agent?
I am a finance professional by trade. I have an accounting degree and MBA, and I attended law school. When I was in law school, I saw the benefit of contract negotiation, and I never wanted to do criminal law, but I was always on the corporate side. I grew up in corporate America immediately after achieving my MBA, working for Fortune 100 companies. I worked with data services, marketing media, and stored package goods. I worked for the company Mars and [currently] for the cloud giant Amazon. I have extreme corporate prowess and attended London Business School, where I learned high power negotiation skills with many of the CEOs that lead the world today.
What are you currently working on, and what can we expect from Lady Lib LLC?
We had a sync with our marketing team and are about to launch some of our assets electronically. I’m looking at the entertainment side because there have been artists that I’ve negotiated contracts with or booked for certain events. I see [the agency] expanding into sports and entertainment, so I will need to grow my team. For this draft, I have seven clients who are eligible. I have one client that is pro right now. I pray for these young men everyy single day by name because I want them to be successful. Everybody isn’t going to play in the NFL, but if I can get them to [the] CFL or USFL and get them compensated for what they do and what they love, I need them to be compensated for their passion; that is my goal.
