Frequently Asked Questions

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS SPACE?

It all began with our first Olympic athlete, Natalie Darwitz of the U.S. Women's Hockey Team for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games which then led to us working with 3 other American athletes (bobsled, hockey & speedskating) in Torino.  Our job was clear, bring to light the personal stories about each of the athletes we would work with and let advertisers as well as the regional & national media know their stories.  

Olympic & Paralympic hopeful athletes are a tremendous breed of person who is striving to reach the ultimate platform for their love of country and for their personal goals of showcasing that they are truly the best in the world. 

AGM was able to expand into additional Olympic sports for the Summer and Winter Games after being on the corporate side during Beijing 2008, where AGM planned the Olympic strategy for Crocs and did not represent any athletes at that event.

After Beijing 2008, we ultimately grew into representing athletes from Canada and Switzerland via word of mouth and recommendations from others who had worked with us on a corporate and national olympic committee side.   In the run up to London 2012, we began to work with Paralympic athletes, our first Paralympian was U.S. Para Track athlete, April Holmes.

WHO HAVE YOU WORKED WITH at different points of their OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC career in canada & others internationally?

OLYMPIC

Emily Clark, Jennifer Botterill, Meghan Agosta, Renata Fast, Sarah Nurse, Tessa Bonhomme (Women’s Hockey), Jennifer Jones (Women’s Curling), Kaylyn Kyle, Melissa Tancredi (Women’s Soccer), Kaillie Humphries (Women’s Bobsled), Kelsey Serwa (Women’s Ski Team) & Mike Brown (Men’s Swimming) - Canada

Dominik Meichtry (Men’s Swimming) - Switzerland

PARALYMPIC

Billy Bridges (Men’s Sled Hockey) - Canada

WHO HAVE YOU WORKED with at different points of their OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC career in the united states

OLYMPIC

Natalie Darwitz, Kelly Stephens, Caitlin Cahow, Julie Chu, Meghan Duggan, Jocelyne & Monique Lamoureux, Haley Skarupa, Maddie Rooney, Savannah Harmon, Kelly Pannek, Gigi Marvin (Women’s Hockey), Brock Kreitzburg & Steven Holcomb (Men’s Bobsled), Allison Baver & Brian Hansen (Speedskating), Ashley Caldwell & Julia Krass (Women’s Ski Team)

Corey Cogdell-Unrein (Women’s Shooting), Ashley Sessa, Katie Reinprecht & Paige Selenski (Women’s Field Hockey), Haley Anderson & Paige Madden (Women’s Swimming), Tim Morehouse (Men’s Fencing), Maggie Steffens & Tony Azevedo (Water Polo)

PARALYMPIC

April Holmes (Women’s Track & Field), Courtney Ryan (Women’s Wheelchair Basketball), Joe Berenyi & Oksana Masters (Para Cycling), Oksana Masters (Women’s ParaBiathlon & Para Nordic), Jamal Hill (Men’s Para Swimming)

DO YOU TAKE ON NON OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC ATHLETES?

YES, but the answer is very specific that we represent players in the PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE. We will look at other professional sports as we have had players in the past in the NATIONAL WOMEN’S SOCCER LEAGUE for example.

What do you charge for your services

Their is no retainer fee that AGM charges upfront, % is are based upon commercially reasonable business practices in the industry for endorsements, appearances and other paid services by a 3rd party to the individual or what is allowed by the PWHL Players’ Association as it relates to player contracts.

IS THERE A CONTRACT WHEN YOU AGREE TO TERMS WITH AGM

YES, their is an agreement that both parties will sign that will be facilitated by AGM to you authorizing our representation of you.

OUR STORY

In 1996, I saw an opportunity in Southern California to become a piece to a greater puzzle.  It was then that American Group Management was born.  My vision was that AGM would become an instrument that could help organize promotions, marketing, advertising, research, media programming and event planning; providing a service many companies didn’t have the time or the resources for on a constant basis.  

Sports marketing and athletic properties have been a large piece to much of what AGM has worked on since inception.  We also came to see that within many companies, they were in awe of athletes and let their personal feelings about an athlete guide them to a choice as opposed to what the right fit for the program would be.  We have been able to compare and contrast this for them to help guide them towards a more educated answer.

This same opportunity that I saw in Southern California became apparent throughout most of North America.  There is a niche to get things accomplished with part-time staffing with high quality results.

Fortunately, we have had a lot of repeat business, but finding new clients that have a similar need we want to help as well. 

In 2005, we added a full time Olympic athlete representation practice to supplement what we were already doing.  Olympic athletes in general did not get the proper respect and attention that they deserve and we wanted to help.  After London 2012, we added a Paralympic representation practice as well with our first client April Holmes.

WHO WERE YOUR MENTORS WHEN GETTING INTO THIS BUSINESS?

Pat Brisson then of Brisson International and Reich Hockey Group hired me to be his intern and to say that this was the place my sports journey really took off from. Through my time with Pat and his circle I was able to get guidance from his athletes including Luc Robitaille and his friends at the National Hockey League like Ken Yaffe, Ed Horne and Brian Jennings amongst others.

Mentors don’t fade away just as when your career really gets going, you just add new ones like Janey Miller at Octagon, Jim Nice at CAA Sports and Natasha Koifman at NKPR in Toronto.

HOW DID YOUR NAME AND LOGO EVOLVE

As an individual, Mr Feldman was fortunate to come into contact with Hockey Hall of Famer Paul Coffey during his stint with the Los Angeles Kings as he was represented by my mentor Pat Brisson.  Paul coined the nickname of AGM (assistant general manager) on me and players throughout the National Hockey League as is customary would call you by the nickname as opposed to your real name. 

For many years, though folks knew who or what my real name was called me AGM and that is how the company got it’s name.  

Our logo reflects that while we are based in the United States that we have many partners and friends in Canada and we all are part of the greater North American continent.  In the future, if we forge into Mexico for instance we would add green to the G.

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE - CANADA

In 2008, AGM had a chance run-in with NKPR founder Natasha Koifman during the Toronto International Film Festival with their charitable creation the “IT LOUNGE”.  It was during this time, where the beginnings of our strategic alliance was formed.

NKPR’s knowledge of the Canadian market would make a lot of sense for the Canadian female athletes that AGM would represent.  AGM would provide to NKPR access to our athletes as well as our contacts in the entertainment industry in the United States.  

Collaborative efforts have benefited both sides since then including NKPR's relationship with an OSCAR nominated film "WHIPLASH" at the Toronto International Film Festival from Sony Pictures Classics.  

NKPR has shown a great willingness to use AGM's athletes in their initiatives and showcase their value to many entities in Corporate Canada as well as place them in PSA campaigns.  www.NKPR.net

BROADCAST REPRESENTATION

AGM expanded into broadcasting representation by helping our athletes transition into what might be their next careers beginning after the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.  

Since this time, AGM clients who have been successfully able to transition from athlete to broadcaster including Tessa Bonhomme with Leafs TV and TSN, Jennifer Botterill with TSN, Sportsnet, MSG Networks & NHL on TNT, Jennifer Jones on Sportsnet Grand Slam of Curling coverage in Canada as well as regional sports network coverage in Boston with Meghan Duggan on NBC Sports Boston as well as TSN in Canada and with Haley Skarupa and NBC Sports Washington.

Currently, Sarah Nurse has had opportunities with Sportsnet & NHL on TNT and Renata Fast with TSN as well as Kelly Pannek with Bally Sports North & Gigi Marvin with NESN/NESN+ & ESPN+.