The Negotiator's Playbook
Masters of the Deal, Teachers at Heart
We create negotiation all-stars in every arena - front office, sponsorships, media rights, and beyond
Trusted by the Sports Industry
Deal-making in sports is different today. Front office leaders lose sleep over career-defining player contracts while their revenue teams hustle to make partnership stories pop in a crowded field. Remember when media rights meant a simple contract with broadcasters? Now teams sprint through a mountain of streaming deals and digital platforms. The talent game burns hot too - from scouts to sales, sports organizations need fresh plays to attract and keep their best. Everyone in the room knows this business inside and out. The real difference comes from deal-making skills that build relationships while the pressure cookers of quarterly results keep boiling. Here, careers take off or stall out, reputations get made, and legendary partnerships begin.
Negotiation Training Delivers Value
When you’re sitting across the table in sports, everything moves fast and the stakes run high. Here’s how strong negotiation training can add value:
- Turn Career Moments into Career Makers: Maybe you’re a GM working through the night on a franchise-changing trade, or you’re about to pitch the biggest sponsorship of your life. Great negotiators aren’t born in these moments – they’re built for them.
- Light Up Your Whole Team: The best thing about getting better at negotiations? It spreads. When one person starts landing better deals, others pick up the tricks. Pretty soon, your whole team’s speaking the same language and crushing it together.
- Lead with Strategic Confidence: The best sports professionals step into any negotiation knowing they’ve got both the skills and the strategy. Whether structuring NIL deals or renewing media rights, you’ll walk in ready to handle whatever curveballs come your way.
- Protect Vital Relationships: Sports lives on relationships – with players, sponsors, partners, and talent. Skilled negotiators know how to drive hard for results while strengthening these vital connections. Every deal plants seeds for future opportunities.
- Stay Ready for Whatever’s Next: The sports business changes faster than ever. One day it’s NIL regulations, the next it’s streaming rights or AI sponsorships. Sharp negotiation skills help you roll with the changes and spot opportunities others miss.
Negotiation Training for Sports Professionals
The following leaders in the Sports world could particularly benefit from negotiation training:
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Sports Agents and Managers
Talent Acquisition Teams
Sponsorship Coordinators
Event Management Teams
Public Relations Departments
Media Rights Negotiators
Athlete Endorsement Teams
Concert Promoters
Venue Operations Teams
Licensing Departments
Team Merchandising Units
Broadcasting Partnerships Teams
Ticket Sales and Pricing Strategists
Corporate Partnership Managers
Athlete Branding Specialists
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“SNI’s program was a success in every way possible. Our group is very talented and experienced with a phenomenal brand and product to sell, yet we all learned so much about many of the things we do or don’t do, that hinder our ultimate success. The SNI Systematic Approach along with their team’s charismatic facilitation style kept our group fully engaged. Their knowledge, experience and success in the world of sports and business helped all of us take the lessons from theory into our real world of living breathing deals. As a result of their willingness to assist our team with deal coaching and preparation planning even after the completion of our program, we have already gained more confidence and reaped the rewards in terms of bottom line impact. We look forward to their guidance and continued partnership in the months and years to come.”
— Kevin Rochlitz, Vice President of Corporate Sales and Development,
Baltimore Ravens
Shapiro Negotiations Institute: Your Premier Partner for Sports Negotiations Training
Imagine your team landing the perfect free agent contract, growing sponsorship revenue, or structuring innovative media rights packages that set league standards. From the Baltimore Ravens to the Cleveland Guardians, we help sports organizations master the art and science of negotiation.
Here's how:
Deep Sports DNA
Our programs speak your language – whether you’re a GM working player trades or a CRO growing partnership revenue. We live and breathe sports deals.
Real-World Intensity
No theoretical fluff. We run live negotiations that mirror your actual challenges, from tense deadline trades to high-stakes sponsorship renewals.
Skills That Stick
Walk away with frameworks you’ll use tomorrow, next month, and next season. Our approach builds lasting capabilities that grow stronger with every deal.
Advisory Partnership
Unlike traditional training, we’re there when it matters most. Our experts provide ongoing guidance during your most critical negotiations, helping you put new skills into practice.
In-House Excellence
Stop relying on outside agencies. We help you build internal negotiation expertise that preserves relationships and saves money while delivering better results.