Arn Tellem - Trading Agent

Earning the recognition as one of the most respected agents in the sports industry, Arn Tellem has a long-standing history of negotiating better trades for his clients. His contracts have shaped the sports industry. Currently an integral part of the Wasserman Media Group’s sports management branch, Tellem has also acted as the CEO of SFX Entertainment, one of the world’s most prominent marketer of live entertainment. Tellem is not only an integral part of the sports management program at WMG, but is also helping the transform the organization’s strategic orientation and develop expansion plans for the group. Today Tellem and his employees manage 16.6 % of Major League Baseball clients and 18.2 % of players in the NBA.

Tellem’s reputation of securing better trades for his clients earned him the Sports Business Journal’s Most Influential Agent in Sports award in 2006. He has also been recognized by The Sporting News as basketball’s top agent from 2003-2006. Some of Tellem’s most notable deals were his 7-year, $126 million contract with the Indiana Pacers for all-star player Jermaine O’Neal and the 1997 deal for Albert Belle that cost $55 million for a 5-year contract. The Belle deal is widely recognized as forever changing the salary structure in Major League Baseball.

In addition to fighting to secure better trades for his clients, Tellem is a strong advocate of players’ rights and has been called upon to help defend the eligibility of young players in the NBA draft. Tellem represented an 18-year old Kobe Bryant in the 1996 draft, and expertly maneuvered Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers, where Bryant would later become a superstar. In an industry that can be incredibly cut-throat, Tellem’s reputation of being a fair and decent agent is well-known and respected throughout the business.

Tellem’s focus on gaining better trades for his clients will likely continue into the future. University of North Carolina basketball superstar Wayne Ellington recently signed with Tellem for the 2009 NBA draft. Ellington will be joining Tellem’s long list of first-rate clientele including 34 current NBA players and six All-Star players. These cleints have seen Tellem’s success rate and know that signing with him almost always leads to a better trade.