Again, PSM did a great job!
Sports Agent Doing Your 1st Autograph Signing? - Here's What You Need to Know
So you are a brand new sports memorabilia agent and thinking about doing an autograph signing with your newest client. What do you need to do? What are some things you should be thinking about? Here is a quick checklist to help.
#1 - Find a company to pay your athlete for their autograph. Call up local sports memorabilia stores or even big box stores to check for interest in your client. At this point you are just feeling out interest, so no need to have a firm date or price in mind. One thing to ask is if they would be interested in a public or private autograph signing. Public meaning the athlete does a meet and greet with fans and signs autographs. Private meaning the athlete just signs autographs for the company, not open to the public.
#2 - Great, you've found a company interested in working with your client! What do you do next? After determining if a private or a public signing, next thing is to pick out a date. Usually, weekend signings work best since that is when most people are off work, but occasionally a mid-week signing does well if timed with another event. For example, a football athlete signing during a Monday Night Football game (of course when team is not playing).
#3 - Pricing. Working out a price is arguably the toughest part of the job for a new agent and athlete. The biggest determining factor is of course who the athlete is. Tom Brady demands more of a price than a 5th round NFL draft pick. But since 5th round draft picks are more common than a Tom Brady, let's focus on that. Other factors include if private or public and how many pieces are being signed.
So let's say the company wants to do a public autograph signing with your athlete. They think an hour long signing to the public is a good time frame. They also want the athlete to sign items for them before the signing for an hour (items they will sell in their store after the signing). So the athlete will be signing for a total of 2 hours. What do you charge the company? Usually, here is where I open the conversation up between the athlete and agent and figure out a price that will sell to the public. Let's say $50 for any autograph is what the public will pay. I would ask for at least $20 per autograph for the athlete to be paid. Since it is a public signing, more work is required of the athlete than a typical private deal. Something to keep in mind is the company will have additional expenses such as advertising the event, buying the raw goods to be signed, paying staff, etc... So a fair deal needs to be in place for both parties, typically in favor of the company as they are the one taking majority of the risk.
One other item to price out are inscriptions. Phrases the athlete writes such as "To Mike" or "Go Cubs." Stuff like that. These are usually much cheaper than the autograph. For a guy being paid $20 per autograph, I would suggest $5 per inscription.
You will also need to determine the number of autographs to be signed. For a 2 hour period, I would say an athlete can sign between 200-300 autographs.
#4 - OK, so a date has been picked and pricing agreed to. What's next? GET A CONTRACT! I cannot stress this enough. A legit contract needs to be in place outlining everything you and the company have agreed to. Things to consider putting in the contract besides the above info. When will the athlete be paid? Typically, I would say day of in full prior to the event. What if the company cancels? Releasing the athlete from any liability the day of the event. For example, someone gets hurt at the event, they cannot sue the athlete. 100% you want a professional lawyer to write this up. You can just keep the contract as your standard agreement for future autograph signings. You would just change the company and athlete name, pricing, date, etc.. but the legalities of it would remain the same.
The company may have an agreement for you to sign as well (and should). Be sure to have a lawyer read over it to make sure all is good. Have athlete sign and send back.
#5 - Day of event. Make sure athlete is paid. A pep talk with athlete might be a good idea. Run through what's going to happen, remind them to be friendly with fans, and complete their contract as it is written. Word spreads quickly if an athlete is easy or not to work with so best to be 100%.
Next, you will want to have some way to count the number of autographs and inscriptions the athlete signs. Either a spreadsheet or a ticket system. Some way of comparing what you have counted with what the company has counted. Keep in mind, in a busy autograph signing, occasionally the count may be off by a number or 2, but should be fairly close. This would also be a good time to take some social media pictures/videos for marketing purposes. Maybe even go Facebook live. Interacting with fans who couldn't make the event is always a positive.
Authenticating the autographs is something to consider. Often, the company will bring in a 3rd party authentication company such as JSA, Beckett, or PSA/DNA to do so. Or, the company will authenticate the autographs themselves with their authentication hologram.
If you have any questions on anything above or need help in any of the areas such as finding companies to host your athletes, please let me know.
Powers Sports Memorabilia was started by me, Matt Powers as a way for sports autograph and celebrity memorabilia enthusiasts and collectors to have a high-quality product available at affordable pricing. You deal directly with me when ordering anything from my company, so I ensure you get the best quality service and personal care you deserve. Let me be YOUR sports memorabiliaguy!
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Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 4.9 / 5 from 4933 reviews.
Nice autograph by Roger Clemens himself. Thank you Matt Powers and his team for this signing event.
Nice autograph by Cal Ripken Jr. Thank you Matt Powers and his team for this signing event.
Nice autograph. Thank you Matt Powers and his team for this signing event.
Another perfect autograph on my 3000 hit baseball. Always a great experience! Thanks again.
I've had this card since the age of 12. Never had the opportunity until now to get his RC signed. Thanks Matt for making this happen!!
Once again, Matt and his team delivered a smooth, professional experience in obtaining a Dustin Pedroia autograph (with authentication) to a book already containing a number of Red Sox greats’ signatures. I recommend Powers Spirts Memorabilia highly.
Great experience. Card was just as described. Excited to have this added to the collection.
Frank Thomas 1990 Topps Signed Baseball Rookie Card #414B Auto Graded Beckett 10
The COA was placed exactly where I wanted it and it turned out great. Always an easy experience.
An excellent experience with the team. The ball turned out perfectly. Easy to ship the ball in and it returned after signing without an issue.
Great place to do business with. Thank you!
Fernando Tatis Jr 2019 Topps Baseball Rookie Card RC #410 Graded PSA 9 MINT
😍 such a nice autograph! Thank you!
Thank you for another awesome autograph!
Mr. Powers delivered on my request for this Cal Ripken jr. autograph. It was a nice size clean and perfect signature better than I expected. Mr. Powers team is quick to respond with any concerns you may have and keeps you posted on your item. I will absolutely be getting more signatures through them to finish my collection. I highly recommend Powers Sports to anyone that has any doubts. I use to do send ins with Steiner sports until he sold, to me Powers picked up where they left off and I couldnt be happier. Thank you
Great experience as usual! I’ll definitely be getting more autographs in the future!!
As good as it gets
Smooth transaction
The process was smooth and easy as always.
Awesome!
The color match ink auto looks great! Thanks!
A fantastic addition to the set. Bosh's autograph really pops on this one. Thanks!
This might be the only autograph of this card that has his whole auto on it. Great addition to the collection!
This came back amazing! The autograph was very clean! Thanks!
This completes my set of sketch cards. It's been fun doing this.
This was just the COA. Thanks!
It's awesome to get this one back! Another added to the Collection.
Great job by Powers Sports once again! They were able to secure a great signature from Andy Reid on my trading card, using the exact type pen and the exact location that I requested. Accuracy and quality are their top priority!
I submitted 2 cards to get them signed by Patrick Ewing himself. Thanks Matt Powers and his team for this signing event.
Nice addition of Barry Bonds to my PC!
Great card and great place to do business with. Thank you!
Ronald Acuna Jr 2018 Topps Living Baseball Rookie Card RC #19 Graded PSA 10
Loved it all.
Great experience as usual, highly recommend Powers
Great job by Matt and his team as usual
Matt and his team did it again. Highly recommend Powers to anyone looking for high end autographs
Matt and his team always do their best for their clients. Couldn’t be happier
Awesome experience as usual, I love my Jagr autograph!
Awesome experience as usual!
Great experience! I had never gotten any autographs through a signing like this before and I had a number of questions. Someone called me right back & couldn’t have been nicer. The customer service was outstanding every step of the way & I couldn’t be happier with the Reggie Jackson autographed ticket.
Nice to have a trading card signed by Wade Boggs in his Yankees uniform. Thanks Matt Powers and his team for this signing event.
Nice to have my Rookie Card signed by Manny Ramirez himself. Thanks Matt Powers and his team for this signing event.
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