The Sad Lives Of Professional Entourage Members
Oct. 27 2008, Published 7:07 a.m. ET
WORTH EVERY PENNY Snickers There was a time when being in the "entourage" of a professional athlete was all about bedding groupies and eventually making off with a good chunk of your boss' fortune. No longer! The Wall Street Journal reports that athletes today prefer to surround themselves with a legitimate "support staff" of business-first individuals. Like old-guard entourage members, these guys are often close friends of the athlete; unlike old-guard members, they now have taxed jobs that pay between $30,000-$50,000 a year and which lock them into formal responsibilities. (Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony uses a flowchart to keep his 10-man outfit, "Team Melo," running smoothly.) In the case of boxing champ Floyd Mayweather, underperforming staffers can even be fired for "offenses like ogling women or falling out of shape." We can't even be fired for falling out of shape!
What's expected of you if you pursue a career in "athlete management?"