Last chance to book for athletes contracts Conference

The Australian Athletes' Alliance (AAA) is presenting its 2011 Legal Education Conference: Negotiations in Sport: Collective Bargaining and Player Agents.

The conference, being held at Melbourne's Fenix conference centre on Friday 22nd July, will give delegates the opportunity to gain an insight into sport's contract negotiations with sessions covering the unique dynamics that prevail in the industry among the different types of contracts and negotiating parties.

Facilitated by former Essendon champion and current AFL Players Association (AFLPA) General Manager Player Development Steve Alessio, the conference will examine the contracts covering athletes, the parties who negotiate them, the conditions under which they are negotiated, and effective bargaining strategies.

Designed as an interactive forum to stimulate debate around current day issues in sport, the day will feature leading Sports Researcher Braham Dabscheck, AFLPA Chief Executive Matt Finnis, Gemba's Rob Mills, Professional Footballers Association Chief Executive Brendan Schwab, Rugby League Players Association Chief Executive David Garnsey, player agent John Grimaud and AFL Player Manager Dan Richardson.

During the morning session, participants will examine the relationship between sports leagues and athletes' associations and the contracts under which individual athletes are employed. The three case studies that will be presented include one on whether bargaining under the Fair Work Act, rather than common law, would yield any benefit to athletes. The session will end with a panel discussion between representatives of sports leagues and player associations about their respective roles, including the athlete's role in the direction of his or her sport.

The afternoon session will examine the relationship among players, agents and player associations. This will include case studies on agent breaches of their fiduciary obligations and the valuation of commercial rights of athletes. The afternoon will conclude with a panel among player agents, and representatives of clubs and athlete associations about how they see their respective roles and issues that arise in the representation of athletes and the negotiation of their individual contracts.

AAA is the peak body of Australian players and athletes' associations.

To view the brochure go to http://tiny.cc/l7860