Relationen mellan sportagent och fotbollsspelare ur en fotbollsspelares perspektiv

Sammanfattning: This study aims to investigate how the relationship between a football player and a sports agent function and look like in Sweden and how it possibly could be improved. The relationship between a football player and a sports agent is a central and important part in the world of football, a part which does not get the right amount of attention. Previous research in this field is also difficult to access, which is why this study is made. The study is of a qualitative nature in which semi-structured interviews were designed to obtain empirical data material. The relationship between said parties is based on a mutual trust where the sports agent’s purpose is to handle the administrative matters as contract negotiations, while the football player’s main focus is to perform in his sport/football games. The power in the relationship is relatively evenly distributed. The sports agent has a central role regarding the administrative matters, on the other hand it is the football player who makes the final decision because it can have an impact on his life and career.  Conflicts of interest are something that can arise in the relationship between the football player and the sports agent, a conflict of interest which could be based on various reasons, such as financial conflicts or conflicts based on a lack of time and availability for their client (football player) because of the number of clients that the sports agent represents. In order to possibly improve the relationship between the football player and the sports agent, relationship marketing and its basic concept can be applicable. A concept that implies that one party involves the other and has the other partner in mind in the event of situations and where it’s an even distribution of the decision making in the relationship.