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Unveiling Unusual Athlete Contract Clauses: Quirks and Stories

You agreed to what?

Photo: Unsplash

Athlete contracts are often complex documents that outline the terms and conditions under which athletes are signed by teams or organizations. While many clauses in these contracts are straightforward and cover the usual aspects of compensation, performance expectations and endorsements, some unusual and intriguing clauses have made their way into athlete contracts. In this blog post, we explore some of the tricky language, these strange clauses, and the stories behind them.

Some athlete contracts contain clauses that prohibit players from engaging in specific activities or behaviors. For example, clauses may restrict athletes from participating in high-risk activities such as riding hot air balloons, skateboarding, or motorcycles, potentially resulting in injuries that may affect their performance or availability to the team.

 

Then some athletes like Michael Jordan have enough bargaining power to get some interesting inclusions in their causes. One of the greatest basketball players of all time had a clause in his contract that allowed him to play pick-up basketball games whenever he desired, which is a no-no for most players due to the risk of injury. This unusual inclusion showcased Jordan's love for the game and his desire to stay sharp and competitive even outside of official team practices and games.

 

Rollie Fingers, a former pitcher for the Oakland Athletics (MLB – Major League Baseball), had a unique clause in his contract related to his iconic mustache. The team's owner, Charlie Finley, offered players a bonus to grow mustaches, and Fingers accepted the challenge. In the subsequent contract negotiations, Fingers secured a $100 mustache wax allowance to maintain his signature look.

 

In some cases, the team has an unusual inclusion, like in the case of Eddie Lacy. The Seattle Seahawks (NFL – National Football League) offered running back Lacy a unique incentive to help him improve his performance. Lacy had struggled with weight gain, which he blamed on an affinity for Chinese takeout, and the team included a stipulation in his contract that required him to reach and maintain a specific weight. If Lacy could cut his weight from the 267 pounds reported during his free-agent visits in March to 245 pounds by September — and keep it there until December — the Seahawks would pay him an additional $385,000 that year.

  

Here are a few key terms for you to talk shop:

1.     Free Agency and Unrestricted Free Agency: One standard inclusion in athlete contracts is a provision that defines what it means to be a free agent or an unrestricted free agent. A free agent refers to a player, not under contract with any team and is free to negotiate and sign with any team they choose. An unrestricted free agent has completed the terms of their agreement and is free to deal with any team without any restrictions or limitations.

2.     Guaranteed Money: Guaranteed money refers to the portion of an athlete's contract that is assured to be paid to them, regardless of their performance or other circumstances. This provides financial security to the athlete even if they are injured or their performance declines. Guaranteed money is often a significant factor in contract negotiations and can vary greatly depending on the athlete's reputation, skills, and market demand.

3.     Luxury Tax and Salary Cap: The luxury tax and salary cap are financial mechanisms used in professional sports leagues to promote competitive balance and financial stability. The luxury tax, prevalent in MLB, is imposed on teams whose total player salaries exceed a predetermined threshold. In contrast, the salary cap sets a maximum limit on the total payroll that a team can allocate to its players. These clauses prevent teams from overspending and gaining an unfair competitive advantage.

4.     Deferred Payments: Deferred payments refer to a clause in a contract that allows a portion of an athlete's earnings to be paid later instead of immediately. This can be advantageous for teams facing financial constraints or athletes looking to maximize their earning potential over an extended period. However, it also means that the athlete will receive the deferred portion of their compensation later.

5.     Franchise Tag: The franchise tag is a clause used in professional sports leagues that allows teams to retain the rights to a player for one additional season, even if the player's contract has expired. The franchise tag is typically used on key players to ensure they remain with the team for at least another season, providing stability and preventing them from becoming free agents.

From weight loss incentives to mustache wax allowances, these strange clauses add a touch of uniqueness and personalization to athlete contracts. They remind us that professional sports are not just about the game but also the personalities and quirks that make each athlete distinct.

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The Rundown: Getting (Irish) Jiggy With It

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. May the luck of the Irish be with you as you slay the sports conversation over the weekend.

 

While drinking green beer of course,

The Last Night’s Game Team

NCAA March Madness Tournament

World Baseball Classic

  • Batter up. Team U.S.A. will play an unbeaten Puerto Rico team tonight in San Diego in the second round of the World Baseball Classic. 

Overtime

  • Good guy alert. Hall of Fame basketball player Shaquille ‘Shaq’ O’Neal furnished the family home of a 5-year-old girl who was a victim of a dog attack that left another child dead. Shaq has been close with the family since the attack.

Sideline stat

  • We’ve all battled weight issues but likely never had an incentive like this. Running back Eddie Lacey has been plagued by weight issues, which he partially blames on Chinese food. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks (National Football League) and his one year contract includes $385,000 in weight loss related bonuses. When does the juice cleanse begin?

Coaches’ corner

  • There’s been talk about the Los Angeles Lakers intentionally tanking their season, but what does that mean? In the NBA Draft (National Basketball Association), the worse your team was the season before, the better chance you have at a top pick in the draft. Fundamentally it should help the bad teams become better.

Tanking means a team is intentionally making roster moves to ensure they continue to stink this year in hopes of receiving a better draft pick next season.

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five things to know LAST NIGHT'S GAME five things to know LAST NIGHT'S GAME

The Rundown: Five Unusual Provisions In Athlete Contracts

Thinking about changing jobs this hump day? Don’t push your luck by trying to negotiate any of these oddities into your new contract.

Hey we’re happy with free coffee,

The Last Night’s Game

Five unusual provisions in athlete contracts

  1. Sports contracts are iron clad agreements that protect an asset of the team, the athlete. There is a long list of things athletes are prohibited from participating in to ensure their health and safety. A few of the most popular banned activities include sky diving, driving motorcycles, auto racing, skateboarding and hot air balloons.
  2. When the now retired A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez) was negotiating with the New York Mets some of his demands included an office at the stadium, his own marketing staff, a private jet and maximum billboard exposure. The Mets didn’t work out but A-Rod signed with the New York Yankees. No word on whether or not a private jet was included.
  3. Former Arizona Diamondbacks player Troy Glaus’ contract included $250,000 for his wife’s personal business - equestrian horses.
  4. Other odd inclusions include a soccer player who wrote in his contract that his team needed to pay for cooking classes for his wife. (Was she a bad cook)? Or the coach who wanted an annual gift certificate to the local gun shop? Even more interesting – a newly built house for every year of the athlete’s contract. 
  5. When you hurt yourself while participating in a banned activity, why not simply lie about it? No one will know right? Wrong. Former San Francisco Giants infielder Jeff Kent said he broke his wrist while washing his truck. The team was suspicious because a man was cleaning. They found out he was popping wheelies on his motorcycle which was forbidden. Uh oh. 
  • Extra credit – Which current head coach had the "Notre Dame clause" in his contract? Find out here. 

Golf

  • Remember me? Do you know the golfer ranked 898th in the world? Yes, you do. It’s Tiger Woods. Woods, the former number one, looks to make his return to golf at this week’s tournament in the Bahamas after a 15-month break.

MLB (Major League Baseball)

  • Glamorous life. New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes signed the largest contract for an outfielder in MLB. There is certainly no anti-golf clause in his contract. He’s been known to play golf right before night games and even sparked controversy last season for playing golf while on the disabled list with quad injury. (You may recall the story about Cespedes rolling into spring training last season with a new fleet of over the top vehicles).

Overtime

  • Who doesn’t love a feel good story? The Los Angeles Lakers hosted a scrimmage game between the L.A.P.D. and local kids at their practice facility. The game wasn’t about recruiting, but to build the relationship between the two groups.  

Sideline stat

  • 23,924 - The number of teddy bears thrown on the ice by fans at the Calgary Hitmen “Teddy Bear Toss” game. The Teddy Bear Toss is when fans bring stuffed animals to donate to underprivileged children. They throw them on the ice after the home team scores its first goal. This video shows every child’s dream come true – it’s raining bears. 

Coaches’ corner

  • With only one week of college football left, the next to last set of rankings has been released. The top four ranked teams will play each other in a tournament style format to become National Champions.  
  1. Alabama
  2. Ohio State
  3. Clemson
  4. Washington

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