The aim of this master's thesis was to analyze the state of sports representation through the per-spectives of football players' parents during the early stages of their football careers. We analyzed the formal regulation of relationships between agents, players, their parents, and clubs. We were also interested in the process of establishing a contractual relationship between the stakeholders (agent, club, parents, child).
The results show that parents most often come into contact with agents directly after a match or training session, typically between the ages of 10 and 12. In most cases, agents initiate contact or send a written offer for cooperation. The majority of parents (81%) believe they made the right decision regarding collaboration with a football agent. The most common reason for choosing an agent is their references. Parents believe that agents primarily focus on negotiating the player's contract with the club (and they are satisfied with this), but somewhat less on the systematic pro-gression of the player's sports career. Nearly half of the respondents are satisfied with their agent, while just over a quarter are dissatisfied.
Parents report that their children started receiving higher payment after cooperating with an agent and that they perform in a calmer and more confident manner. However, they do not mention support from the agent in balancing a dual career.
Based on the results and the analysis of existing literature, we have developed a foundation for recommendations for parents as a practical contribution of our research.
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