There’s a lot of emphasis placed on making sure college athletes don’t interact with agents while they’re still in school. For that reason, it’s definitely surprising that the Big Ten Network was actually employing an active agent as a college football analyst.
Yahoo! Sports reports that BTN analyst Chris Martin has been an NFLPA-certified agent since 2006 and has been working with the BTN since its inaugural year in 2007. According to the NFLPA, Martin has represented at least 12 NFL players, including four Big Ten players: Jordan Bernstine (Iowa) Jarred Fayson and Jason Ford (Illinois) and Will Patterson (Indiana). Martin is a former cornerback for Northwestern.
Today, Martin is also the President and CEO of OTG Sports Management.
The NCAA does not prohibit agents from working as analysts, but it is generally considered a conflict of interest and the Big Ten Network told Yahoo! it was unaware Martin was an agent when he was hired. An example of that conflict of interest came in last year’s game between Arkansas State and Illinois. Martin served as a color analyst for the game and OTG later went on to represent Ford and Arkansas State defensive end Brandon Joiner.
“BTN talent should not be in the business of representing Big Ten student athletes,” BTN spokesperson Elizabeth Conlisk told Yahoo!. “We are handling the matter internally.”
How, exactly, the matter will be handled and what role Martin will have with the BTN going forward is unknown.
So, too, is how the BTN could go through with hiring an analyst without knowing — at any time, according to them — he’s an agent.
I have a feeling that they are going to take more bowl games away from Penn State for this…..
Someone in the B1G network knew, and in fact,
I’ll bet a bunch of them knew.
If you say the big 10 didn’t know about this either your delusional or they are! If the big 10 didn’t know, then as a major corporation, they should be more than embarrassed they should be humiliated
Just like the SEC doesn’t know that the players on their rosters are illiterate.
Conflict of interest?? Not much. He’s just scouting out the talent he signs on as an agent “after” their eligibiliy expires. No conflict of interest here. He’s just smarter than the average BTN lackey.
If BTN hired this guy without knowing that he was & is currently a ‘certified agent with NFLPA’ (and I’m not saying I actually believe BTN), then it should fall true that Chris Martin ‘did not’ disclose this important piece of info on both his application and resume. In most (if not all jobs), this is grounds for ‘immediate termination.’ But BTN wishes to keep this under wraps by handling it ‘internally.’ Oooooo…how professional. Either BTN just got their B1G butts royally exposed by Yahoo! Sports, or they are too embarrassed to admit that there is something more to Martin’s hiring than BTN is willing to divulge publicly. Somehow, the fish is really starting to stink in the B1G, all of a sudden!!! I wonder what Commissioner Delaney actually knows about this? Stay tuned…
collegefan1984 says: Dec 21, 2012 5:49 PM
I have a feeling that they are going to take more bowl games away from Penn State for this…..
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I sure as hell hope so
Btw – how many teams are in the Big TEN?
tg1896 says:
“Btw – how many teams are in the Big TEN?”
Answer: More than the Big 12!
Big Ten competes with the SEC in corruption, just not in Championships. Corrupt from top to bottom.
I love the NCAA the model for moral high ground, and integrity. Everyone involved in the NCAA always puts the student first…