On the 174th episode of Listen In With KNN on Fox Sports 1340AM, host Kelsey Nicole Nelson welcomed Caitlin Aoki, the Director of Football Administration and NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor for the Alliance Management Group to the show.
She works with fellow agents Rocky Arceneaux and Jason Lampert as they represent clients, such as NFL first round picks and help them accomplish their goals in their career. The Alliance Management Group’s approach is to let their clients choose an agent that they have the best relationship with.
“We let them decide, ‘okay, this is the person that I want to call.’ We try to make their lives as easy as possible because there’s a lot of different things going on in their lives especially the rookies trying to get used to the NFL and everything that comes along with their new job,” Aoki said.
Speaking of the NFL, it was a challenge getting through the 2020 season for the league due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also challenging for Aoki as she wasn’t able to visit the players due to the league’s protocols even though she works from home majority of the time.
“They were under strict protocols as far as what they could and couldn’t do away from the facility. I certainly wasn’t going to be the one to get COVID and pass it on to players and have that go around. Not being able to have that in-person contact and relationships from that perspective but we and the NFL got through it,” she said.
She along with Arceneaux and Lampert represented former LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. He opted out of the 2020 college football season after winning a national championship to prepare for the Draft. Chase had challenges during the pre-draft process such as not having the Combine due to the COVID-19 restrictions but was able to stay on schedule.
“It’s a long stressful week in a normal year but at the same time, that’s when teams can really get in there and have all their meetings with the players. It’s a nice structured environment to get everything done in one place at one time. Not being able to have that week this year, players were having to do all sorts of Zoom calls, interviews and medical checks. The guys all took it in stride and did great with it,” said Aoki.
He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the fifth overall pick as he’s reunited with his former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. Chase was celebrating with his family along with Aoki, Arceneaux and Lampert the day prior knowing that his dream was coming true.
“Just being able to be there and experience firsthand his and his family’s special moment. There’s nothing that replaces that and even having the smallest part of it is cool and rewarding. It reminds you, ‘this is why I do my job.’ It was definitely an awesome experience,” said Aoki.
Additionally, she co-represents Chase’s ex-LSU teammate in Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was the 32nd overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
As a female agent, Aoki is appreciative and blessed to be in the position that she’s in and wants to use her platform to open more doors for women to get into the sports agency business.
“Being a female in a male dominated industry is not easy. There’s other women out there too and trying to give them their shine but hopefully young girls that want to become agents or don’t even know that’s a possibility, you don’t have to be a man to be in this industry. Women are bosses too.”
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