Allert Testifies in Sports Agent Hearing

Linebacker Ty Allert of the San Diego Chargers testified before a Texas Senate committee that when he was on a football scholarship at the University of Texas, as many as 10 of his teammates received money from sports agents while they were in school.

Allert, a mid-round NFL draft choice after his senior year in 1985, testified at a hearing on a bill to regulate sports agents in Texas. The bill was approved by the economic development committee, 10-0. He said he was not speaking about the specific bill but only his experiences as a college football player.

In response to a question from Sen. Bob Glasgow, Allert said that “probably 8 or 10” of his Texas teammates took money from agents, adding that “ . . . quite a few players I’m playing with now were taking money in college.”

Student athletes are prohibited by the NCAA from contracting with an agent or accepting inducements before their college eligibility has expired. Only the student and school are subject to punishment for violating NCAA rules.

The bill would require agents to register with the state, post a bond, file annual reports listing clients and limit contact with students. Violators could be fined $10,000 and sentenced to a year in jail.