What does it really take to build a career in professional football?

Blake Baratz has spent decades as an NFL agent and the founder of IFA Sports, an agency here in Minneapolis. He’s represented players including former Minnesota Vikings Adam Thielen and C.J. Ham, giving him a front-row seat to the realities of making it to the NFL — and, even harder, staying there. Recently, he’s expanded into clients with the NCAA and even into high school football.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4O63vsIxUM

In this episode of The Twin Cities Business Show, Baratz talks about building his agency, the business of representing athletes, and what he’s learned from working across professional, college and high school football.

He also weighs in on the rapidly changing world of college sports and NIL. As billions of dollars flow into college athletics, Baratz argues that the adults in the room have struggled to create a system that works for players, coaches, schools and fans.

And what comes next for the NFL? Baratz discusses the league’s remarkable growth and whether its future will depend on more media partners, more games, and more international travel.

Plus, he talks about another entrepreneurial venture: Brick x Mortar, a social club built around community and connection.

This episode includes:

• 00:00 The Toughest Client Negotiations
• 02:22 Current NFL Contract Dynamics
• 03:05 Becoming an NFL Agent & Building IFA
• 05:58 What Representation Really Means
• 07:10 Supporting Players On & Off the Field
• 09:42 Adam Thielen & C.J. Ham’s Journeys
• 11:06 How NFL Teams Evaluate Players
• 14:07 Inside the NFL Draft Process
• 15:43 Changing the Narrative for Decision Makers
• 16:56 The Brutal Reality of NFL Roster Cuts
• 18:18 Negotiation, Credibility & Risk
• 21:07 Building Generational Wealth
• 25:06 Financial Literacy for Young Athletes
• 28:41 NIL & the Wild West of College Sports
• 29:53 Advising College Athletes on NIL Deals
• 33:11 Why College Athletes Need Compensation
• 35:02 Working With High School Prospects
• 37:01 The Economics of College Football Rosters
• 38:45 Applying NFL Roster Models to College Football
• 43:38 The NFL’s Unprecedented Growth
• 47:02 International Expansion vs. Player Health
• 48:22 The NFLPA & Collective Bargaining
• 50:29 Blake’s Fantasy Football Career
• 51:27 Why Blake Doubled Down on Football
• 53:02 Expanding Beyond Football
• 55:39 Building Brick & Mortar in Minneapolis
• 57:42 The Business of Work-Life Balance
• 59:24 Closing Remarks