Sports fans in Texas might not realize that college football coach Rich Rodriguez is embroiled in a contract dispute. Creative Artists Agency has filed a lawsuit claiming breach of contract after Rodriguez ended his relationship with the agency in 2015. The agency negotiated his contracts with the television network and the university where he works as head football coach.
Court filings from his former business representatives assert that Rodriquez made a verbal agreement with the agency in 2011. The agreement allegedly required him to pay 10 percent of earnings from his appearances on CBS Sports Network and 4 percent from his coaching salary. The agency claims that he still owes $230,250. Court filings add that the attorney for Rodriguez refused to negotiate a resolution.
A statement from the coach’s attorney maintained that Rodriguez never made a written contract with the agency. Rodriguez paid the agency over $280,000 through 2015 and his relationship with the agency was at will. The attorney said that his client never agreed to pay any fees after 2015. His former agency insists, however, that he signed a contract amendment in June 2015 for an agreement that extends through May 31, 2020.
The vast majority of business relationships depend on contracts, and a person experiencing difficulty with another party could seek advice from an attorney. After evaluating the contract terms, an attorney could provide insights about the strength of the person’s position. An attorney could strive to resolve the problem through negotiations with the other party and proceed to contract litigation if an accord cannot be reached out of court.
Source: ABC News, “Rich Rodriguez being sued by former agency for breach of contract,” Kyle Bonagura, Aug. 18, 2017