Their first contract may be their only contract. Picking the wrong agent can have long-term, adverse economic implications. Several modest reforms would alleviate player abuse by unethical or inexperienced agents. A set of laws could be developed by a uniform law commission similar to the Uniform Commercial Code. Minimum standards for sports agents could be established by either uniform or federal law.
Unions can also play a significant role in regulating who represents professional athletes.
For instance, all agents should be certified by the players' union. The unions have the best sense of what constitutes adequate representation and have the strongest interest in upholding high standards because their members are the victims of shoddy representation. It is doubtful that Ricky Williams will gain 1,600 yards this year. He would have to average 150 yards a game for the remainder of the season. All of this on a team that is 2-7, does not have a strong passing game to keep opposing run defenses honest, and often plays from behind.