The Rise of Alex Styrt and Premier Athlete Agency + Advice on Breaking into the Sports Business Industry

By: Jonathan Tunney

April 25th, 2025

Photo Credit: Premier Athlete Agency

In 2022, at just 21 years old while still in college, Alex Styrt founded Premier Athlete Agency (PAA). Alex is rapidly emerging as one of the youngest influential figures in sports representation. I had the opportunity to interview Alex over the phone to learn more about his path to success. His journey highlights his ambition, strategic vision, and relentless pursuit of opportunities, offering incredibly valuable insights for anyone trying to break into the uber-competitive sports business landscape. 

Styrt’s passion for the NFL and his dream of becoming an NFL agent shaped his educational journey at Syracuse University. At Syracuse, Alex completed a rigorous 3+3 program, earning both a business degree and a law degree in just five and a half years. While still a student, he didn’t wait around for his opportunity. Alex signed his first NFL client when he was just 21 years old. Originally from San Diego, he knew he wanted his first client to be located in California. After doing some research, Alex found Tayler Hawkins. Hawkins is a safety who went undrafted out of San Diego State, and signed with the San Francisco 49ers. At the time, Hawkins had no marketing or brand deals whatsoever. Alex was a 21-year-old junior in college with no connections to any brands or experience representing NFL players. He cold called Tayler, asking if he would take a chance on him and let him handle his marketing and business endeavors during his rookie year.  Hawkins agreed and signed shortly after. Alex worked immediately and relentlessly. Packages from brands started showing up in the 49ers locker room addressed to Tayler. Soon, Hawkins was receiving just as many, if not more, packages than many of his teammates, who noticed and began to ask Hawkins who his agent was, allowing Alex to build his business organically through word of mouth.

Despite being an undergraduate, Styrt’s bold initial approach and continued pursuit of brand deals allowed him to build a roster of roughly a dozen clients before even graduating from college. For anyone looking to break into sports business, success often comes from doing instead of waiting. Alex created his own opportunities rather than relying on traditional pathways or others to do it for him. His proactiveness earned him credibility and trust with athletes and their families early on by clearly demonstrating his passion and perseverance.

Today, Premier Athlete Agency represents numerous NFL stars, including Jacksonville Jaguars Pro Bowl Linebacker Foye Oluokun, Detroit Lions stars Jared Goff and Kerby Joseph, and Los Angeles Rams kicker Josh Karty, among others. PAA is also growing its presence in the NIL space, representing notable college football players like star Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. PAA also facilitates numerous strategic partnerships, including an innovative collaboration with the largest hip-hop festival in the world, Rolling Loud California. These partnerships demonstrate Alex and PAA’s keen ability to blend business opportunities with unique and fun experiences, keeping clients happy.

During our conversation, Alex emphasized the importance of genuine passion and emotional intelligence in sports representation. Essential qualities, he argues, include honesty, integrity, consistency, and a strong work ethic. These traits have helped him navigate inevitable setbacks and uncertainties inherent to the talent representation business. Not everything about talent representation is like Jerry Maguire or Ballers on HBO; it takes a certain mindset and focus to succeed.

Alex’s journey highlights a critical takeaway for aspiring sports professionals: waiting for the perfect opportunity is less effective than creating it yourself. You don’t have to start your own agency, but young professionals need to find ways to create value immediately. Whether it be through meaningful internships or less traditional means, aspiring sports business professionals should be looking to seize every chance to learn and contribute.

Looking forward, Styrt is preparing to take the NFLPA certification exam in July. Alex brought in a trusted colleague of his to start PAA’s NFL contract division last year, allowing Alex to learn under his wing for this past year before taking the test. Assuming Alex passes the test in July, he will become one of the youngest certified NFL agents holding a law degree in history and will also become the lead contract negotiator for PAA. This will mark yet another significant milestone in his already remarkable career.

Alex Styrt’s rise with Premier Athlete Agency underscores the power of initiative, adaptability, and authentic relationships. His story is not only inspiring but instructive, offering a blueprint for anyone determined to make their mark in the competitive world of sports business.