January 1, 2001 Commercial-News Danville, Illinois

Making a Life of Sports

Barnette does Business from Danville home

By Heather Douglas
Staff Writer

DANVILLE – Doug Barnette not only played sports at nearly the highest level, but he now lives a life of sports in the privacy of his own home through his company, Player Management International, Inc.

The 30-year-old Danville native played basketball for Danville High School and eventually had a brief professional career that included a tour with the Harlem Globetrotters, but that’s all in his past as his focus now is on helping athletes through sports marketing.

He’s a salesman of sorts, only his job is selling people.

“I’ve always been the type of person to help other people out,” Barnette said.

In December 1996, Barnette, then living in Omaha, Neb., started Player Management with a single phone call.

Just after the Orange Bowl, Barnette had received the names and phone numbers of football players at the University of Nebraska who were looking to be drafted into the NFL. His goal was to help them make a name for themselves through sports marketing and his first call was to then UN football player Damon Benning.

“I called him up and I didn’t expect him to answer the phone,” Barnette said. “I didn’t know what to say.”

Whatever he did say must have been good because Barnette had roughly 10 players lined up within the first month. His first official client was Mike Minter, starting safety for the Carolina Panthers.
Minter said Barnette’s success did not come as a surprise.

“He has taken advantage of the opportunities given to him,” Minter said.

Barnette said his jump into the world of sports marketing more or less fell into his lap.

“It just kind of happened,” Barnette said. “I got some vision into it and saw how it could grow. I just like doing things that are high-profile. It just gave me a way to stay involved with sports.”

One of his first marketing events was setting up an autograph signing for a couple of his clients. On Wednesday, he told them that he would have a signing set up for Saturday. Little did he know it wouldn’t be that easy.

Miraculously he pulled it off although the company had very little time to advertise the players’ appearance. From there, his client list began to grow – mostly from third party referrals.

“It blew up,” Barnette said. “It was just laughable.”

Within the first year, Barnette represented 15 NFL players and currently represents 45 NFL players as well as many basketball players, NASCAR drivers, and coaches.

“All that came from not being afraid to pick up the phone,” Barnette said.

Barnette helps the players get endorsement deals, which include making appearances, signing autographs and occasionally appearing in commercials. In exchange for their appearance, the players typically receive cash or gifts from the company they are representing. Barnette also helps to organize charitable sporting events.

Barnette said average NFL endorsement deals can range anywhere from $3,500 to $50,000 depending on the player and what is involved. Barnette only receives a small percentage of each deal.

Jennifer Nelis, marketing director of Sprint PCS in Indianapolis, has had a business relationship with Player Management for almost a year. Barnette’s clients include Terrance Wilkins, E.G. Green and Jerome Pathon of the Indianapolis Colts. Nelis gives them free cellular service for making appearances in her stores.

“He helps to maintain the communication,” Nelis said. “He’s very energetic and he’s very organized as far as staying in contact with me.”

Unlike typical “Jerry McGuire” sports agents, Barnette doesn’t deal with big-money playing contracts, but focuses solely on marketing.

“Ninety-nine percent of business is meeting with people and treating them right,” he said.
“I don’t do business deals, I make friends. That’s why my business has been successful. You have to take time to listen to people.”

Barnette later moved to Jacksonville, Fla., where he quickly earned deals with several of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

One of the reasons Barnette believes he has had so much success is because he has turned his life over to Jesus Christ.

Once Minter became a client of Barnette, the two became close friends and Minter even baptized Barnette under the guidance of an ordained minister.

“There’s no question that this was the grace of God,” he said. “There’s no way I could do this. Ever since then, I never worry about anything. I think it’s just important not to get too high and not get too low.”

Barnette said realizing what the Lord does was the first step.

“He isn’t going to do it for you,” Barnette said. “If you’re going to do it for yourself, the Lord is going to help you.”

Although Barnette has little formal business training, he’s been where his clients are (through his professional basketball career) and understands what they deal with on a day-to-day basis.

“I really understand what’s involved,” Barnette said. “I think that’s why the players like me. I really understand what they go through on a daily basis. They know I’m not going to lie to them. They know that whatever I do for them, it’s going to be right.”

Barnette said a large part of his success comes from not letting fear get the best of him.

“People are afraid of success,” Barnette said. “Subconsciously we’re all afraid of rejection. You talk yourself out of it. There are mornings I come down here and I have to talk myself into picking up the phone.”

It’s a good thing he does, because that’s how he spends the majority of his days – on the phone with clients setting up various endorsement deals. One is currently in the works that will make Mateen Cleaves, former Michigan State basketball player currently with the Detroit Pistons, the spokesperson for McDonald’s.

Barnette believes that anyone can achieve what they set out to if they can first figure out what it is they want.

“It’s basically deciding what you want to do, figuring out how to do it and then going out and doing it,” he said. It’s just a matter of working hard and doing the best with what the Lord gives us.”

Barnette has recently returned to Danville, where he lives with his wife, Teresa (Reed) and 10-year-old son, Jonathon. He runs his company from an office in his own home.

Barnette met his wife in high school while living in Danville and the two recently married. Teresa, who graduated from Danville High School in 1988, is a chemist and runs her own candle company from their home.

“Right now I’ve got a great life and a great wife and I’m happy,” Barnette said.

The decision to move back to Danville came for several reasons.

“We feel comfortable here,” Barnette said. “Once you move away and live in a big city, especially when you get married and settle down, you begin to appreciate a small town. I grew up here and I loved it. I have nothing but great memories of growing up here. It’s absolutely a great place to raise a family.”

Moving back to Danville also gave Barnette a chance to focus on the company and to spend more time with his family.

“It’s culturally diverse and I think it is small enough to stay involved in your child’s life, but big enough to have your own life,” Barnette said. “The school system is great. It’s a quiet, safe place. You don’t have to worry about (the kids). It gives me a chance to focus on my work.”

Wherever he is, Barnette can be found – phone in hand – keeping contact with his clients and planning his next event. Only now he chooses to make those calls from his new home in the familiar city of Danville.