More About Balch Sports

Balch Sports includes agents and attorneys with vast experience representing collegiate football, baseball and basketball coaches, professional coaches, entertainment personalities, and sports organizations, both professional and amateur. Our practice includes two accomplished teams – Agents & Attorneys and Corporate & Compliance – focused on creating meaningful client partnerships that result in value-driven experiences. 

With 45 years of combined experience working alongside many of the nation’s widely-recognized and emerging football, basketball and baseball coaches, our Balch Sports Agents & Attorneys help coaching professionals build, grow and protect meaningful careers. The team is led by Russ Campbell and Patrick Strong who are guided by an unwavering commitment to delivering elite service, professionalism, accessibility and honesty in their partnerships with clients. They understand the multifaceted career demands ever present in the coaching industry and are recognized for their unique ability to implement customized strategies around a client’s unique talents, goals and aspirations. 

Balch Sports Agents & Attorneys’ focus includes development and placement, contract negotiation and career management. Patrick and Russ have prepared clients for more than 225 coaching interviews, with a customized approach and strategy personalized for each opportunity. Further, they have negotiated more than $1 billion in coaching contracts – some larger, some smaller, but all equally important. From search firms, athletic directors, administrators, and front office executives to influential national media, our team has deep relationships with decision-makers that enhance our clients’ professional development, advancement and financial security.

Core capabilities include:

  • Development & Placement
  • Contract Negotiation
  • Career Management
  • Press/Public Relations
  • NCAA Compliance Support
  • Estate Planning


Our experienced Balch Sports Corporate & Compliance Team maintains a nuanced understanding of the challenges, demands and opportunities existing within the sports industry. Our attorneys are hyper-focused on delivering comprehensive legal counsel to multi-sport host committees, national governing bodies, sport presentations companies, and event vendors to position them to achieve their goals and prepare for what’s ahead. Our Balch Sports Corporate & Compliance Team has robust experience in corporate governance matters, risk mitigation, audits and investigations, contract negotiation, and vendor management. Over and above assisting our clients succeed on their targeted projects, we have served as outside general counsel for several international multi-sport event organizing committees, including those for The World Games 2022 and the 2025 World Police & Fire Games, and have a demonstrated a history of success negotiating and drafting licensing, production, distribution, rights, and other commercial deals, as well as serving as legal counsel on transactions related to operations, sponsorship, and all facets of large scale sporting and entertainment events.

Core areas of counsel include:

  • Corporate Governance
  • Vendor Procurement
  • Contract Negotiation
  • Intellectual Property & Technology
  • Audit & Investigation