Free Agency

Sportslaw Jargon: Free Agency

Free agency is a term used frequently in the context of sports today.

It is a defined as a professional athlete whose contract has expired with his existing team and is available to any team in the league for signing. A free agent may choose any team who wishes to contract for his services and a valuable player often may go to the highest bidder.

Free agency is actually fairly rare in professional sports. To attain free agency status, check out the rules in each of the four major sports leagues in the United States:

Baseball -- a player who has completed his 6th year of service.

Football -- a player who has completed his 5th year (in a non-salary capped year) and 4th year (in a salary-capped year). A class of restricted free agents (requiring compensations from the team which signed the player) exist for those who have played three or more seasons.

Basketball -- under the recently-concluded agreement, a free agent is a player who has completed his 5th year (it used to be 3rd year).

Hockey -- a player who is 31 years old and completed four seaons is an unrestricted free agent. Younger players can be restricted free agents, requiring compensation in the nature of draft picks.