Octagon
North American Powerhouse

US

€55mm

Key Facts

Also known as: Octagon Worldwide; Octagon R&CPMK
Founded: 1983 (as Advantage International; rebranded as Octagon in 1999)
Headquarters: Stamford, Connecticut, United States
Players: 40 (20) | Total market value: €55mm
FIFA/FA registration: Not publicly disclosed at a company level (representation typically depends on individual licensed agents and local federation rules)
Languages: English (plus local languages across regional offices)
Regions covered: Global (multi-office network across the US and internationally)
Email: soccer@octagon.com, newbusiness@octagon.com
Phone: +1 203 354 7400 (Stamford HQ)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/octagon.soccer/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/octagon/

About

Octagon is a global sports and entertainment agency within Interpublic Group, spanning brand strategy, sponsorship, and talent representation. Founded in 1983 (as Advantage International), it joined IPG in 1997 and has operated under the Octagon name since 1999. In football, Octagon positions itself as a network-driven talent and commercial partner, with clients spanning top European pathways and North American leagues.

Key People

• John Shea – Chief Executive Officer (Octagon R&CPMK)
  Long-time Octagon leader who became CEO in April 2021.
  Contacts: via Octagon HQ phone (+1 203 354 7400).

• Phil de Picciotto – President & Founder (Octagon)
  Listed by Octagon as President & Founder on the firm’s leadership page.
  Contacts: via central Octagon offices.

• Football/Soccer business contacts (Octagon)

  • Mike Senkowski – Director North America (talent + properties)
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msenkows
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-senkowski-978722114/

• Press & Media: Alex Rozis – alex.rozis@octagon.com

• Licensed agents (names + license IDs)
  Octagon does not publish a single public registry of football agent license IDs on its main pages; licensing is generally individual and jurisdiction-specific.

Client Roster

Top players (current)

• Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal) – 08.02.1999

• Caleb Wiley (Watford) – 22.12.2004

• Gianluca Busio (Venezia) – 28.05.2002

• Edwin Cerrillo (LA Galaxy) – 03.10.2000

• Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids) – 28.07.2001

• Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders) – 24.09.1998

• Kamal Miller (Portland Timbers) – 16.05.1997

• Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United) – 09.05.1997

• Darren Yapi (Colorado Rapids) – 19.11.2004

• Jake Davis (Sporting Kansas City) – 03.01.2002

• Griffin Dorsey (Houston Dynamo) – 05.03.1999

• Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids) – 31.05.1999

• Matt Polster (New England Revolution) – 08.06.1993

• Liam Fraser (Reading) – 13.02.1998

• Fabian Herbers (Chicago Fire) – 17.06.1993

• Jonathan Dean (Chicago Fire) – 24.06.1994

• Calvin Harris (Colorado Rapids) – 09.12.2000

• Donovan Pines (D.C. United) – 11.11.1997

• Cal Jennings (Tampa Bay Rowdies) – 30.12.1997

• Amar Sejdic (Nashville SC) – 28.11.1997

• Ben Bender (Tampa Bay Rowdies) – 14.09.2000

• Derek Dodson (D.C. United) – 03.11.1998

• Marlon Vargas (New Mexico United) – 12.01.2001

• Collin Smith (Phoenix Rising) – 04.12.2003

• Jack Panayotou (Rhode Island FC) – 09.06.2004

• Joey Skinner (Tampa Bay Rowdies) – 06.12.2002

• Michael Edwards (Colorado Rapids) – 25.09.2003

• Tyler Freeman (Tampa Bay Rowdies) – 15.02.2001

• Jackson Conway (Charleston Battery) – 30.08.2001

• Colby Quiñónes (Without Club) – 22.04.2005

Notable former clients

Octagon’s football “former clients” list is not centrally published on its main pages; Transfermarkt’s agency listing reflects the current player set shown above.

Coaches/Staff represented (if any)

No coaches/staff are listed under the referenced Transfermarkt “Octagon Athletes and Personalities” football roster page.

Notable Deals

• 2024 – Caleb Wiley – Atlanta United to Chelsea – permanent transfer – €10.10m – contract to 2030 (reported)

• 2025 – Tajon Buchanan – Inter to Villarreal – permanent transfer – €9.00m – contract to 2030 (reported)

• 2025 – Tajon Buchanan – Inter to Villarreal – loan – loan fee €1.00m (fee shown in club transfer list)

Services

• Contract negotiation and renewals

• Transfers and loans (domestic + international pathways)

• Sponsorship and commercial advisory (brand partnerships, activation strategy)

• Talent marketing and content production (campaign development and execution)

• PR and media coordination (press contact routing)

Partner Network

• Brands and rights-holders featured in Octagon casework include Standard Chartered and Liverpool FC, and Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour projects.

• Football data/analytics collaboration: Elite Football Index 2025 (with Futures Sport & Entertainment).

Track Record (last 3 seasons)

• Total transfers completed: Not published as a single agency-wide total on Octagon’s public pages; confirmed headline moves involving Transfermarkt-listed football clients include at least the deals listed below.

• Deals ≥ €10m: 1 (Caleb Wiley to Chelsea – €10.10m).

• Clients in top-5 leagues:

  • Tajon Buchanan (LaLiga – Villarreal).

  • Caleb Wiley is contracted to Chelsea (Premier League) while playing on loan at Watford.

• National team clients (examples): Tajon Buchanan (Canada), Kamal Miller (Canada), Dayne St. Clair (Canada), Gianluca Busio (USA), Darren Yapi (USA youth).

• Renewal/extension deals (examples):

  • Matt Polster extension through 2027.

  • Griffin Dorsey listed with a 2025 contract extension date on Transfermarkt.

Approach & Philosophy

Octagon’s football positioning emphasizes “unique insights” and a “global network” to support player movement into major leagues, alongside off-pitch growth. Internally, Octagon frames its culture around values like empowerment, inclusivity, intelligence, innovation, and impact – which it links to how it builds long-term relationships and delivers work.

Fees & Transparency

Octagon does not publish standard commission bands on its public football pages. In practice, football representation is governed by FIFA’s Football Agent Regulations (FFAR) framework (licensing requirements, representation agreements, disclosures, and service-fee rules), with real-world application varying by jurisdiction and ongoing legal/process differences across markets.

Compliance & Reputation

• Disciplinary actions / sanctions: No widely reported football-agent sanctions tied to Octagon’s football representation were identified in the sources reviewed.

• Litigation / disputes: No football-specific public disputes surfaced in the reviewed sources.

• Media sentiment: Neutral to positive – Octagon is typically covered as a major, established agency and appears in straightforward transaction reporting.

Awards/recognition

• Industry profile and recognition around longevity and scale: SportsBusinessJournal feature on Octagon’s 40-year history (2023).

• Octagon’s own milestone timeline highlights major industry projects and historical client work across sports (40th anniversary materials).