Any suggestions Craig Kelly could eventually replace Eddie McGuire as Collingwood's next president appear over – at least in the short term.
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Kelly's Elite Sports Properties, one of the AFL's biggest player management groups and a major player in several sports, has linked with United States-based sports management and marketing company TLA Worldwide in what financial markets have reported as a $25.5 million deal.
TLA Worldwide is run by executive chairman Bart Campbell, who is the majority owner of the Melbourne Storm, and a part owner of Melbourne City.
It's understood key stakeholders Kelly and Rob Woodhouse have pocketed about $3.3 million each and shares as part of the deal. They will also each pocket considerably more should performance targets be met over the next four years.
ESP will continue trading under that name in Australia. The agency's biggest AFL names include Jobe Watson, Nathan Buckley, Matthew Pavlich, Steve Johnson, Brendon Goddard, Trent Cotchin and media stars Garry Lyon and Shane Crawford.
Kelly, a 1990 premiership star with the Magpies, has long been regarded as a potential Magpies president, but it would almost certainly mean he would have to sell his stake in ESP.
However, Kelly said he was "more locked in than ever before" and the Pies' presidency was not on his agenda.
"That won't be happening," he said.
The deal will strengthen the company in Australia, where the list of player agencies continues to grow, and in the United Kingdom, where the company has several cricketers on its books.
"It gives us the ability to do some things with grunt," Kelly said.
"The benefits of the TLA connection will allow us to use the knowledge and clout that TLA have out of the United States to drive the ESP business and take things to the next level in service, ideas and innovation for our clients and talent.
"Everyone at ESP is passionate about what we do and we share the same pointed vision as TLA that we want to be the best in our selected fields in managing talent and working with sports governing bodies, brands and sponsors to grow our chosen sports."
TLA has several offices in the UK and the US, including New York, California, San Francisco, Houston and London.
