Chuck Barnes (1930–1979) was an American executive. The son of then Dayton Tire & Rubber Company president and a former P.R. manager for Firestone, Barnes spearheaded the field of sports management when he founded Sports Headliners, Inc. in 1965. Initially representing racing greats Mario Andretti, Jim Clark, A. J. Foyt and Rodger Ward, Barnes expanded into professional football and basketball, signing Johnny Unitas, O. J. Simpson, Calvin Hill and Pat Hayden, among others. The lucrative contract that Barnes negotiated for Simpson when he joined the Buffalo Bills set a new benchmark for NFL salaries.