Klutch Sports Group

Last updated

Klutch Sports Group
Industry Sports management
Founded2012
Founder Rich Paul
Headquarters Los Angeles, California, U.S. [1]
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Number of employees
100 (2024)
Divisions
  • Klutch Baseball
  • Basketball –men
  • Basketball –women
  • Football
  • Klutch Global Football (soccer)
  • Global Partnerships
Website unitedtalent.com/klutch

Klutch Sports Group is an American sports agency based in Los Angeles, California, founded by sports agent and chief executive officer Rich Paul. Klutch Sports Group represents nearly 200 players in the NBA, NFL, MLB, and WNBA. It has offices in Atlanta, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York. In mid-2024, Klutch Sports Group began expanding into Europe following the takeover of a major German soccer agency.

Contents

History

Klutch Sports Group was founded in 2012 by Rich Paul. [2] [3] [4]

In 2003, after the NBA draft, LeBron James asked Paul to be a part of his small inner circle, along with James' childhood friends Maverick Carter and Randy Mims. [4] Paul quickly obliged. He would later start working under Leon Rose, who had negotiated James' extension with the Cavaliers in 2006, at Creative Artists Agency (CAA). [5]

In 2012, Paul left Rose and Creative Artists Agency to start his own agency, Klutch Sports Group. His first clients were James, Eric Bledsoe, Tristan Thompson, and Cory Joseph. [5]

In 2013, Paul enlisted agent and attorney Mark Termini to run the NBA contract negotiations for Klutch. [6] [7]

In 2016 and 2017, Fara Leff was already known as Klutch Sports Group's chief operating officer (COO). [8] [9]

In 2019, United Talent Agency (UTA) made a "significant" financial investment in Klutch Sports Group. According to Jeremy Zimmer, chief executive officer (CEO) of United Talent Agency, Paul "maintains control as operator of his business". [10] United Talent Agency asked Paul to run its sports division through a partnership with Klutch and expand to represent NFL and WNBA players. [11]

In 2020, Paul accepted a position on United Talent Agency's board of directors. [12] [13] Paul also expanded its clientele at Klutch to include the National Football League (NFL) by hiring former player Damarius Bilbo. [14] Bilbo was chosen to lead the Football division of Klutch Sports Group. [15] In April 2020, Klutch Sports Group acquired Tidal Sports Group from San Clemente, marking its "entry into baseball representation". Tidal Sports Group founder Brodie Scoffield was named to lead Klutch's Baseball division. [1] Also, in 2020, NBA agent Omar Wilkes became head of the Basketball division of Klutch Sports. [16] By the conclusion of their agreement in 2020, Termini had negotiated $1.4 billion in NBA contracts for Klutch Sports clients from 2014 through 2019. [17]

In 2021, Klutch Sports Group was named among Time magazine's 100 Most Influential Companies. [18] That same year, Klutch hired sports agent Nicole Lynn as president of Football operations. [19]

In February 2020, Klutch Sports Group launched its Women's Basketball division, led soon after by Jade-Li English. [20] [21]

In the summer of 2023, Klutch Sports Group contracts worth almost $900 million were concluded just for Paul's NBA clients. [22] In December 2023, Klutch acquired the baseball agency, Rep 1. [23] Rep 1 CEO Chris Koras was named head of Klutch Baseball. [24] By October 2023, Klutch Sports Group had nearly 200 professional athletes [25] on its NBA, WNBA, NFL, and MLB rosters. [26]

Klutch Sports Group had more than 100 employees as of mid-2024, with offices in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, [22] and Cleveland. [27] In June 2024, United Talent Agency acquired Germany's biggest soccer player agency, Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers (ROOF), and integrated it into Klutch Sports Group. [28] The soccer agency, which has offices in Munich, London, and Madrid, represents 150 clients in the "Big Five" European leagues: the German Bundesliga, English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, French Ligue 1, and Italian Serie A. Björn Bezemer, co-founder and managing director of Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers, was appointed head of Klutch Global Football. [26] In early September 2024, it was announced that New York City FC (soccer) had tapped Klutch Sports Group to coordinate partnerships for the Stadium Experience Center, a new 25,000-seat soccer-specific stadium in Queens, New York, slated to open in 2027. Klutch, through its Global Partnerships division, will sell NYCFC's primary sponsorship program, the "Founding Partnerships", to interested brands. [29]

Athletes

NBA

Klutch Sports represents the following NBA athletes:

NFL

Klutch Sports has represented the following NFL athletes, either currently or formerly:

NCAA Men's Basketball

Klutch Sports represents the following men's college basketball athletes:

NCAA Women's Basketball

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miami Heat</span> American professional basketball team

The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The club plays its home games at Kaseya Center, and has won three NBA championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LeBron James</span> American basketball player (born 1984)

LeBron Raymone James Sr. is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely recognized as one of the greatest players in the sport's history and is often compared with Michael Jordan in debates on the greatest basketball player of all time. James has won four NBA championships from 10 NBA Finals appearances, having made eight consecutive appearances between 2011 and 2018. He also won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 with the Lakers and three Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team.

A sports agent is a legal representative for professional sports figures such as athletes and coaches. They procure and negotiate employment and endorsement contracts for the athlete or coach whom they represent. In addition to contract negotiations, sports agents may also help their clients with financial planning, legal issues, and marketing. They may work closely with financial advisors, lawyers, and marketing professionals on behalf of their clients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon Rose</span> American basketball executive (born 1961)

Leon Rose is an American basketball executive, attorney and sports agent. He serves as president of the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a sports agent, Rose represented a number of prominent NBA players, including Allen Iverson and LeBron James.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Talent Agency</span> American talent agency

United Talent Agency (UTA) is a global talent agency based in Beverly Hills, California. Established in 1991, it represents artists and other professionals across the entertainment industry. As of 2021, the company has more than 1,400 global employees. UTA has divisions focused on film, television, music, sports, digital, books, video games, branding and licensing, speaking, marketing, fine arts, news, and broadcasting, among others. The agency also operates the non-profit UTA Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Vincent–St. Mary High School</span>

St. Vincent–St. Mary High School is a private, co-educational, college preparatory Catholic high school in Akron, Ohio, United States. It is sponsored by the Society of Mary and is associated with the Diocese of Cleveland. As of the 2017–18 school year, the school had an enrollment of 638 students.

The Cleveland sports curse was a sports superstition involving the city of Cleveland, Ohio, and its major league professional sports teams, centered on the failure to win a championship in any major league sport for 52 years, from 1964 to 2016. Three major league teams based in Cleveland contributed to belief in the curse: the Browns of the National Football League (NFL); the Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA); and the then-Indians of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Fenway Sports Group Holdings, LLC (FSG), is an American multinational sports holding conglomerate which owns Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, Premier League’s Liverpool, National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins, NASCAR's RFK Racing, and TGL's Boston Common Golf.

<i>The Decision</i> (TV program) 2010 ESPN special presentation

The Decision is a 2010 American television special that aired on ESPN on July 8, 2010 in which National Basketball Association (NBA) player LeBron James announced which team he would join for the 2010–11 season. James was an unrestricted free agent after playing his first seven NBA seasons for the Cleveland Cavaliers; he was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a six-time All-Star. He grew up in nearby Akron, Ohio, where he received national attention as a high school basketball star. During the special, James revealed that he would be signing with the Miami Heat.

Mark Termini is a Cleveland, Ohio-based sports attorney and agent. His agency Mark Termini Associates Inc represents professional basketball players. He negotiated $1.4 billion in NBA contracts for the clients of the Klutch Sports Group from 2014 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Paul</span> American sports agent (born 1980)

Rich Paul is an American sports agent and the founder and chief executive officer of Klutch Sports Group. His most notable client is basketball player LeBron James, with whom he has been a longtime friend. Paul is also co-head of the Sports division at United Talent Agency.

Paul David Wachter is an American businessman and investment adviser whose clients include Arnold Schwarzenegger, LeBron James, U2 frontman Bono, Beats by Dre co-founder Jimmy Iovine, Drake, Billie Eilish and Tom Werner, Chairman of the Boston Red Sox and the Liverpool Football Club. He has played a leading role in high-profile investment deals including the 2002 acquisition of the Boston Red Sox by New England Sports Ventures, an ownership group he became partner to in 2021. Wachter was also a founding member of the board of Beats Electronics since 2008 and led the negotiation of the Beats sale to Apple. Along with LeBron James, he was among the executive producers of the Starz scripted series, Survivor's Remorse, and HBO’s What’s My Name, a documentary on Muhammad Ali, and is the executive producer of the 2023 Netflix series Arnold. He is now Chairman of the Board of United Talent Agency (UTA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season</span> NBA professional basketball team season (won championship)

The 2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 46th season of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA championship, the first NBA championship in franchise history. During the regular season, the Cavaliers had the third best team offensive rating and were tenth in team defensive rating in the NBA. During the playoffs, the Cavaliers had the best team offensive rating and were eighth in team defensive rating in the NBA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maverick Carter</span> American businessman and media personality

Maverick Carter is an American sports-marketing businessman and media personality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banana Boat Team</span> Hypothetical superteam consisting of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul

The Banana Boat Team, Banana Boat Squad or Banana Boat Crew is a hypothetical pop culture NBA superteam, consisting of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul.

The 2018–19 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 49th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Cavaliers entered the season as the four-time defending Eastern Conference champion, and were coming off of an NBA Finals loss, in which they were swept by the Golden State Warriors in four games, the first Finals sweep since 2007, in which the Cavs were also swept, by the San Antonio Spurs. The Cavaliers had the worst team defensive rating in the NBA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronny James</span> American basketball player (born 2004)

LeBron Raymone "Bronny" James Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the USC Trojans. A consensus four-star recruit, James was named a McDonald's All-American as a senior in high school in 2023. He played one season of college basketball for the USC Trojans before being selected by the Lakers in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft. He is the eldest child and teammate of professional basketball player LeBron James Sr., making them the NBA's first active father-son duo.

Nicholas James Wright is an American sports television personality, sports podcaster, and former sports radio talk show host. Wright is a co-host on Fox Sports 1's First Things First (FTF) alongside Kevin Wildes and Chris Broussard. Wright also hosts his podcast What's Wright? with Nick Wright with Damonza Byrd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021–22 NBA season</span> 75th NBA season

The 2021–22 NBA season was the 76th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The regular season began on October 19, 2021, and ended on April 10, 2022. For the first time since the 2018–19 season, the NBA returned to its usual October to April regular season schedule after the previous two seasons were shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 NBA All-Star Game was played at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland on February 20, 2022. The play-in tournament was held on April 12–15, 2022. The 2022 NBA playoffs then began on April 16, and ended on June 16 with the Golden State Warriors defeating the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals.

Bryce Maximus James is an American basketball player. He is the second child of National Basketball Association (NBA) player LeBron James and the younger brother of NBA player Bronny James. He primarily plays the shooting guard position. As of March 2024 he is 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) tall and weighs 180 pounds (82 kg).

References

  1. 1 2 Selbe, Nick (April 3, 2020). "Klutch Sports Acquires Tidal Sports as New Baseball Branch". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on September 15, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  2. ↑ Vorkunov, Mike. "Rich Paul, KSP sued for $4.9 million over alleged breach of contract". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Klutch CEO Rich Paul on the changing business of sports". Washington Post. October 10, 2023. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Broussard, Chris (December 25, 2012). "The chosen's one". ESPN.
  5. 1 2 "LeBron James Leaves CAA, Childhood Friend will Represent Him". International Business Times. September 13, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  6. ↑ Zillgitt, Jeff (January 15, 2013). "LeBron James rep Klutch Sports adds top agent Termini". USA Today. USA Today. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  7. ↑ Price, S.L. (June 12, 2019). "The King Maker: Why Rich Paul Will Own the NBA Summer". SI.com. SI.com. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  8. ↑ Brodesser-Akner, Taffy (June 22, 2016). "Ben Simmons' Master Plan". CBS News . Archived from the original on November 26, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Still No Timetable For Ben Simmons' Debut". ESPN.com . February 14, 2017. Archived from the original on September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  10. ↑ Vardon, Joe (July 17, 2019). "Way past LeBron: Global talent firm UTA buys into Rich Paul's Klutch Sports Group with eye toward major expansion". The New York Times . Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  11. ↑ Skipper, Clay (December 16, 2019). "Rich Paul Is Rewriting the Rulebook". GQ. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  12. ↑ McNary, Dave (July 27, 2020). "LeBron James' Agent Rich Paul Named to UTA Board". Variety. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  13. ↑ Stein, Marc (July 17, 2019). "LeBron James's Agent, Rich Paul, Starts a Sports Division at a Hollywood Firm (Published 2019)". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  14. ↑ Skipper, Clay (January 14, 2020). "Meet the Super-Agent Who Rich Paul's Betting on to Take Over the NFL". GQ. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  15. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (January 14, 2020). "UTA-Backed Klutch Sports Group To Tackle Football With Revolution Agency Buy". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  16. ↑ Wojnarowski, Adrian (June 24, 2020). "Agent Omar Wilkes to be Klutch Sports' head of basketball, allowing Rich Paul to expand reach". ESPN.com . Archived from the original on September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  17. ↑ Stein, Marc [@TheSteinLine] (February 19, 2021). "Mark Termini, the longtime agent and attorney who led negotiations on the $1.4 billion in NBA contracts closed by Klutch Sports from 2014-2019, is no longer affiliated with the agency, league sources say" (Tweet). Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2021– via Twitter.
  18. ↑ Gregory, Sean (April 26, 2021). "2021 Time100 Most Influential Companies − Klutch Sports Group". Time . Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  19. ↑ "'I'm The Glue For My Guys': Agent Nicole Lynn On Representing Jalen Hurts, Quinnen Williams & Book 'Agent You'". CBS News . July 14, 2021. Archived from the original on September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  20. ↑ Yamashita, Andy (February 17, 2022). "Las Vegas Aces stars join Rich Paul's Klutch Sports". Las Vegas Review-Journal . Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  21. ↑ Hernandez, Victoria (July 14, 2023). "Agent Jade-Li English has five clients in WNBA All-Star Game. This is how she got here". USA Today . Archived from the original on September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  22. 1 2 Whitaker, Bill (June 2, 2024) [First published October 8, 2023]. "How sports agent Rich Paul rewrites the playbook for representing pro athletes". CBS News . Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  23. ↑ "Klutch Sports Group moves into baseball with acquisition of Rep 1 Baseball". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. December 14, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  24. ↑ Earl, William (December 14, 2023). "UTA Moves: Klutch Sports Group Buys Rep 1 Baseball Agency; Jay Sures Named Board Chair of Triad National Security". Variety . Archived from the original on December 17, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  25. ↑ Whitaker, Bill; Chasan, Aliza; Lieberman, Marc; McDonald, Cassidy (October 10, 2023). "Sports agent Rich Paul takes big swings negotiating deals for athletes". CBS News . Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  26. 1 2 Weprin, Alex (June 10, 2024). "UTA Acquires European Soccer Agency Roof as Klutch Expands Global Reach". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on September 1, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  27. ↑ Hayden, Erik (July 17, 2019). "UTA Partners With LeBron James' Agent Rich Paul for Sports Division". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  28. ↑ Whittock, Jesse (June 10, 2024). "UTA Scores Deal To Buy Europe Soccer Agency Roof". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on September 1, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  29. ↑ Clinkscales, Jason (September 5, 2024). "NYCFC Taps Klutch to Sell Premier Sponsorships for New Stadium". Sportico . Yahoo! Finance. Archived from the original on September 15, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Coming in Klutch – Los Angeles Lakers Benefit From Klutch Sports Clients Since LeBron James Arrived". Essentially Sports. April 7, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  31. ↑ Chris Fedor (June 8, 2022). "2022 NBA Draft: MarJon Beauchamp joining Malaki Branham and others in 'group' workout for Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday". Cleveland.com . Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 Jordan Greer (October 20, 2021). "Rich Paul's top clients: Klutch Sports Group agent's NBA roster goes well beyond LeBron James". Sporting News . Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  33. 1 2 Justin Alvarado (June 30, 2020). "Every client of Klutch Sports". ClutchPoints . Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  34. ↑ Austin Boyd (June 30, 2022). "Lakers Sign Ex-Bulls Forward, Former 1st-Round Pick Who Is Klutch Client". Heavy . Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  35. ↑ Brendan Bowers (June 25, 2019). "Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jordan Clarkson signs with Rich Paul and Klutch Sports". USA Today . Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  36. ↑ Barling, Damien [@damienbarling] (November 14, 2022). "Reporting with @James_HamNBA De'Aaron Fox has moved on from Chris Gaston and Family First Sports Firm and is joining Klutch Sports. This is a huge step for the 24 year old Sacramento Kings guard" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2023– via Twitter.
  37. ↑ "Agent: Gordon, Nuggets agree to $92M extension". ESPN.com. September 14, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  38. ↑ "Rich Paul Client List". RealGM . Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  39. ↑ "NBA prospect Jaden Hardy has long drawn Beal comparisons". NBC Sports Washington. June 7, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  40. ↑ Nikki Finke (September 13, 2012). "LeBron James Leaves CAA With Agent Pal; Start Of Sports Representation Shake-Up?". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  41. ↑ Bill Reiter (June 29, 2024). "Why Bronny James' success with the Lakers could depend on LeBron getting out the way". CBS Sports. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  42. ↑ Jeff Garcia (November 16, 2021). "Spurs' Keldon Johnson signs with Klutch Sports". KENS . Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  43. ↑ Bruce Pascoe (May 25, 2022). "'Skilled' Henri Veesaar finds fit with internationally minded Arizona Wildcats". Longview News-Journal . Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  44. ↑ "LeBron James welcomes Zach LaVine to Klutch Sports Group". RSN. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  45. ↑ Rachel Gossen (October 3, 2020). "Phoenix Suns' Jalen Lecque signs with Klutch Sports Group". KMVP-FM . Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  46. ↑ Sanjesh Singh (September 30, 2021). "Lakers news: Kendrick Nunn signs with Klutch Sports Group". USA Today Sports Weekly . Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  47. ↑ "Trail Blazers, Jusuf Nurkić agree to 4-year, $70 million deal". The Athletic. July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  48. ↑ Bryce Smith (May 26, 2022). "Scotty Pippen Jr. impresses at NBA Combine, signs with Klutch Sports Group". The Vanderbilt Hustler . Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  49. ↑ Khobi Price (December 16, 2021). "Magic's Terrence Ross not worrying about potential trade as rumors pick up". Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  50. ↑ Sean Keane (June 30, 2022). "Warriors say "Adios" as Juan Toscano-Anderson signs with Lakers". SB Nation . Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  51. ↑ Dave McMenamin (June 30, 2022). "Los Angeles Lakers add Lonnie Walker IV, Damian Jones, Troy Brown Jr., Juan Toscano-Anderson duri..." WABC-TV . Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  52. ↑ Kurt Helin (February 22, 2022). "Rich Paul wants to clear record: Klutch Sports didn't push Westbrook for Wall trade". NBC Sports . Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  53. ↑ Chris Kirschner (June 30, 2020). "Inside the pursuit: Why Trae Young signed with Klutch Sports and what it means". The Athletic . Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  54. ↑ "NFL Agents Tracker". Spotrac.com. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  55. ↑ "NFL Agents Tracker". Spotrac.com. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.