Wasserman Media Group

Wasserman Media Group launched six years ago, but in 2007 the company really hit its stride as a major force in the marketplace.

In 2007, the company launched Sportnet in a historic deal in which WMG agreed to represent three governing bodies, USA Swimming, USA Track & Field, and USA Gymnastics, in media and sponsorship, as well as agreeing to build stand-alone Web sites for each in a deal that extends through 2012.

Since then, Sportnet has added skateboarding, motocross, surfing and skiing, and sites for star action sports athletes and WMG clients Travis Pastrana, Ryan Sheckler and Dave Mirra, as well as client and NBA star Tracy McGrady. Additionally, last year Sportnet hired former tickets.com and Sega GameWorks CEO Ron Bension as its CEO.

In corporate consulting and marketing, WMG acquired OnSport, the consultancy run by Gary Stevenson, which counted Nationwide Insurance, Nokia and Wachovia among its corporate clients. Later in 2007, Stevenson and WMG negotiated a deal with NASCAR to make Nationwide the title sponsor of its No. 2 racing series. Stevenson also was involved in creating the Northern Trust Open PGA Tour event in Los Angeles for client Northern Trust.

WMG executive Jeff Knapple, who virtually invented the business of stadium and arena naming rights, is leading an effort to sell the naming rights for the new stadium for the New York Jets and Giants, which could become the largest sponsorship deal ever sold in sports.

On the management side, WMG continues to grow its athlete representation business, run by Arn Tellem, considered to be the most powerful agent in basketball and one of the most powerful agents in baseball. WMG also has the strongest, non-Olympic action sports athlete representation business, one of the world’s top soccer player representation practices, and growing golfer and women’s sports representation businesses.