Wasserman Media Group’s global soccer division has signed three new clients and is continuing to field offers for players who gained global attention during the World Cup, including U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard.
Wasserman Media Group has recently signed midfielder Jermaine Jones, a U.S. national team member and former international player, and the agency negotiated his recent deal, reportedly for $4.7 million, to play for the New England Revolution this season and next season.
, Wasserman Media Group’s executive vice president and managing executive of global soccer, represented Jones in the deal. While he would not comment on the financial terms, Motzkin said, “Jermaine signing with MLS represents another huge step by the league in trying to keep the best U.S. players home.”
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U.S. team member Jones has signed with the MLS Revolution.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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Richard Motzkin
The agency also signed Chivas USA striker Erick “Cubo” Torres and Montreal Impact midfielder Felipe Martins.
Motzkin represents Martins. Torres is represented by Motzkin and fellow soccer agents Rodrigo Morales and Spencer Wadsworth.
Jones was formerly represented by Rogon Sportmanagement in Germany. Torres was formerly represented by Promofut in Mexico. Martins has been without an agent.
Motzkin and his longtime partner, executive vice president Dan Segal, have been busy fielding marketing deals for the U.S.-born Howard, who plays for Everton FC of the Premier League, ever since Howard’s strong performance in the World Cup. Howard saved a World Cup-record 16 shots in the U.S. loss to Belgium.
“It’s not often that someone loses the game and becomes this instant star,” Motzkin said.
Before the World Cup, Howard had McDonald’s and Nike as sponsors. Since then, he’s signed with Marriott and Electronic Arts, while landing a broadcast deal with NBC Sports and a book deal with HarperCollins Publishers. He also has done several speaking engagements for large corporations, including at the Experian Client Services summit in Las Vegas in July.
“There will be a beverage deal announced soon,” Motzkin said. He said the agency is in discussions with other companies.
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Motzkin
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Motzkin and Segal joined Wasserman Media Group in 2006, when they agreed to sell their agency, SportsNet. Segal and Motzkin have been partners since 2001, when Segal merged his soccer firm, Impact Sports, into SportsNet.
Wasserman Media Group now represents 400 soccer athletes globally, including the most players in the Premier League and in MLS.
It’s a bullish time for Motzkin, an attorney who started his career at the Los Angeles-based law firm Latham & Watkins, and who launched his soccer practice after the 1994 World Cup. His first client was U.S. national team member Alexi Lalas, who is now a soccer analyst for ESPN and still a client.
Motkzin said he is busier than ever and sees continued growth in the future.
“I think in MLS, in particular, the quality and professionalism continues to grow on an annual basis,” Motzkin said. “In the past, there was always questions of, ‘Will this sport, will MLS, survive?’ And now, those questions aren’t asked anymore. It’s ‘How big will it get?’”
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.
