Rubicon Talent has launched two new divisions: Rubicon Partnerships, which will focus on property representation and sales, and Rubicon Live, which will focus on experiential marketing.
Sports industry veteran Andrew Zinberg will lead Rubicon Partnerships as managing director. Zinberg has worked at IMG and Wasserman, and most recently was chief commercial officer of PrimeSport. Rubicon Partnerships will represent teams and already has one MLS club as a client.
Hillary Drezner, who was formerly at Sports Illustrated including working as SI’s executive director of experiential sales and event marketing, will lead Rubicon Live as managing director. Sports Illustrated is a client of Rubicon Live.
Dave Maryles, one of the founding partners of Rubicon Talent, said property sales and experiential marketing are natural business extensions for the agency, whose core work is athlete and personality marketing.
“Representing talent for over two decades, we’ve built relationships with a lot of key decision-makers at brands and agencies,” Maryles said. “And to grow our business and drive new revenue streams, we wanted to start these divisions, as we feel they are complementary.”
Maryles, Peter Raskin, Brandon Swibel and Jon Salant co-founded Rubicon Talent in January 2017. Since launching, Rubicon has signed 40 clients, including athletes, personalities and chefs. The agency recently negotiated a national deal for Washington Redskins rookie outside linebacker Montez Sweat with Old Spice.
■ MONTAG GROUP SIGNS FOUR: The Montag Group has signed a varied collection of clients for broadcasting work including former MMA fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen and horse racing host and reporter Britney Eurton.
ESPN reporter Molly McGrath is among four recent signings by The Montag Group for broadcasting work.Getty images
TMG has also signed PGA Tour player Jason Bohn and Molly McGrath, a sideline reporter for college football and courtside reporter for college basketball at ESPN.
“It’s definitely a diverse group of clients,” said Sandy Montag, CEO of The Montag Group.
Sonnen, who retired in April after fighting as a light heavyweight and a middleweight for both the UFC and Bellator, is being represented by Maury Gostfrand. The Montag Group recently negotiated a deal with him for ESPN as an analyst and to create podcasts.
Eurton, a host and reporter for horse racing network TVG and who has worked on NBC’s coverage of the Triple Crown, is being represented by Montag, Kevin Belbey and Jeff Feldman.
McGrath is being represented by Montag and Gideon Cohen. Cohen is also representing Bohn. He’s not the first active golfer The Montag Group is representing — the agency also represents the LPGA Tour’s Cristie Kerr.
■ SPORTSTARS SIGNS THOMAS, REPPING MINSHEW: Sportstars has recently signed Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver De’Anthony Thomas and is representing breakout Jacksonville Jaguars rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew. Sportstars NFL agent Dave Butz is representing both of them.
Thomas, a fourth-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft, also plays special teams for the Chiefs.
Butz has been representing Minshew since before he was drafted by the Jaguars in the sixth round, No. 178 overall, out of Washington State. Quarterbacks drafted that low rarely start in their rookie seasons in the NFL, but Minshew replaced Nick Foles, who was injured in the first week of the season.
According to CBS Sports, through the first three games, Minshew has the highest completion percentage and passer rating for a rookie quarterback in the 100-year history of the league.
Sportstars has a reputation for finding overlooked talent and helping develop the players into NFL starters.
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.
