Wasserman Agency Drops Founder's Name, Rebrands as The Team Amid Epstein Fallout
Wasserman, the sports and music agency, announced Monday that it is rebranding as THE TEAM as the firm continues its sale process. Founder Casey Wasserman began losing clients after Epstein-related documents released in January showed flirtatious emails between him and Ghislaine Maxwell from 2003. Chappell Roan and Abby Wambach were among those who exited; Wambach said publicly that Wasserman should resign. The agency and its subsidiary the Montag Group still represent Paige Bueckers, Alex Morgan, Breanna Stewart, Brittney Griner, Klay Thompson, Jim Nantz, Bob Costas, and Mike Tirico. Casey Wasserman remains chair of the LA28 Olympic Committee; the Los Angeles City Council is scheduled to vote Friday on a formal resolution expressing concerns about his continued role. The company and its investors are actively trying to sell the firm.
Why it matters
A rebrand does not solve a sale. For athletes and broadcasters currently represented by The Team, an acquisition means their contracts will transfer to a new ownership group with its own commercial priorities and relationship history. That transition is a clean opening for competing agencies to call. Female athletes are a recruitment target right now, given the public exits of Roan and Wambach and the pressure from clients like Hope Solo. The Montag Group broadcaster roster, including Tirico, Nantz, and Costas, is another window, since network talent contracts are long-cycle and a change of agency ownership creates a legitimate reason to review representation. Any deal currently in negotiation with The Team carries ownership-transition risk, and clients in active contract talks should have a contingency conversation with another agency before closing.
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