Paradigm launches new division the sports group

EXCLUSIVE: Paradigm Talent Agency on Wednesday announced the launch of The Sports Group, a dedicated, all-encompassing division established to represent a roster of elite athletes and iconic

teams. Led by seasoned agents Nick LoPiccolo and Brett Hansen, The Sports Group will consist of a specialized team of agents across Paradigm’s departments, offering full-service

representation. By harnessing Paradigm’s extensive network and expertise across all the agency’s key disciplines — Talent, Scripted Literary, Unscripted, Book Publishing, Broadcasting, Media

Rights, Content Finance, Digital Ventures, Brand Partnerships, and Speaking Engagements — The Sports Group will look to mine best-in-class opportunities for clients. This includes assisting

athletes in pivoting from sports into the entertainment industry and working closely with teams to craft compelling storytelling, develop authentic brand partnerships, and uncover new

revenue opportunities. Dedicated agents across these departments include Varun Monga, Jake Dexter, Ian Kleinert, Richie Kern, Joshua Finn, Jeff Kolodny, Ashley Hanley, Babacar Diene, Lindsay

Samakow, Hannah Tenenbaum, and Sanam Sarani. “Our focus is on working with athletes who have already made history and are now poised to make an even greater impact beyond the field,” said

agents Hansen and LoPiccolo. “Paradigm is uniquely positioned to amplify our clients’ brands, leverage their stories, and channel their competitive drive in a way that creates bespoke

opportunities in every aspect of media. This is just the beginning.” WATCH ON DEADLINE One of Paradigm’s major focuses on the sports front at the moment is _Paul vs. Tyson_, Netflix’s highly

anticipated heavyweight boxing showdown between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, which will stream this Friday in five languages from AT&T Arena in Arlington, TX and is expected to draw a

massive, multi-generational audience. The match has been months in the making, generating excitement and drawing a fresh wave of young fans to the sport. In addition to negotiating the deal

for _Paul vs. Tyson_ — Netflix’s first foray into combat sports — Paradigm managed all related content, including the _Countdown_ series that premiered last week, and secured brand

partnerships for the fight. Tyson also has a larger, yet-to-be-announced deal with Netflix, featuring a docuseries likened to ESPN’s _The Last Dance _on Michael Jordan. Commented Paradigm’s

Managing Partner, Andrew Ruf, “Mike Tyson’s enduring legacy as one of the most electrifying figures in sports makes this collaboration with Netflix a game-changer. _Paul vs. Tyson _will

captivate audiences across six generations and exemplifies the transformative projects The Sports Group is committed to delivering. By leveraging the Paradigm platform and our global

network, we’re opening new doors for athletes to reshape their careers and redefine the entertainment landscape.” The Sports Group’s client roster includes Tyson, Aaron Donald, Reggie Bush,

Drew Bledsoe (coming off Netflix’s hit _Roast of Tom Brady_), CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Damian Priest, Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton and 10 of the WWE’s other stars, the late Jerry West,

Gilbert Arenas, Sean Avery, the Savannah Bananas, UFC’s Jorge Masvidal, AEW’s Miro, renowned basketball trainer “The Hoops Whisperer” Idan Ravin, and high-wire artists Nik and Lijana

Wallenda. Key scripted projects coming up for The Sports Group include Netflix’s _Happy Gilmore 2 _featuring Bush and Avery, _Night Patrol _starring Punk, Lionsgate’s _The Killer’s Game_

featuring McIntyre, Masvidal in _The Beast in Me_, and Tyson’s roles in _Asphalt City_, _Once Within a Time_, and _Medellin_. On the unscripted side, highlights include the Savannah Bananas’

series _Bananaland_ on ESPN, the Arthur Ashe doc _Citizen Ashe_, _Level Playing Field_ for HBO Sports, _Top Class Tennis _for Amazon, _Blackballed _for Roku, an upcoming Tyson doc, a doc on

West directed by Kenya Barris with Propagate Content, a doc on Bush, as well as various upcoming installments of Netflix’s _Untold_ franchise. Recently, The Sports Group also negotiated the

media rights deal for the Savannah Bananas with TruTV. The publishing division is equally robust, with projects underway featuring the Savannah Bananas, Bledsoe, Masvidal, Arenas, Avery,

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Allen Iverson, Michael Oher, Joe Namath, and WWE stars Nattie Neidhart, Tiffany Stratton, and Montez Ford. The brand group has secured collaborations on behalf of its

athletes with Nissan, Modelo, Dr. Squatch, Blyt Basics, Kith, Travis Mathew, Srixon, LF*GO, Bounty, Fanatics, Upper Deck, Everlast, and Celsius, among others. Said LoPiccolo, “Paradigm has

always been at the forefront of talent representation, and with The Sports Group, we are setting a new standard. This dedicated division will allow us to deliver unparalleled opportunities

and elevate our clients in unexpected ways.”