The Gersh Agency

What The Gersh Agency does

The Gersh Agency is a Beverly Hills-headquartered talent and literary agency founded in 1949 by Phil Gersh. It is the fourth-largest talent and literary agency in the world, offering a comprehensive, one-stop representation platform built around thirteen service lines: Talent, Motion Picture Literary, Television Literary, Alternative, Digital, Books, Sports, Theatre, Production, Personal Appearances, Global Branding & Conventions, Film Finance, and Voice. The agency represents actors, writers, directors, composers, athletes, coaches, authors, and other creatives, negotiating deals with studios, networks, publishers, brands, and event organizers on their behalf.

The agency's business model is commission-based: Gersh takes a percentage of client earnings from film, television, stage, publishing, sports, digital, and brand partnership deals. Pricing is individually negotiated and not publicly disclosed, reflecting a traditional talent agency revenue model built on transaction-based take rates. Distribution is direct via the agency's agent network, with a 12-office footprint spanning the United States (Beverly Hills, New York) and Europe (Spain, France, Italy, Germany, UK, Belgium, Austria), enabling cross-border deal flow.

Following a 2023 private equity investment from Crestview Partners, which acquired a 45% stake while Gersh retained majority control, the agency has pursued an aggressive expansion strategy. It acquired the Digital and Alternative departments of A3 Agency and You First, one of the world's top sports and entertainment agencies, significantly scaling its sports, digital, and non-scripted capabilities. The agency has expanded its Gersh Sports division to represent over 100 players and coaches in top football leagues across 28 countries and 50+ NBA/NIL players alongside 30+ EuroLeague basketball players. Sub-brands include Gersh Sports, Gersh Books, Gersh Theatre, the Gersh Gives philanthropic initiative, and the Spike Fellows DEI program. The core technology stack is not technology-based; the competitive advantage rests on industry relationships, roster quality, and the breadth of service offerings.

Name

The Gersh Agency

Legal name

The Gersh Agency, LLC

Website

https://gersh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Gersh Agency is the fourth-largest global talent and literary agency, founded in 1949, representing actors, writers, athletes, and creators across thirteen service lines spanning film, TV, sports, theatre, digital, branding, and publishing via a commission-based model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Talent Representation Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810)

akta.pro primary industry

Casting & Talent Placement (Sessions, Bands, Touring Musicians) (MPAIAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Talent Agency & Representation Services (HSACAHAK), Entertainment Booking & Speaker/Talent Management (HSACAAAI), Artist Booking, Talent Buying & Agency Services (MPAGAAAF), Performers & Specialty Acts Booking (Magicians, Comedians, Circus, Variety) (HSACAHAB), Speakers, Hosts & MC Talent Management (HSACAHAC), Full-Service Artist Management (MPAIAGAA)

Keywords

• Talent representation
• Literary agency
• Sports representation
• Brand partnerships
• Entertainment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Beverly Hills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Talent Representation & Commission: Gersh earns commission-based fees by representing actors, athletes, writers, directors, broadcasters, and other talent across entertainment and media. Agents negotiate contracts for film, television, stage, publishing, sports, digital, and brand partnerships on behalf of clients, with commissions drawn from client earnings. The agency also handles personal appearances, speaking engagements, and commercial endorsements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Gersh Agency is a full-service talent and literary agency that represents actors, writers, directors, athletes, composers, designers, broadcasters, and other entertainment professionals across film, television, sports, theatre, comedy, branding, publishing, digital media, voice, and personal appearances. The agency negotiates deals and contracts on behalf of clients with studios, networks, streaming platforms, publishers, and brands, earning commission-based fees from client earnings. Founded in 1949, Gersh operates 13 dedicated departments spanning the full entertainment landscape.

Product overview

Gersh is a comprehensive entertainment and sports agency operating as a platform of interconnected departments that work collaboratively to represent talent across the full media landscape. The agency offers thirteen core service lines: Talent Representation (core), Motion Picture Literary, Television Literary, Alternative, Digital, Books, Gersh Sports (football and basketball divisions), Theatre, Production, Personal Appearances (comedy, music/variety, Broadway concert artists, speakers), Global Branding & Conventions, Film Finance, and Voice. Following a 2023 equity investment from Crestview Partners, Gersh expanded by acquiring the Digital and Alternative departments of A3 Agency and You First (a sports and entertainment agency), consolidating its position as the fourth-largest talent and literary agency globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gersh Sports: Sports representation division representing top athletes, coaches, broadcasters, institutions, and personalities in football and basketball
• Gersh Books
• Gersh Theatre
• Gersh Gives
• Spike Fellows

Products and services

• Talent Representation Full-service talent representation across film, television, sports, theatre, comedy, branding, publishing, and digital media. The agency's foundational service for representing actors, writers, directors, and other entertainment professionals.
• Motion Picture Literary Literary representation for motion picture projects including script development, talent attachment, and packaging for film.
• Television Literary Literary representation for television projects including series development, writer representation, and packaging for TV.
• Alternative Representation for alternative and unscripted content including reality shows, documentaries, and non-traditional entertainment formats. Capabilities expanded via the 2023 acquisition of A3 Agency's Alternative department.
• Digital Representation for digital talent, influencers, and creators across online platforms and streaming services. Capabilities expanded via the 2023 acquisition of A3 Agency's Digital department.
• Books (Gersh Books) Representation for authors, journalists, novelists, screenwriters, actors, literary estates, publications, and media personalities, including publishing rights management and media adaptation services.
• Gersh Sports Representation for athletes, coaches, broadcasters, and sports personalities across football (100+ players and coaches in top leagues across 28 countries with 40+ nationalities) and basketball (50+ NBA and NIL players, 30+ EuroLeague players, operations in 43 countries).
• Theatre Representation for successful writers, directors, composers, and designers on Broadway, off-Broadway, and international and regional stages.
• Production Production services and production company representation for film, television, and theatre projects.
• Personal Appearances Booking and representation for live performances including comedy, music, Broadway concerts, and speaking engagements at prestigious venues worldwide, with dedicated sub-verticals for speakers, music/variety, and Broadway concert artists.
• Global Branding & Conventions Talent brand strategy, partnership development, and brand collaboration services across all categories and platforms, connecting brands with talent for advertising, sponsorships, conventions, and marketing campaigns.
• Film Finance Film financing and distribution services for domestic and international films, limited series, and non-scripted long-form content, with presence at major festivals for packaging and sales.
• Voice Representation for voice talent across animated films, series, video games, podcasts, and audiobooks, including original project development.

Named customers16 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• A3 Agency (Digital and Alternative Departments)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Following the Crestview Partners investment in 2023, Gersh acquired the Digital and Alternative departments of A3 Agency as part of its long-term growth plan, expanding its service offerings in the digital and alternative content space.
• You First (Sports and Entertainment Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Gersh acquired You First, one of the world's top sports and entertainment agencies, as part of its expansion strategy following the 2023 Crestview Partners investment. This acquisition significantly broadened Gersh's sports representation capabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Agency for the Performing Arts (APA): APA is a multi-discipline talent agency with departments across film, TV, theatre, music, comedy, and personal appearances. It is a comparable mid-sized direct competitor to Gersh with a similar one-stop representation model.
• United Talent Agency (UTA): UTA is a top-four global talent and literary agency with broad representation across film, TV, theatre, publishing, music, and digital talent. It is Gersh's closest peer by scale and service line breadth, and a direct competitor.
• Creative Artists Agency (CAA): CAA is the largest talent and literary agency in the world, offering representation across film, TV, sports, theatre, branding, and publishing. It is Gersh's primary direct competitor and a benchmark for the agency platform model.
• CAA-GBG (formerly ICM Partners): ICM Partners merged with CAA in 2022, having previously been a top-five global talent and literary agency. It is a relevant historical peer illustrating consolidation dynamics that may affect Gersh's strategic options going forward.
• William Morris Endeavor (WME): WME, part of Endeavor, is a top-three global talent agency representing clients across entertainment, sports, and media, with a strong ownership of content/IP assets. Direct competitor to Gersh in talent representation and project packaging.
• Wasserman: Wasserman is a global sports, music, and entertainment agency representing athletes, brands, and entertainers. It is a meaningful direct peer in the sports representation vertical, where Gersh competes via Gersh Sports and Gersh Football.

Emerging players

• Authentic Talent and Literary Management: Authentic is an emerging full-service talent management company representing actors, directors, writers, and comedians. It is a smaller, more focused competitor in select verticals where Gersh also operates, particularly comedy and personal appearances.
• Range Media Partners: Range Media Partners is a relatively new, well-funded full-service talent management and representation firm. It competes with Gersh in attracting A-list acting, music, and comedy talent, though it remains earlier in its growth trajectory.

Broad incumbents

• Brillstein Entertainment Partners: Brillstein is an established talent management and entertainment production company with deep Hollywood roots. It overlaps with Gersh in talent management, branding, and production representation, though it is smaller and more boutique in scale.
• Endeavor: Endeavor (parent of WME, IMG, UFC, PBR, and On Location) is a broader entertainment and sports holding company that combines talent representation with owned IP. It is a structural peer/competitor influencing the entire agency ecosystem in which Gersh operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCb7qR-onnkuVTnb3GPkM3gQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-gersh-agency
• Instagraminstagram.com/gershagency
• Xx.com/thegershagency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Gersh Agency