Paradigm Sports

What Paradigm Sports does

Paradigm Sports Management, LLC is a privately held sports management, business, and media agency headquartered in Irvine, California, with a regional office in Dubai, UAE. Founded in 2020, the firm provides full-service 360-degree talent representation primarily for combat sports athletes (MMA, kickboxing) and soccer players, including contract negotiation, career management, brand building, and endorsement dealmaking. Its talent roster is anchored by founder Conor McGregor — holder of the largest men's contract in MMA history — alongside championship fighters such as Rico Verhoeven, Dakota Ditcheva, Michael Venom Page, and Megan Anderson, and high-profile soccer players including Jozy Altidore.

The firm's revenue mechanics rest on two professional-services streams: (1) talent representation commissions on contracts negotiated for fighters and athletes across organizations including UFC, PFL, ONE Championship, GLORY, and MLS; and (2) brand partnership fees for connecting represented talent with global sponsors such as Reebok, Bud Light, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Bose, Beats by Dre, Netflix, Warner Bros, EA Sports, and Activision. The agency's reported track record includes $1BN+ in athlete representation contracts, 137 combat sports titles, and brand partnership campaigns generating 96M social media engagements, $67M in partner revenue lift, and 50M impressions for individual activations. Complementing the agency business, Paradigm Sports operates a ventures studio that has incubated or invested in seven-plus consumer and technology brands — Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey, August McGregor fashion, McGregor FAST training systems, TIDL CBD/wellness, The Anthos Group, Legend Fighting Championship, Adloop ad-tech, and Huupe smart basketball hoop technology.

The firm operates a direct-to-client sales model through enterprise field engagement, with distribution channels spanning combat sports leagues, soccer leagues, streaming platforms (Amazon Prime, UFC broadcast), and direct brand outreach. Underlying technology is not publicly disclosed; the platform relies on a 19-person team (including 9 agents) supported by integrated PR, content creation, and digital marketing functions. Strategic expansion has progressed from Irvine HQ to a 2023 Dubai regional office targeting Middle East talent markets, with active recruitment of crypto/Web3 sponsors (Duelbits, XTB) and a Director of Commerce & Blockchain hire indicating diversification of the partnership pipeline beyond traditional consumer brands.

Name

Paradigm Sports

Legal name

Paradigm Sports Management, LLC

Website

https://paradigmsports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paradigm Sports Management is a global sports management, business, and media agency headquartered in Irvine, California, providing full-service talent representation, brand partnerships, and integrated PR services to combat sports athletes, soccer players, and global brand sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Management & Talent Representation

NAICS

Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Sponsorship Sales, Valuation & Analytics Services (Rights Sales, Measurement, Consulting) (MPAKALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports Brand Strategy & Creative Services (Design, Content, Social) (MPAKAKAF), Hospitality, VIP & Experiential Sponsorship (Suites, Fan Zones, On-Site Activations) (MPAKALAH), Licensing, Merchandising & Co-Branded Products (Sponsored Merchandise, Collabs) (MPAKALAE)

Keywords

• Athlete representation services
• Sports management agency
• Brand partnership endorsements
• Combat sports management
• Talent management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Talent Representation & Management: Full-service athlete and talent representation providing management services to combat sports athletes (MMA, kickboxing) and soccer players. Revenue generated through management fees and commissions on contracts negotiated for fighters and athletes.
2. Brand Partnerships & Endorsements: Facilitates partnerships between brand clients and represented talent for influencer campaigns, social media activations, brand ambassadorships, and use of athlete image and likeness.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Paradigm Sports is a global sports management, business, and media agency that provides full-service 360-degree talent representation for combat sports athletes (MMA, kickboxing) and soccer players. The agency also operates a ventures studio that incubates lifestyle brands alongside represented talent, and offers brand partnership services connecting global brands with athletes for endorsements, influencer campaigns, and events.

Product overview

Paradigm Sports is a global sports and entertainment agency offering a unified platform of services across talent representation, media/PR, and brand partnerships, complemented by a ventures studio that incubates lifestyle brands. The core offering includes full-service athlete management for combat sports and soccer athletes, strategic brand partnership services connecting brands with talent through various activation channels, and integrated PR services. The ventures portfolio spans multiple verticals including combat sports (Legend Fighting Championship), fitness training (McGregor FAST), luxury fashion (August McGregor), spirits (Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey), wellness/CBD (TIDL Sport, The Anthos Group), advertising technology (Adloop), and sports technology (Huupe smart basketball hoop).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Legend Fighting Championship (Legend FC): China's Original MMA mixed martial arts organisation which invited national champion fighters from throughout the Asia-Pacific to compete for regional supremacy.
• August McGregor
• McGregor FAST
• Proper No. Twelve
• TIDL
• Adloop
• The Anthos Group
• Huupe

Products and services

• Representation Services Full-service talent representation for combat sports athletes and soccer players, offering 360-degree services including brand growth, contract negotiation, and career management across UFC, ONE FC, GLORY, MLS, and other leagues.
• Partnership Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 31m Instagram video views from 4 wall posts for brand partnership
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers29 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TransferMatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParadigm Sports entered into strategic partnership with TransferMate to manage international FX transfers for the company and its clients. TransferMate provides international payment solutions to facilitate cross-border financial transactions.
• DuelbitsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Duelbits - crypto gaming platform
• XTBminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with XTB - financial services company
• BoseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Bose - audio equipment manufacturer
• Bud LightminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Bud Light - Anheuser-Busch beer brand
• ReebokminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Reebok - sports apparel company
• PorscheminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Porsche - luxury automotive manufacturer
• PumaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Puma - sports apparel company
• Beats by DreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Beats by Dre - premium audio products
• EA SportsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with EA Sports - video game publisher
• Warner BrosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Warner Bros - entertainment media company
• ToppsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Topps - trading cards and collectibles
• Rolls-RoyceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Rolls-Royce - luxury automotive manufacturer
• Universal StudiosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Universal Studios - entertainment and film studio
• NetflixminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Netflix - streaming entertainment platform
• ActivisionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership with Activision - video game publisher (Call of Duty)

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Roc Nation Sports: Jay-Z-founded sports management division representing elite athletes across NFL, MLB, and combat sports. Directly comparable as a celebrity-founder-led sports agency competing for the same premier talent and brand-partner budgets.
• Wasserman: Global sports marketing, management, and representation agency covering athlete representation, brand consulting, and properties. Comparable as a full-service sports agency with similar revenue model (commissions on athlete deals plus brand partnerships).
• CAA Sports: Sports division of Creative Artists Agency handling athlete representation, brand consulting, and properties. Closest large-incumbent comparison given identical 360-degree service model and similar high-profile athlete client mix.
• Excel Sports Management: Boutique athlete representation firm focused on golf, baseball, tennis, and soccer athletes. Comparable business model (commission-based representation) and similar size tier; founded by Mark Steinberg and Jeff Schwarz, veterans of larger agencies.
• Athletes First: Boutique sports management agency focused primarily on NFL quarterbacks and elite American athletes. Comparable revenue model and boutique positioning; competes for the same premier-tier U.S. athletes.
• Main Events: Boxing promotion and fighter management company founded by Kathy Duva. Directly comparable as a combat-sports management and promotion firm; smaller scale with similar athlete-roster economics.

Broad incumbents

• WME (Endeavor / TKO Group): Holding company for WME talent agency and UFC/PFL through TKO Group; combines athlete representation with promoter economics. Comparable as the dominant incumbent that increasingly internalizes agency functions (e.g., Dominance MMA).
• Octagon: Global sports marketing agency under IPG DXTRA handling athlete representation, event management, and brand consulting. Comparable brand-partnerships business model with deeper corporate parent and global scale.

Regional players

• Matchroom Boxing: Eddie Hearn-led UK-based boxing promotion and fighter management company. Comparable in combat-sports management focus but primarily serves UK/European market with different promoter model.

Emerging players

• Range Media Partners: Newer full-service talent management firm representing athletes, musicians, and creators. Comparable as a boutique, founder-led agency disrupting traditional incumbents with athlete-plus-creator crossover deals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ParadigmSports
• Facebookfacebook.com/ParadigmSportsManagement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paradigmsports
• Instagraminstagram.com/paradigmsports

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Paradigm Sports