What Wasserman does

THE·TEAM (formerly Wasserman, rebranded in 2024) is a privately-held, Los Angeles-headquartered sports, music, and entertainment agency operating globally under the legal entity THE.TEAM: SME, LLC. Founded in 2002, the company has operated for 24 years providing a unified portfolio of B2B services spanning talent representation across sports (NFL, NBA, golf, Olympics, global football, etc.), music, entertainment, and digital creators; brand marketing and campaign activation; live event organization and mass participation events; rights sales (sponsorship, media, and venue naming rights); and premium hospitality and access services. Its customer base includes sports teams and leagues, music artists, entertainment personalities, corporate brands seeking audience activation, and high-net-worth event-access buyers.

The company's operating model is service-led and relationship-driven, monetized through agency commissions on talent representation, professional services fees for marketing and live event production, and licensing/royalty economics on rights sales. Revenue is generated via quote-based enterprise contracts tailored to client scope, with no standardized public pricing. Distribution is conducted through dedicated direct enterprise sales teams, including specialized Rights Sales and Premium Access divisions, supported by organic social media presence on Instagram and LinkedIn and content marketing via company website news and case studies. No proprietary technology platform or technical architecture is disclosed.

THE·TEAM operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries including LIVE·TEAM (live events and branding, expanded in 2024 via the acquisition of Desert Roots), The Collective (music industry research and insights), and Premium Access (hospitality experiences). Strategic partnerships include a research collaboration with The Collective on live music trends and rights sales mandates with sports properties such as Angel City Football Club. The company maintains a global footprint across multiple continents with privately-held ownership and no disclosed institutional or parent-company backing.

Name

Wasserman

Legal name

THE.TEAM: SME, LLC

Website

https://teamwass.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

THE·TEAM (formerly Wasserman) is a global sports, music, and entertainment agency providing talent representation, brand marketing, live events, rights sales, and premium hospitality services to athletes, artists, brands, sports properties, and entertainment entities worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports & Entertainment Agency Services

NAICS

Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Licensing, Merchandising & Co-Branded Products (Sponsored Merchandise, Collabs) (MPAKALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Championship & Cup Organizers (MPAKADAB), Team & Club Coaching (seasonal team coaching) (HSADAEAF)

Keywords

• Talent representation
• Sports marketing
• Entertainment agency
• Sponsorship sales
• Live events management

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Talent Representation: Agency commissions from representing athletes, coaches, musicians, entertainers, and creators across sports, music, and entertainment verticals.
2. Marketing Services: Brand marketing and campaign services for corporate clients seeking sports, music, and entertainment partnerships and activations.
3. Live Events: Organizing and producing live events including mass participation events and major sporting/cultural events.
4. Rights Sales: Commercialization and sales of sponsorship rights, media rights, and venue naming rights for sports properties and entertainment assets.
5. Premium Access: Premium hospitality and access services for major events and sporting occasions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

THE·TEAM is a sports, music, and entertainment agency that provides talent representation for athletes, coaches, musicians, entertainers, and digital creators; brand marketing and campaign activation services for corporate clients; live event production and management; and commercialization of sponsorship rights, media rights, and venue naming rights for sports properties. It also offers premium hospitality and access experiences for major events through its Premium Access sub-brand.

Product overview

Wasserman (now rebranded as THE·TEAM) operates as a unified sports, music, and entertainment company offering a portfolio of service-based offerings rather than a singular software product. Its portfolio consists of talent representation across sports & media, music, entertainment, and creators; marketing and brand partnership services; live events management; and rights/premium access sales. The core model is service-led, connecting brands with talent, audiences, and live experiences. The company also operates sub-brands including Premium Access (for event access) and The Collective (for research and insights).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sports & Media Talent Representation

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• The CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTHE·TEAM's Music Group partners with The Collective on joint research initiatives. They collaborated on a global study examining women's influence in live music and shaping live music's next growth opportunity.
• Angel City Football ClubmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTHE·TEAM has been engaged to bring Angel City Football Club's front-of-kit and performance center rights to market, representing the club in sponsorship commercialization efforts.
• Desert RootsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIVE·TEAM (a division of THE·TEAM) acquired Desert Roots, a branding and signage business, expanding capabilities in live event production and branding services.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Octagon: Octagon is a global sports marketing agency specializing in athlete representation, sponsorship consulting, and event management. It competes head-to-head with THE·TEAM in sports rights sales and brand activation.
• Excel Sports Management: Excel Sports Management is a sports-focused talent representation and marketing agency for athletes, coaches, and broadcasters. It competes directly with THE·TEAM's Sports & Media representation business.
• United Talent Agency (UTA): UTA is a major talent agency representing athletes, musicians, actors, and creators, with growing sports and brand marketing capabilities. It is a direct competitor across the same client verticals as THE·TEAM.
• Endeavor (WME | IMG): Endeavor (parent of WME and IMG) operates a global talent representation, sports marketing, and live events platform directly overlapping THE·TEAM's sports, music, entertainment, and rights businesses.
• Rogers & Cowan / R&CPMK: R&CPMK (formerly Rogers & Cowan) is an entertainment and sports marketing agency providing talent representation, brand partnerships, and communications services directly comparable to THE·TEAM's entertainment and marketing offerings.
• Creative Artists Agency (CAA): CAA is one of the world's largest talent and sports agencies, representing athletes, musicians, actors, and creators. It is directly comparable to THE·TEAM across sports representation, music talent, entertainment, and brand marketing services.
• Maverick Management: Maverick Management is a leading music artist management and representation firm competing directly with THE·TEAM's Music Group across artist booking, touring, and brand partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• IMG (legacy, now part of Endeavor): IMG, historically one of the largest sports and entertainment agencies, now operates under Endeavor. It overlaps with THE·TEAM across athlete representation, events, and rights sales as a broad incumbent.
• Wasserman (original parent entity): The broader historical Wasserman organization retains a brand presence and separate operating identity in some markets. It represents the closest incumbent comparator given THE·TEAM's lineage.

Emerging players

• Range Media Partners: Range Media Partners is a newer, technology-enabled talent management firm representing athletes, musicians, and creators. It is an emerging competitor to THE·TEAM's cross-vertical representation model, particularly in the creator economy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wasserman
• Instagraminstagram.com/the.team.co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Wasserman