How is WME's purchase of IMG going?

[dorispulaski]

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/02/wme-img-merger-ari-emanuel

Most American and Canadian skaters who have reached elite status are represented by IMG/WME.

http://img.com/services/talent-representation/figure-skating.aspx

Jeremy Abbott, U.S.
Miki Ando, Japan
Mao Asada, Japan
Ryan Bradley, U.S.
Javier Fernandez, Spain
Gracie Gold, U.S.
Ekaterina Gordeeva, Russia
Joannie Rochette, Canada
Kristi Yamaguchi, U.S.
Qing Pang and Jian Tong, China
Takahiko Kozuka, Japan
Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, U.S.
Maia and Alex Shibutani, U.S.
Meryl Davis and Charlie White, U.S.
Jeffrey Buttle, Canada
Todd Eldredge, U.S.
Mirai Nagasu, U.S.
Jamie Salè and David Pelletier, Canada
Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, Canada
Brian Orser, Canada
Adam Rippon, U.S.
Ashley Wagner, U.S.
Michael Weiss, U.S.

How did it work out for skaters?

Are they better or worse off with their new representation?

And on a related topic, who now represents Michelle Kwan and Jason Brown, now that their agent Shep Goldberg died?


I see that Evan Lysacek, who used to be represented by Goldberg, is now on IMG's Speaker's list (not shown above), but Kwan and Brown are not shown anywhere.

Tanith Belbin
•Peggy Fleming
•Evan Lysacek
•Joannie Rochette
•Kristi Yamaguchi

 

[Interspectator]

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/02/wme-img-merger-ari-emanuel

Most American and Canadian skaters who have reached elite status are represented by IMG/WME.

http://img.com/services/talent-representation/figure-skating.aspx



How did it work out for skaters?

Are they better or worse off with their new representation?

What exactly does an agency like this do for an athlete? Find sponsors?

 

[dorispulaski]

It sets up speaking engagements, deals with TV companies, advertisement gigs, and so forth. It puts together brands with endorsers, and negotiates contracts.

I don't know the whole deal, and was looking for some enlightenment.

Shep Goldberg, who recently died of pancreatic cancer, performed similar functions with a smaller group of clients:

http://www.teamusa.org/News/2014/No...-Goldberg-Wielded-Influence-Behind-The-Scenes

was remembered this way by Michelle Kwan:

“For more than 20 years, Shep stood by my side as my manager, confidante and trusted adviser,” Kwan said in a statement. “He cared for me like I was his own daughter, helping me with difficult decisions, making jokes when I needed a laugh, and was always there through good times and bad.”

Goldberg also worked for several years with 2010 Olympic figure skating champion Evan Lysacek, as well as two-time Olympic champion Dick Button (1948, 1952). His newest client was up-and-coming U.S. figure skating star Jason Brown, the 2014 Olympian and YouTube star famous for his electrifying “Riverdance” routine.

“Shep lived his life and conducted business with loyalty, compassion, dignity and ethics, things that are becoming less common in today's world,” Lysacek said in a statement. “He was a rare man and a rare friend. I miss him already.”

Goldberg kept a low profile as he operated behind the scenes, using vast contacts, experience and skill to create opportunities for his clients while also supporting the United States Olympic Committee in its fundraising and branding endeavors.

 

[ice coverage]

... And on a related topic, who now represents Michelle Kwan and Jason Brown, now that their agent Shep Goldberg died? ....

Re Jason:
Someone apparently has been handling speaking engagements and interviews for him (post Shep Goldberg). I noticed her name some time ago, although I forget exactly how long ago (I believe I mentioned her in Jason's thread at the time, but haven't gone back to find my old post).

http://figureskatersonline.com/jasonbrown/contact/​

 

[StitchMonkey]

Re Jason:
Someone apparently has been handling speaking engagements and interviews for him (post Shep Goldberg). I noticed her name some time ago, although I forget exactly how long ago (I believe I mentioned her in Jason's thread at the time, but haven't gone back to find my old post).

http://figureskatersonline.com/jasonbrown/contact/​

And that leads us to who is handling Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek


[url]http://kleincurrypr.com/clients/
[/URL]

 

[dorispulaski]

Interesting

 

[Mathman]

And that leads us to who is handling Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek


[url]http://kleincurrypr.com/clients/
[/URL]

My impression is that it's all a bit labyrinthine. Bridgit Klein has had something or other to do with Michelle since back when Klein worked for the huge N.Y. PR firm Edelman. Here, for instance, she is involved in promoting the COI tour when Michelle was skating to Eva Cassidy's music in 2002.

http://heatherw.com/mk/other/evapress.htm

Tom Collins and Shep Goldberg were tight, even sharing an office in those days.

(This poster was on the wall: http://blog.nikonians.org/archives/MichelleKwan.jpg )

As far as i can tell, the recent work that this agency did for both Michelle and Lysacek had to do with their activities at the Sochi Olympics.

Nowadays Michelle's speaking engagements in the U.S. are mostly to college and university organizations. I don't know how those are arranged. I assume that her obligations on behalf of the State Department are handled by the government.

By the way, Bridgit Klein's husband, Tim Curry, has done a lot of PR work for the U.S. tennis association, and in particular for Billie Jean King, with whom Michelle serves on the President's Council for Sports, Health, and Nutrition -- no more Coca-Cola ads for Michelle.

 

[seabm7]

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/02/wme-img-merger-ari-emanuel

Most American and Canadian skaters who have reached elite status are represented by IMG/WME.

Wow. This is a fascinating article. I sincerely hope this merger deal would not become a problem for the SOI franchise or any skaters represented by the new company.