Every day is opening night.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE.

PARADIGM TALENT AGENCY
LAUNCHES
THE SPORTS GROUP

NEW DIVISION OFFERS FULL-SERVICE REPRESENTATION
TO ELITE ATHLETES AND TEAMS
WITH A FOCUS ON THE TRANSITION FROM SPORTS CAREERS
TO MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT VENTURES

New York, NY (November 13, 2024) – It was announced today that Paradigm Talent Agency has launched The Sports Group, a dedicated, all-encompassing division established to represent a roster of elite athletes and iconic teams. Led by seasoned Paradigm agents Nick LoPiccolo and Brett Hansen, The Sports Group will consist of a specialized team of dedicated agents across Paradigm’s departments, offering unparalleled, full-service representation.

This Friday, a massive, multi-generational audience will watch the must-see Netflix boxing historic event, Paul vs. Tyson, streaming live in five languages from AT&T Arena in Arlington, TX.  The highly anticipated heavyweight showdown between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson has been months in the making, generating excitement and drawing a fresh wave of young fans to the sport. Tyson, one of the most iconic figures in sports and one of boxing’s most formidable heavyweights, brings unmatched star power to the event.  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 documentary series 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.”

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 mine best-in-class opportunities for clients.  This includes assisting athletes pivot from sports to the entertainment industry and working closely with legendary 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 Brett Hansen and Nick 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.”

The Sports Group’s client roster includes Mike Tyson, Aaron Donald, Reggie Bush, Drew Bledsoe (coming off Netflix’s successful The Roast of Tom Brady that drew 22.7 million live viewers), CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Damian Priest, Liv Morgan, and Tiffany Stratton and 10 of the top WWE stars (with more to be announced soon) ahead of Netflix’s upcoming Monday Night Raw media rights deal set to launch in January, the late Jerry West, Gilbert Arenas, Sean Avery, the Savannah Bananas (hailed by ESPN as “the greatest show in sports”), UFC’s Jorge Masvidal, AEW’s Miro, world-renowned basketball trainer and creative force “The Hoops Whisperer” Idan Ravin (Winning Time) and high-wire artists Nik and Lijana Wallenda who are globally celebrated for their record-breaking tightrope walks and thrilling performances.

The Sports Group’s upcoming slate showcases an impressive array of high-profile projects across scripted film, television, documentaries, and publishing. Key scripted projects include Netflix’s Happy Gilmore 2 featuring Reggie Bush and Sean Avery, Night Patrol starring CM Punk, Lionsgate’s The Killer’s Game featuring Drew McIntyre, Jorge Masvidal in The Beast In Me, and Mike 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 (Donald Sterling) for Roku, the upcoming definitive documentaries on Mike Tyson, the Jerry West documentary directed by Kenya Barris with Propagate Content, the Reggie Bush documentary, the Aaron Donald documentary with SMAC, 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, Drew Bledsoe, Jorge Masvidal, Gilbert Arenas, Sean Avery, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Allen Iverson, Michael Oher, Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce, University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, 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.

“Paradigm has always been at the forefront of talent representation, and with The Sports Group, we are setting a new standard,” said Nick LoPiccolo. “This dedicated division will allow us to deliver unparalleled opportunities and elevate our clients in unexpected ways.”

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Press Contacts for Paradigm:
Rick Miramontez / Pete Sanders / Shea McGovern
rick@omdkc.com / pete@omdkc.com / shea@omdkc.com
212 695 7400