Move over Drew Rosenhaus, aka the real Jerry Maguire, sports super agent Rich Paul is the new embodiment of the top-tier athletic representative. Klutch Sports’ recent acquisition of Elite Athlete Management has only solidified that further. Having an athletic roster that already includes young NFL stars like Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and Chase Young, the addition of the Elite roster adds high-value veterans like newly signed Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
According to Ian Rapoport, Elite Athlete Management CEO Zeke Sandhu and his 40 clients are now joining Klutch Sports. The notable roster of NFL players includes Zay Jones, Christian Kirk, Isaiah Hodgins, Kyler Gordon, Tyrel Dodson, and Danielle Hunter. The move is a real coup for Klutch Sports and Paul, who has had clauses nicknamed after him based on his lack of credentials.
Buy The Block
Now he’s buying up and hiring the competition. In 2019, the NCAA sent a memo outlining requirements for agents representing college players debating whether to return for another year of college basketball. One condition was a bachelor’s degree. The rule would have prevented Paul and other agents who did not attend college from representing some of the most talented players in the world. James dubbed it the “Rich Paul Rule,” naming it after his agent and friend.
Paul, who never went to college, worked directly with James at Creative Artists Agency and eventually developed Klutch Sports. Paul grew exponentially, becoming one of the most potent agents representing athletes in the NBA.
Former Elite CEO Sandhu has 25 years of experience as an agent and is a Certified Contract Advisor with the NFL Players Association, CFL Players Association, and NBA Players Association. Per his bio, he negotiated the most lucrative shoe deal for a player in NFL history. He has represented numerous first-round picks, the most recent being Beckham. A former collegiate wide receiver who studied business management and marketing while attending school, Sandhu is a real catch for Klutch.
For Athlete’s Paul Is Klutch
Although the agency mostly represents basketball talent, Klutch’s Nicole Lynn helped secure a $255 million deal for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. In addition to the extensive basketball roster featuring LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, De’Aaron Fox, Zach LaVine, Draymond Green, and Darius Garland, Elite builds on Klutch’s NFL client base, including DeVonta Smith, Chase Young, and Bryce Hall.
The acquisition is just one of many wins for Klutch and Rich Paul. Back in December 2021, he collaborated with New Balance on a footwear and apparel collection, highlighted by a new-look 550 shoe. At that time, a sportswear giant teaming up with the head of a sports talent agency was unthinkable.
For Paul, it was another layer peeling back to reveal more than just an agent.
“Being an agent is at the bottom of my list, it’s not at the top. I’m not just an agent chasing commissions. I’m a creative at heart,” Paul told Footwear News. “I wanted to build a business that was totally separate from the representation side, no different than when Mark Zuckerberg bought Instagram or when Jeff Bezos bought Whole Foods. No one’s trying to put a limit on them.”
