Global sports, music and entertainment agency Wasserman has acquired Esportif and launched their first-ever rugby division, which will be re-branded and operate as ‘Wasserman Rugby’ with immediate effect.
Esportif has an impressive roster of players on its books including Tadhg Furlong, Ellis Genge and Alun Wynn-Jones.
It also has had a long-standing partnership with Line Up Sports here in Ireland where Furlong, Conor Murray, Jack Conan, Beibhinn Parsons, Joey Carberry, Dan Leavy and many more have been represented and managed.
That relationship will continue with Line Up CEO David McHugh saying “We have had a very strong relationship with the Esportif team over the past few years and our collaborative approach to providing a full-service agency support to athletes has led us to be best in class in the field of athlete management and sports marketing in Ireland.”
“The acquisition of Esportif by a global brand like Wasserman shows us the huge potential for growth and a shared expertise will undoubtedly allow us to improve our service in the areas of sponsorship and athlete management.”
Outside of Rugby Line Up also represents Kellie Harrington, Fintan McCarthy, the O’Donovan Brothers, Jacqui Hurley and others.
The winning of the right to stage the Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups in the next decade has the potential to elevate the sport on a global basis.
Wasserman Rugby will operate globally, stretching worldwide from the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Australia, Argentina, Italy, and Japan, to other regions where rugby is growing substantially.
“The launch of Wasserman Rugby is another milestone in Wasserman’s strategic global growth,” said Wasserman CEO Fahri Ecvet.
“Wasserman Rugby offers the most comprehensive service to clients in the sport, and that’s a credit to what Ryan, Craig, Rhys, Duncan, Bruce, Mark, and their entire team have built over the last decade-plus.”
“Their work is renowned and respected, and their approach to the sports and entertainment world matches the culture of Wasserman, and will complement our other industry-leading talent representation practices.”
Ryan Constable and the full management team at Esportif have transferred over to Wasserman.
“We are delighted to be expanding our rugby division by joining the team at Wasserman,” he said.
“The acquisition is huge for us and offers an exciting opening for growth in the rugby industry. It enables us to accelerate our ability to offer our clients much more of a holistic service and will strengthen our existing practices and expand our expertise to current and future clients.”
“We are excited about the platform this will provide for rugby players to take their place alongside other Wasserman global superstar athletes and artists on the world stage.”
“Through our continued partnership with the team at LineUp, we’re looking forward to exploring new opportunities for our clients that Wasserman’s global connections and industry expertise will open up.”
About Wasserman
Wasserman’s elite talent representation practice encompasses athletes, broadcasters, coaches, sport executives and influencers who play integral roles across every major global sport, spanning six continents.
Sport for Business Partners
