Klutch Sports Group has acquired sports agency Rep 1 baseball as UTA‘s sports partner looks to expand beyond its stronghold in basketball and football representation.
The deal calls for Rep 1 CEO Chris Koras to serve as head of Klutch baseball. Rep 1 was founded in 2015 and represents such players as Rafael Devers, Devin Williams, Andrés Giménez, Gabriel Moreno, Starling Marte, Freddy Peralta and Leody Tavares.
“We believe in the transformative power of sports, and this move into baseball aligns perfectly with our commitment to excellence, innovation, and best-in-class representation for the world’s most talented athletes,” said Rich Paul, founder of Klutch Sports and co-head of UTA Sports. “The game of baseball has a special place in the hearts of sports fans around the world, and we’re thrilled to extend Klutch’s reach into this sport and to welcome Chris, the team, and their clients to Klutch.”
Becoming more active in a wider swath of the sports eco-system is an “important part of UTA’s long-term strategy, with Klutch and its growing representation business at the heart of our vision,” added Andrew Thau, UTA Sports co-head and chief operating officer of UTA. “The formation of Klutch baseball addsanother exciting dimension to the range of talent we represent and the expanding capabilities we can offer them.”
Koras’ leadership team from Rep 1 will make the transition with him to Klutch baseball. Peter Greenberg will serve as president of baseball, Nelson Montes de Oca as VP of Latin America and Nate Heisler as VP of North America.
“Meaningful progress in baseball representation is long overdue. This move signals a shift in conventional thinking and reinforces our commitment to our clients by uniting our exceptional contract negotiations and servicing with the expansive client-focused 360 approach and cultural significance that UTA and Klutch are known for,” Koras said. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to elevate player expectations as they seek fulfillment during and long after their playing careers.”
Elsewhere in the UTA universe, Jay Sures, the agency’s vice chairman and managing director, has been named board chairman of Triad National Security, the operating contractor of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He also holds governance positions on the University of California Board of Regents, and he serves as chair of Lawrence Livermore National Security’s board of governors. Triad is a research and laboratory management firm that is a partnership among the University of California system, the Texas A&M University System and Battelle Memorial Institute in Richland, Wash.
“We are grateful to have Jay at the helm of the Triad board,” said Thom Mason, president-CEO of Triad and director of Los Alamos National Lab. “He is a strong supporter of the Laboratory’s national security mission and a proven leader. We look forward to working with him as the board chair.”
Sures leads UTA’s TV, news broadcasting and speakers divisions in addition to helping to steer day-to-day operations of the company. Sures’ appointment to Triad comes the same year that Hollywood has celebrated the historic accomplishments of the founding scientists of Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore with the success of Christopher Nolan’s J. Robert Oppenheimer biopic “Oppenheimer.”
“Our national labs do critical work for the nation around science and national security, and I welcome the opportunity to ensure and continue the high quality and integrity of their missions,” Sures said.
