LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul is one of the most influential figures in sports despite never having played in a professional game.
Paul is the CEO of Klutch Sports Group, an agency that represents many top NBA players including Draymond Green, Anthony Davis and De’Aaron Fox and generates significant revenue from teams for its clients And enjoys a high reputation.
But there are always new factors that could change the dynamic between professional athletes and their teams, especially in an ever-changing sports landscape that could soon see more direct-to-consumer players as regional sports networks continue to struggle. product.
In a text exchange with Semafor’s Max Tani, Paul explains why he thinks these new services will actually benefit players.
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“This disruption is about player empowerment, and player empowerment is about choice,” Paul said in a text message to Semafor.
Paul isn’t worried that player empowerment is losing momentum because star guard Damian Lillard alone couldn’t influence a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers to his team of choice, the Miami Heat. In September, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. 28.
But Paul said streaming would mean broadcasters would be more reliant on players.
“Imagine how things will change when every team moves to DTC and competes for subscribers. If the future is about competing for eyeballs, don’t you think players will have more power? You also need LeBron James or De Raymond Green? When you’re playing for the backups? Not to mention working with them on other content.”
Apple and its $250 million-a-year agreement with Major League Soccer have partially confirmed Paul’s point. Apple’s first year in Major League Soccer (MLS) has reportedly been very successful, but that’s likely due to the buzz surrounding its acquisition of global soccer superstar Lionel Messi.
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NBA’s current media rights agreement with ABC/ESPN (DIS) – Get your free report and TNT (WBD) – Get your free report After the 2024-25 season. Major tech companies like Apple and Amazon are expected to bid for the rights to put at least most of the content on their streaming platforms, while ESPN executives have said the company will soon move entirely to DTC.
Meanwhile, regional networks are struggling, most notably Diamond Sports, which operates the Bally Sports network, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. Some teams have set up their own streaming platforms to watch games, including the New York Knicks and Utah Jazz.
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