Casey Wasserman
Casey Wasserman | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 28, 1974 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entertainment executive, sports agent |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Known for | CEO of Wasserman; chairman of 2028 LA Olympics organizing committee |
Casey Wasserman (born Myers; June 28, 1974) is a prominent American executive in entertainment and a sports agent. He established and currently serves as CEO of Wasserman, a firm specializing in sports marketing and talent representation. Wasserman also holds the position of chairman for the 2028 LA Olympics organizing committee and has spearheaded philanthropic efforts following the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.
Early life and education
Wasserman is the son of Los Angeles socialite and philanthropist Lynne Wasserman and Jack Myers (originally Meyerowitz), and he is the grandson of Lew Wasserman. His sister is comedian Carol Leif. At 18, he legally changed his surname to Wasserman.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from UCLA in 2000.
Arena Football
In 1998, Wasserman acquired the Los Angeles Avengers franchise from the Arena Football League (AFL) for approximately $5 million. Despite his relatively young age, he was appointed chairman of the league. By 2002, he had secured a national television deal between the AFL and NBC, as well as negotiated the league’s collective bargaining agreement. On April 18, 2009, Wasserman ended the L.A. Avengers’ affiliation with the AFL.
Wasserman (Agency)
Wasserman founded Wasserman in 1998, a company focused on sports marketing and talent management, where he continues to serve as CEO.
In 2002, WMG expanded by acquiring Envision, a firm specializing in sports marketing and naming rights, along with The Familie, an agency concentrating on action sports. Two years later, WMG purchased 411 Productions and rebranded it as Studio 411—a sports entertainment film studio dedicated to financing, sponsorships, and distributing original content. The company also made efforts to create sanctioning organizations for BMX, skateboarding, and freestyle motocross.
January 2006 saw WMG acquire the business of NBA and MLB agent Arn Tellem; Tellem joined WMG to lead one of its management divisions until retiring in 2015.
In November 2006, WMG broadened its reach into soccer by purchasing UK-based agency SFX, bringing clients such as Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane, Michael Owen, Tim Cahill, Jack Wilshere, Park Ji-Sung, Tim Howard, among others under its umbrella.
By June 2007, WMG enhanced its consulting and media services through acquiring Raleigh’s OnSport. Early in 2011, it further expanded by buying London-based media rights firm Reel Enterprises and increased its golf representation by acquiring SFX Golf.
In 2016, Wasserman Media Group rebranded simply as Wasserman ("Team Wass"). The company acquired Paradigm Agency's music division in 2021 and purchased Brillstein Entertainment Partners, a management production firm, in 2023.
LA 2028 Olympic Organizing Committee
After the USOC named Los Angeles as its candidate city for the 2024 Summer Olympics in 2015, Wasserman successfully led Los Angeles’ bid for hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics during the city's 2017 campaign. He currently serves as head of the organizing committee for these Olympic Games.
International Olympic Committee and Anti-Racism Efforts
On June 19, 2020, Wasserman addressed a letter to IOC President Thomas Bach proposing modifications to Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which currently forbids protests or any political, religious, or racial messaging within Olympic venues. He advocated for revising these regulations to permit expressions against racism, highlighting that "Opposing racism is not a political stance."
In response, President Bach contributed an op-ed to The Guardian, emphasizing that the Olympic Games prioritize inclusivity and solidarity over political matters, and reaffirmed that athletes should maintain impartiality regarding political issues during the competition.
Engagement in Political Campaigns
On August 22, 2016, Wasserman served as co-chair for a fundraising event supporting Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.
Background and Family
Wasserman attributes significant influence to his grandfather, with whom he shared weekend breakfasts throughout his youth until his passing in 2002. He regards his grandfather as an indispensable mentor and a pivotal figure in shaping his professional path.
He was previously married to Laura Ziffren Wasserman, a music supervisor whose grandfather, Paul Ziffren, was a prominent Democratic Party figure and chaired the Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics Organizing Committee. The couple has two children.