CAA Hires Football Agents From IMG

Continuing the trend of Hollywood talent agencies becoming more involved in the sports world, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) has hired former International Management Group (IMG) football agents Tom Condon and Ken Kremer.

Condon, who resigned as IMG football president on Wednesday, is one of the most influential agents in football, representing several stars including Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

He and Kremer, who has worked alongside Condon as an agent for 17 years, have represented 35 NFL first-round draft picks.

While CAA is not yet opening an actual sports division, this marks the agency’s biggest foray into the sports world, though current sports-media clients already included ESPN’s Jim Rome (Jim Rome is Burning) and Michael Wilbon (Pardon the Interruption). A further commitment to sports, including sports-media clients, would be a natural progression.

The William Morris Agency has had a sports division since 2001, and strengthened it last September with the hiring of former Los Angeles Dodgers President Lon Rosen as VP and an agent in the department. Major clients include golfer Michelle Wie, tennis star Serena Williams and NBA star Kevin Garnett.

Last month, The Gersh Agency became the second major agency to open a sports department, forming Gersh Sports after acquiring football-centric sports-management firm Steve Feldman & Associates.