Casey Wasserman

Casey Wasserman
Wasserman in 2025
President of the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Incumbent
Assumed office
August 11, 2024
LeaderThomas Bach
Kirsty Coventry
Preceded byTony Estanguet (Paris 2024)
Succeeded byAndrew Liveris (Brisbane 2032)
Chair of the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 31, 2017
Preceded byPosition established
Personal details
BornCasey Myers
(1974-06-28) June 28, 1974
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseLaura Ziffren (divorced)
RelativesLew Wasserman (maternal grandfather)
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles
OccupationBusinessman, philanthropist

Casey Wasserman (né Myers; June 28, 1974[1]) is an American entertainment executive and sports agent. He is the founder of Wasserman, a sports marketing and talent agency. He is chairman of the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Early life and education

Wasserman is the son of the Los Angeles socialite and philanthropist Lynne Wasserman and Jack Myers (formerly Meyerowitz), and the grandson of Lew Wasserman.[2] His family is of Ukrainian Jewish descent.[3] He has used the surname Wasserman since he was 18.[4] After attending Brentwood School, he graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1996 with a BA in political science.[5][6][1]

Career

Arena Football

In 1998, Wasserman purchased the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League (AFL). He paid about $5 million for the franchise rights. Despite his youth, he was elected chairman of the league. In 2002, he negotiated a national television partnership between the league and NBC television, as well as the collective bargaining agreement with its players. On Saturday, April 18, 2009, Wasserman sent an email to AFL's de facto commissioner informing him of his decision to terminate the L.A. Avengers' membership in the Arena Football League.[7]

Wasserman (agency)

The same year that he purchased the football team, Casey Wasserman started Wasserman (then-called Wasserman Media Group), a sports marketing and talent management company.[4] In 2002, WMG acquired the sports marketing and naming-rights company Envision [8] and the action sports marketing and representation firm The Familie, based in Carlsbad, California. [9]

In 2004, WMG purchased 411 Productions and a few months later relaunched it as Studio 411, a sports entertainment film studio. The business was designed to provide financing, obtain sponsorships and arrange distribution in support of original productions.[10] The company also made an unsuccessful bid to sign up enough athletes in BMX, skateboarding and freestyle motocross to form PGA-like sanctioning bodies in those sports.[11]

In January 2006, WMG acquired the NBA and MLB sports agent business of Arn Tellem, a well-known sports agent who joined WMG as well. Several of Tellem's sports agent colleagues also joined the company as part of the deal.[12] Until he retired in June, 2015, Tellem was a principal at the company and ran one of its management groups.[13] In November 2006, the company acquired soccer agency, SFX, in the UK.[14] In June 2007, WMG expanded its consulting and media and property capabilities by purchasing Raleigh, North Carolina–based OnSport.[15] In early 2011, WMG bought London-based media rights manager and advisory firm Reel Enterprises.[16] That year WMG expanded its golf talent roster by acquiring SFX Golf in April 2011.[17]

In 2016, Wasserman Media Group rebranded as Wasserman and is frequently referred to as "Team Wass".[18] In 2021, he acquired Paradigm Agency's music business.[19] In 2023, Wasserman bought the management production company, Brillstein Entertainment Partners.[20]

Epstein fallout

In February 2026, Wasserman received criticism after files released from the Epstein Files Transparency Act revealed that he had exchanged intimate emails in 2003 with the now-convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, several years before Epstein was investigated.[21] Wasserman said he said he "deeply regrets" the communication.[22][23] In response, several artists, including Chappell Roan,[24] Dropkick Murphys, bbno$, Bully, Sylvan Esso, Gigi Perez, Chelsea Cutler, Orville Peck, Weyes Blood,[25] Subtronics, and Local Natives[26] publicly disclosed their departure from Wasserman's music agency. Soccer player Abby Wambach also announced she would be exiting the firm.[27] Several others, including Best Coast, Beach Bunny, Hot Mulligan, Louis the Child, and John Summit, demanded that Wasserman step down from the agency.[25][26]

In response, on February 13, 2026, Wasserman announced that he had started the process of selling the Wasserman agency, and would also step back from his representation business interests.[28][29]

LA 2028 Olympic Organizing Committee

In 2015, the USOC selected Los Angeles as the American applicant for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Wasserman successfully led Los Angeles' 2017 bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics. He heads the city's Olympic organizing committee.[30]

On June 19, 2020, Wasserman reportedly wrote the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach to advocate for changes to be made to the controversial Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter which states: "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."[31] In the letter, Wasserman urged the IOC to amend the guidelines that support Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter to allow anti-racist advocacy on the Olympic stage and stated "Being anti-racist is not political."[32][33] Thomas Bach refuted the suggestion in an op-ed for The Guardian titled "The Olympics are about diversity and unity, not politics and profit. Boycotts don't work, and athletes should be politically neutral."[34][35]

Following the release of the Epstein files in 2026, multiple figures in Los Angeles politics called for Wasserman's resignation, including Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles County supervisors Janice Hahn and Lindsey Horvath, Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia, and five members of the Los Angeles City Council.[36][37] The Olympic Committee stated that Wasserman would continue in his role, and that his relationship with Epstein and Maxwell "did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented".[38][39]

Personal life

Wasserman had a close relationship with his grandfather. The two would have breakfast together every Saturday and Sunday from the time he was a child until his grandfather's death in 2002.[40] He is divorced from music supervisor Laura Ziffren Wasserman,[41] whose grandfather Paul Ziffren was a Democratic Party leader and chair of the Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics Organizing Committee.[42][43] They have two children—a son and a daughter.[1][44]

In September 2025, Wasserman joined a search committee led by UCLA Bruins athletic director Martin Jarmond to assist with identifying their next head football coach.[45] Wasserman co-chaired a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on August 22, 2016.[46] He has historically donated to Democratic political causes. Wasserman donated to some Republican candidates prior to the 2026 elections and organized a fundraiser for Senator Susan Collins, a Republican Senator widely seen as a centrist.[47]

References

  1. ^ a b c Turvill, William (November 12, 2023). "Hollywood's super agent: why the business of sport will only get bigger". The Sunday Times.
  2. ^ Dagan, Carmel (August 19, 2011). "Edie Wasserman dies at 95". Variety. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  3. ^ Abrahamson, Alan (October 16, 2023). "Casey Wasserman at the IOC and unequivocally in solidarity with Israel". 3 Wire Sports. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  4. ^ a b Barnes, Brooks (July 6, 2013). "A Sports Agent With Hollywood in His Blood". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  5. ^ Murphy, Josephine (February 2, 2026). "Epstein files reveal emails between alumnus Casey Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell". Daily Bruin. Archived from the original on February 4, 2026. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  6. ^ Wharton, David (December 4, 2015). "Great Read: Casey Wasserman carries the torch to bring Olympics to L.A. in 2024". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  7. ^ Farmer, Sam (April 20, 2009). "Avengers to fold Arena Football League franchise". Los Angeles Times.
  8. ^ Snyder, Gabriel (March 2, 2004). "Wasserman will now sport 411 videos". Variety. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  9. ^ "Familie Matters: Wasserman Adds Action Biz To Agency Roster". Sports Business Journal. February 7, 2026. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  10. ^ O'Brein, Sean (May 22, 2006). "Wasserman Launches Studio411 - Transworld Business Magazine". Transworld Business. Archived from the original on May 22, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ^ Lidz, Franz. "Extreme Dream Casey Wasserman, grandson of a legendary movie mogul, has become a force in action sports". SI.com.
  12. ^ "Wasserman Acquires Tellem Business; SFX Promotes Pelinka". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com.
  13. ^ Tellem, Arn. "Arn Tellem: Why I'm making the jump from sports agent to NBA front office". SI.com.
  14. ^ "Wasserman Media Group Acquires SFX Sports Group". www.prnewswire.co.uk. Wasserman Media Group.
  15. ^ "Wasserman Media Group Acquiring Gary Stevenson's OnSport". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com.
  16. ^ "US based Wasserman Media Group acquires the UK's rights manager and advisory firm Reel Enterprises". www.investinuk.net. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
  17. ^ "Wasserman growth continues with SFX Golf purchase". April 12, 2011.
  18. ^ "Wasserman undergoes rebrand to reflect its evolution from just sports".
  19. ^ Hayden, Erik (March 17, 2021). "Paradigm Agrees to Sell Music Division to Wasserman". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  20. ^ Donnelly, Matt (September 18, 2023). "Wasserman Completes Acquisition of Brillstein Entertainment Partners". Variety. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  21. ^ Hubler, Shawn; Sisario, Ben; Morgan, Emmanuel (February 13, 2026). "Wasserman Will Sell Powerhouse L.A. Agency Amid Epstein Fallout". The New York Times. Retrieved February 14, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  22. ^ Burgess, Jack (February 1, 2026). "LA Olympics chief Casey Wasserman 'deeply regrets' flirty emails with Ghislaine Maxwell". BBC. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  23. ^ "LA Olympics chief says he 'deeply regrets' emails with Ghislaine Maxwell". The Guardian. February 1, 2026. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  24. ^ Patten, Dominic (February 10, 2026). "Chappell Roan Exits Casey Wasserman's Music Empire Over LA28 Boss' Epstein Files Revelations: "I Refuse To Passively Stand By"". Deadline. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  25. ^ a b Frank, Jason P. (February 11, 2026). "All the Celebrities Calling Out Casey Wasserman Over the Epstein Files". Vulture. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
  26. ^ a b Eggertsen, Chris (February 13, 2026). "Wasserman Fallout: Every Artist Who Has Spoken Out Over Founder's Epstein Ties (UPDATING)". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
  27. ^ Millman, Ethan (February 11, 2026). "Wasserman Exits Extend Beyond Music as Soccer Star Abby Wambach Departs: "Casey Should Resign"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  28. ^ "LA28 chief Wasserman is putting his talent agency up for sale after Maxwell revelations, WSJ reports".
  29. ^ Limehouse, Jonathan (February 14, 2026). "Casey Wasserman selling talent agency amid Epstein files fallout". USA TODAY. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  30. ^ "IOC makes historic decision by simultaneously awarding Olympic Games 2024 to Paris and 2028 to Los Angeles". International Olympic Committee. September 13, 2017. Archived from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  31. ^ Soshnick, Scott (July 31, 2020). "L.A. Olympic Chair Wasserman Asks IOC President to Repeal Rule That Bars Advocacy". Sportico. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  32. ^ Wharton, David (July 31, 2020). "L.A. Olympic officials ask IOC to allow athlete protests". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  33. ^ Iveson, Ali (August 1, 2020). "Los Angeles 2028 chief Wasserman joins calls for Rule 50 to be amended". Inside the Games. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  34. ^ Bruton, Michelle. "IOC President Thomas Bach: Olympics 'Are Not About Politics,' Athletes Should Be Politically Neutral At Games". Forbes. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  35. ^ Bach, Thomas (October 23, 2020). "The Olympics are about unity and diversity, not politics and profit. Boycotts don't work". the Guardian. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  36. ^ Panja, Tariq; Hubler, Shawn (February 5, 2026). "LA Olympics Chief Keeps Low Profile in Milan Games After Appearing in Epstein Files". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  37. ^ Williams, Michael (February 6, 2026). "LA Olympics chief faces calls to resign after flirty emails with Ghislaine Maxwell are revealed in Epstein files". CNN. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  38. ^ Jiménez, Jesus; Hubler, Shawn; Rosenhall, Laurel (February 11, 2026). "Casey Wasserman Will Stay as Head of 2028 Olympics Despite Epstein Ties, Organizers Say". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  39. ^ "LA28 board backs Casey Wasserman after Epstein files scrutiny". ESPN.com. February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  40. ^ Mullen, Liz (November 10, 2003). "Casey Wasserman". Sports Business Journal. Leaders Group.
  41. ^ Gardner, Chris. "Casey Wasserman Slams Daily Mail for Reporting Claims About Personal Life: "Consider the Source"". Hollywood Reporter.
  42. ^ Johnson, Ted (October 13, 2016). "Hillary Clinton's Final L.A. Campaign Fundraiser Will Be at Site Steeped in Hollywood-D.C. History". Variety. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  43. ^ Reich, Kenneth (June 2, 1991). "Paul Ziffren, Democratic Power in State, Dies at 77 : Politics: He was credited with rebuilding the party in the '50s. He also was board chairman for '84 Olympics". Los Angeles Times.
  44. ^ "Laura Wasserman: From Hollywood to High Point Leaving a Los Angeles Legacy". Sidelines Magazine. June 21, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  45. ^ Bolch, Ben (September 25, 2025). "UCLA reveals football coach search committee steeped with pro sports experience". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  46. ^ "Hillary Clinton Fundraisers Coming to Beverly Hills". The Beverly Hills Courier. August 3, 2016. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  47. ^ Schleifer, Theodore; Barnes, Brooks (August 20, 2025). "Susan Collins to Get Hollywood Treatment at Fund-Raiser Featuring Democrats". New York Times.
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