Rich Paul, founder and CEO of Klutch Sports Group and United Talent Agency board member and head of sports, has joined the board of directors at Live Nation. Paul, who is longtime partner of pop superstar Adele, boasts a client list that includes LeBron James, John Wall, Anthony Davis and Draymond Green and “brings a valuable perspective from sports, business, entertainment and more,” said Greg Maffei, chairman of the Live Nation board of directors. “We’re fortunate to welcome him as a new addition to our board.”
Live Nation President and CEO Michael Rapino noted that “Rich understands what it takes to help talent develop a long and successful career. His input will be a great addition as we continue driving more value for artists and their fans through live shows.”
Paul, who has regularly been named one of the most powerful agents in sports by Forbes, ESPN and Sports Illustrated — which crowned him “The King Maker” on a 2019 cover — got his start working with James in 2003. He later joined CAA and went on to launch his sports agency Klutch in 2012. In 2020, he became the first African American to sit on the board of UTA, which made a significant investment in his company Klutch the year prior. Last year, he inked a deal with New Balance for the launch of the Klutch Athletics clothing line.
“Live Nation’s artist-centric approach to business makes this a really natural fit for me,” said Paul in a statment. “Going to an event live is one of the most powerful ways to experience sports and music, and I look forward to contributing to the company and the industry in this new way.”
