Kaulig Companies' New Sports Division Has Major Plans, Is Led By

CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM I November 11, 2019 I

SPORTS BUSINESS Kaulig Companies’ new sports division has major plans, is led by Ignatius grad who manages Stipe Miocic and Myles Garrett

BYB KEVIN KLEPS

im Walter used the money he had saved from a consulting job to Jlaunch a sports management and FIGHTING CHANCE marketing agency from a folding table in the basement of his Chicago home. Within a couple years, he was representing future UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic. This past sum- mer, he started working with Cleve- land Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, and in September, his agency, ASTR Sports, was acquired by Kaulig Companies Limited. Jim Walter (in tie) is shown with Now, Walter, a 2005 St. Ignatius High Stipe Miocic, Miocic’s wife, Ryan, and School graduate, is working in his na- their team following the heavyweight champ’s knockout of Daniel Cormier tive Northeast Ohio, and he’s happier at UFC 241 on Aug. 17. than Miocic after another title-clinch- | MIKE ROACH/ZUFFA LLC ing knockout. “Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, Lon- don, Warsaw, D.C. — I’ve lived every- where,” Walter said. “I’m really excited has been competing in NASCAR’s Marketing Group Inc., a St. Clair, Mich.- middleweight champ Chris Weidman. to be home.” Xfinity Series since 2016. based sports sponsorship and analytics Boosted by Kaulig’s resources, Wal- That became a reality when Kaulig Walter’s relationship with Matt firm, said a sports agency trying to make ter said he hopes to get more involved Companies — a Hudson-based firm Kaulig, the company’s founder and ex- a name for itself needs to get “involved in Major League Baseball (he said he’s that operates LeafFilter and has finan- ecutive chairman, and the pair’s simi- with somebody who proves themselves done work with former Indians catch- cial, media and philanthropic divisions lar viewpoints made the difference and becomes successful. er Yan Gomes and Chicago Cubs star — acquired Walter’s business and put when Walter was studying a handful of “If it’s a successful UFC fighter,” Kris Bryant), the NBA, the PGA Tour him in charge of the newly launched firms during the acquisition process. Smallwood added, “that’s going to get and esports. Kaulig Sports & Entertainment. At the time, his 15-employee agency noticed.” Kaulig Sports & Entertainment has The firm will specialize in partner- had a vice president of relations in Los Miocic, an Eastlake North High an attorney, along with a vice presi- ship and branding opportunities for its Angeles and a VP of sales in Chicago. School graduate, is just that, with a dent of operations, who eventually will athletes. Walter said the sports divi- “There were a lot of moving pieces,” 19-3 record and a heavyweight belt he be licensed agents, Walter said. sion will take a “soup to nuts” ap- Walter said. regained via a TKO of Daniel Cormier “We now have the ability and re- proach in which everything — en- Merging with Kaulig brings every- at UFC 241 in August. sources to move at the velocity and dorsements, public relations and thing together under one roof — or, Miocic has marketing deals with the scale that I want,” he added. “It’s mutu- player contracts — ideally will be done in the case of Kaulig Cos., a sprawl- likes of Cub Cadet and Modelo, and his ally beneficial for everyone.” in-house. ing five-building setup on George- next fight might prove to be his most When Kaulig launched its sports “We need to find the right clients town Road. lucrative yet, whether it’s a third bout and entertainment division, a com- that we drive the most value for,” Wal- Matt Kaulig, a former University of against Cormier or a matchup with pany news release said Walter would ter said. Akron quarterback, started a LeafFilter reigning UFC light heavyweight champ “be responsible for scaling” it to a The Kaulig Sports & Entertainment dealership out of his basement in Stow Jon Jones. global level. president has finance and accounting in 2005. Ten years later, he acquired Walter started working with the He welcomes the challenge and knows degrees from Miami University in Ox- the company outright, which, he re- fighter in 2016. Since then, Miocic has it won’t be easy. This time, though, he’s ford, Ohio. He studied alternate invest- cently wrote in Smart Business, “will had six title fights. not starting in the basement. ing at the London School of Econom- do over $500 million in top-line reve- This year, Miocic became tight with “The sports world is the best and ics in 2009, but the economic downturn nue” in 2019. Garrett, the top overall pick of the 2017 worst job in the world,” Walter said. meant he “couldn’t find a job to save The company’s North Caroli- NFL draft who is on pace to shatter the “Some of the best relationships I’ve my life.” na-based racing division has racked Browns’ single-season sack record. had have come out of sports. And That resulted in Walter working as a up 50 top-10 finishes in four seasons in Walter said he began working with some of the most toxic have come out director for a prominent consulting the Xfinity Series, including 19 by Garrett in mid-August — a relation- of sports. We always lead with a ser- company for a few years. 20-year-old driver Justin Haley in 2019. ship a Browns source confirmed. vice-oriented mentality. At that point, he had to decide Walter said he believes Kaulig’s di- Walter is also representing golfer Ja- “What I always tell everyone,” he whether to continue on the partner verse portfolio will create plenty of son Kokrak, a 34-year-old Hudson res- continued, “is client first, ethics always track or go the entrepreneurial route. cross-promotional marketing oppor- ident who finished 14th in the 2019 open doors and create the solution.” He went with the riskier of the two tunities, similar to how he first got in- FedEx Cup standings, and his UFC ties paths. As he was building his budding volved with the company as part of the extend to the likes of light heavyweight sports agency, Walter and Miocic col- Miocic-Kaulig Racing partnership. contenders Anthony “Lionheart” Kevin Kleps: [email protected], (216) laborated with Kaulig Racing, which Eric Smallwood, the president of Apex Smith and Gian Villante, plus former 771-5256, @KevinKleps