SMG Sports Management Group International
We RepresentMore Than Athletes.We BuildAthlete Brands.
Pickleball-focused representation, sponsorship development, brand partnerships, media strategy and career management — powered by the full resources of SMG Media Group.
20+ YRS
In sports representation
NFL · MLB
Combat sports · Action sports
2023
Traditional division sold
2026
SMG Sports Management launch
— The Roster
Signed athletes.
The players building the next era of the game — under the SMG banner.
— 01 / The Lineage
Two decades in sports. One new chapter.
"This is more than athlete representation. This is the next generation of pickleball management."
The Foundation
Two decades behind every SMG signing
Years in sports representation
Combat sports · Action sports
Where our team comes from
Traditional division sold
SMG Sports Management launch
For more than twenty years, our team has represented and worked alongside some of the most recognizable names in professional sports — NFL Sundays, October baseball, championship nights in combat and action sports, and the personalities shaping today's culture.
In 2023, founder Brian Stretch sold the firm's traditional representation division. The exit wasn't the end of the story — it was a clean sheet. With the launch of SMG Media Group, Brian built the engine: brand, creative, media, AI and partnership infrastructure under one roof.
Pickleball gave us the mission. SMG Sports Management Group International is a pickleball-first agency built for the fastest-growing sport in the world — pairing two decades of experience and foresight with a new generation of ambitious agents.
Our mission is clear: represent the athletes shaping pickleball's future, build their brands beyond the court, and connect them with opportunities that match their talent, personality and long-term vision.
— 02 / The SMG Difference
Representation meets brand development.
Most agencies negotiate deals. SMG also builds the athlete's identity, content, audience, sponsorship value and long-term commercial platform.
The Standard Agency
Negotiates the deal.
- Contract negotiation
- Sponsorship outreach
- Opportunity management
- Stops at the signature.
The SMG Standard
Builds the athlete.
- Identity & positioning
- Content & audience growth
- Sponsorship value engineering
- A long-term commercial platform that outlasts the game.
— Who We Represent
Built for the fastest-growing court in sports.
Pickleball first — with the infrastructure to represent athletes across emerging and established sports.
Professional Athletes
Established competitors seeking strategic management, sponsorship development and brand expansion on the biggest stages.
Emerging & Amateur Athletes
High-potential players building competitive résumés, visibility and a pipeline of professional opportunities.
Youth & NIL Talent
Young athletes and families seeking responsible guidance, brand development and qualified NIL opportunities.
Parent or legal guardian required for all youth inquiries.
— 03 / Services
Four capabilities. One coordinated system.
Representation
Contract guidance, opportunity management, negotiation support and professional career planning.
Brand Development
Athlete positioning, identity, social strategy, content development and audience growth.
Partnerships
Sponsorships, endorsements, event partnerships, travel opportunities and co-branded products.
Career Growth
Media opportunities, public appearances, business development and long-term planning beyond competition.
— 04 / The SMG Ecosystem
One athlete. An entire growth system.
Every represented athlete gains access to SMG's brand, creative, media, AI, partnership and revenue-development capabilities.
Athlete representation
Sponsorship & endorsement development
Personal-brand strategy
Social-media & content development
NIL opportunity development
Public appearances
Event & travel partnerships
Co-branded merchandise & product collaborations
Media, podcast & broadcast opportunities
Post-career business development
— 05 / The Team
Twenty years at the helm. A new generation on the court.
Two decades of institutional experience, handed to a new generation of athlete representation.
The Pilot of the Ship
Brian Stretch
Founder · Creative Director — MBA, ESQ.
Brian Stretch
"Twenty years in the rooms where careers are decided. Now that room is behind every athlete we sign."
20+
Years representing athletes
$340M+
In partnerships structured
Pro Rooms
NFL · MLB · Combat · Action
Twenty years. NFL locker rooms, October dugouts, championship corners, start-gate corrals — Brian Stretch has spent two decades representing and working alongside some of the most recognizable names in professional sports, and curating some of the largest partnership opportunities in the industry.
In 2023, he sold the firm's traditional representation division — not to walk away from sports, but to build the agency he always wished existed: contracts, brand-building, media and partnerships under one roof. That house became SMG Media Group, with studios in Carlsbad and Nashville.
Now every relationship, every system and every lesson from two decades points at the fastest-growing court in the world. Sign with SMG and you don't get a contract manager — you get the pilot of the ship in your corner, for every swing on and off the court.
San Diego, CA · Nashville, TN
The Next Generation of Agent
Jacob Lee
Athlete Agent · Pickleball
Jacob Lee
Jacob Lee returns home to SMG after an early summer with our former agency, where he cut his teeth on brand activation, streaming content development and the machinery of athlete representation.
Today, his focus lives entirely on the pickleball court. He brings a strong command of the game, athlete branding and the expanding universe of sponsorships, endorsements, content and strategic brand integration around it.
As part of SMG Sports Management Group International, Jacob identifies, develops and represents pickleball players of every age and competitive level — helping each athlete build a distinctive personal brand, secure meaningful opportunities and establish a future that outlasts the scoreboard.
— 06 / Get In The Room
Two paths. Both start here.
Professional, emerging, amateur and NIL talent — apply for representation below.