Douglas Elliman is launching its own sports and entertainment division, the company announced on Tuesday.
Darren Weiner will lead the division as its managing director. Weiner, a real estate broker and former sports and entertainment agent, has represented athletes, coaches, broadcasters and celebrities in more than 30 countries over the course of his career.
Elliman acquired his company, Antigen Realty, in October, and Weiner has been building his team of 17 since then.
“In the past, the term ‘sports and entertainment division’ has been used loosely. I’m trying to look through the lens of what makes this different,” he told TRD. “This is a separate entity that crosses state lines and crosses country borders to facilitate transactions.”
Weiner said the division will serve clients ranging from the “18-year-old coming into a lot of fame and money very quickly, all the way to the multibillionaires who own the companies that [employ them].”
The new branch will include residential and, selectively, commercial properties around the world, using Weiner’s network of real estate agents and clients, as well as Elliman’s partnership with Knight Frank.
“Douglas Elliman’s Sports & Entertainment division marks an important milestone in the evolution of our business model,” Howard M. Lorber, chairman of Douglas Elliman Real Estate, said in a statement. “Backed by our global alliance with Knight Frank Residential, spanning 55 countries, we are able to leverage the strength of our network and quickly adapt to the unique needs of our clients; executing the same level of service in each of our markets worldwide.”
Last year, Miami-based ONE Sotheby’s International Realty and Opulence International Realty launched its own division to lure celebrity clients.