Sage Steele Taps HeartRock Partners as New Management Team
Sage Steele has signed with HeartRock Partners for management, led by Alec Shankman. She hosts 'The Sage Steele Show,' a weekly video podcast featuring interviews with athletes, entertainers, and newsmakers. She previously left ESPN in 2023 after settling a lawsuit with the network.
Steele brings a substantial digital footprint to her new representation, with over 228,000 YouTube subscribers, 668,000 Instagram followers, and more than half a million on X. Her weekly podcast extends beyond sports into politics, business, and pop culture, reflecting her post-ESPN pivot toward independent media.
HeartRock Partners launched less than a year ago and has quickly built a roster of nearly four dozen clients, including the Robertson family, Josh Gates, and YouTube star Joey Graceffa. The firm operates from Cleveland with satellite offices in Los Angeles and New York, and Steele's signing follows her departure from CAA after suing the agency over its handling of her ESPN exit.
This signing could signal a growing trend of established media personalities moving toward boutique management firms rather than traditional powerhouse agencies. Steele's substantial social following may make her an attractive partner for brands and platforms seeking authentic voices with built-in audiences. Her trajectory—from network anchor to independent podcaster—could inspire other on-air talent to pursue similar paths, potentially reshaping how celebrity careers are managed and monetized in the streaming era.