MSQ Sport + Entertainment Expands Into North America with M&C Saatchi Alums at the Helm

MSQ Sport + Entertainment, the UK-founded agency, is crossing the Atlantic with the launch of a New York office. The expansion is led by managing partners Andrea Nirsimloo and Paul Anastasiadis—both formerly of M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment—alongside founders Steve Martin and Jamie Wynne-Morgan, also longtime alumni of the same agency.

Andrea and Paul both spent more than 10 years together within the M&C Saatchi Group, playing a key role in the shaping and consistent growth of its Sports & Entertainment agency, and leading initiatives for the likes of adidas, Oakley, Unilever, Anheuser Busch, The New York Times, Red Bull, William Grant & Sons and Coca-Cola.

The relationship between Andrea, Paul, Steve and Jamie is also long-standing. “[It] has been built on trust, collaboration and shared vision” says Paul, speaking with LBB. “Since opening MSQ Sport + Entertainment in the UK last year, they have grown quickly and made impressive strides. It was compelling to join that wave and build a contemporary offering for North America that is future-proofed for how we see the sports and entertainment marketing industry shifting in the coming years.”

Andrea adds that her tenure at M&C was, indeed, lengthy and that she has “nothing but gratitude” for her time there. But, she says, it was the right time for a change and the opportunity to work with Steve and Jamie again was too good to pass up. “Steve hired me 12 years ago and he and Jamie are two of the sports industry’s most experienced and respected marketers,” says Andrea. “I’m thrilled to be working with them again alongside Paul – a truly smart, thoughtful and creative agency leader.”

MSQ Sport + Entertainment is part of the wider MSQ ecosystem, one of the fastest growing marketing groups in the world, encapsulating creative, technology and media. The launch of MSQ Sport + Entertainment North America follows the acquisition of established US agency SPCSHP (formerly known as Big Spaceship) in October 2024. This move doubled the MSQ footprint in the US.

Clients can engage with individual MSQ agencies or collaborate with integrated teams built around their specific needs—supported by more than 1,850 people across 24 global offices. The opportunity to be a part of this rapidly expanding ecosystem was also of extreme appeal to Andrea. “The company’s approach fosters independence and entrepreneurialism while also encouraging natural collaboration across MSQ’s global network of agencies,” she says. “There is a great deal of talent and diverse skillsets for us to tap into here. The opportunity to build the Sport + Entertainment proposition here in the US is huge.”

What’s more, adds Paul, MSQ Partners believes in the power of specialist agencies, hence its investment in something like Sport + Entertainment. And in an environment where reaching the consumers that agencies and clients covet gets evermore complex, they believe this new agency is equipped to do that better than most. “We bring a diverse range of services across earned, paid, social and experiential marketing – all underpinned by an obsession with building big ideas at the intersection of fan subcultures and brand truth,” says Paul. “That is what we do best.”

Andrea and Paul believe that clients in North America, which is jam-packed with opportunities within their realm, are actively seeking out specialist agencies like theirs. “In today’s fragmented consumption landscape,” says Andrea, “marketers are looking for thoughtful brand stewards who understand how to leverage these subcultures to fuel meaningful, authentic connections with fans and ultimately, drive genuine business impact.”

“North America remains at the forefront of cultural evolution in major passion areas like sports, entertainment, arts, music and more,” adds Paul. “It continues to offer a daily masterclass, across all channels, in creative marketing ingenuity.” He points to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 LA Olympic Games as two significant additions to the list of major events taking place in the region. “We wanted to quickly start the journey of establishing ourselves in this market and to be fully equipped to service our partners for the burgeoning opportunities on the horizon,” adds Paul.

The worlds of sports and entertainment have also never been more intertwined, believes Andrea, which creates fertile ground for brands to connect with an array of consumers through their fandom. She also thinks the aforementioned LA Olympics will “likely be the most commercial, most entertainment-focused” games that the world has ever seen, and that the opportunity within women’s sports cannot be understated. “These are seismic opportunities that can be overwhelming for brand leaders to navigate,” says Andrea. “How can marketers break through the clutter to create genuine connections?”

That clutter can also offer opportunity, so long as an agency and client is willing to move with the rapid shifts in how all of us consume information. “Gone are the times when major broadcast networks and platforms, editorial or social-led, can be relied upon as an obvious focal point for storytelling.” As such, they are much more tapped into things like niche publisher networks across various mediums - and the playbook for working with these publishers is completely different to traditional tactics, says Paul. “We need to be more thorough than we ever have before in learning where our consumer goes for information and entertainment and completely re-imagine the playbook for how brands can make themselves relevant and additive to those spaces.”

MSQ Sport + Entertainment will offer sponsorship strategy and activation, social content strategy, consumer and corporate communications and PR, experience production and events, and creator marketing. Andrea and Paul are also in the process of hiring and encourage people to get in touch with resumes.

Despite their ambitions and support of the wider MSQ network in the US to provide resources and scale from the get-go, they aren’t in a mad rush for growth. Instead, they want to recruit the best talent and establish the proposition, growing in partnership with key clients that will allow them to demonstrate real impact. That said, they’re certainly open to the right new business opportunities.

“My fundamental objective,” says Paul, “is to be seen by our partners, and potential partners, as a versatile, smart creative solution that brings a clear specialist point of view to sport and culture marketing. Plus, Andrea and I have always valued being equally good people as we are good problem solvers. Both tenets remain part of our DNA at MSQ Sport + Entertainment.”

“As an agency,” adds Andrea, “we intend to be indispensable for our client partners. To be their trusted counsel and an extension of their internal team. We want to be known for best-in-class work and for having a strong, supportive agency culture that nurtures our talent. Also, we work in sports and entertainment – yes, this is a challenging, crazy, fast-paced industry, but it should also be fun!”