By Greg Hazley
Jen Wenk, PR director for the widely popular mixed martial arts events producer Ultimate Fighting Championship, has left to form StarPR in Las Vegas.
Image via Twitter |
Start-up client is Authentic Sports Management, which represents several MMA fighters.
UFC hired Caren Bell as VP of communications in January from S2BN Entertainment, where she held the same title. Bell was VP/comms. for Live Nation, director of U.S. media relations for Nike, and senior VP of global comms. for Tommy Hilfiger.
Wenk, who is accredited by PRSA, spent six years heading UFC PR, guiding and defending its image as MMA rose in popularity in the U.S. and abroad. After Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) threatened a campaign to ban MMA in 1999, the UFC instituted reforms over the next few years to protect athletes, eventually earning McCain’s praise.
UFC in 2006 broke the pay-per-view TV record with $223M in revenue, surpassing professional wrestling and boxing. More than 1M pay-per-view buys were recorded for a single event last year.
ASM president Glenn Robinson said Wenk will play a lead role in the media and publicity for the company and its group of fighters.
In a statement, UFC former light heavyweight champion (and ASM client) Rashad “Suga” Evans said he’s known Wenk for several years and “have always been impressed with her skill as a top PR professional, and in how she supports both the sport and the fighters.”
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