Meghan Markle’s Deal with WME Dissolved as Company Faces Major Setback

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, finds herself in a tough spot as her deal with WME, a top company in the entertainment industry, is set to be dissolved by spring.

This comes after tennis star Serena Williams urged the company to sign Markle, hoping to leverage their close relationship to bring the Duchess to famous events and boost her profile.

However, after nine months, it has become evident that Markle's association with WME has yielded zero benefits for the company, making it their biggest failure to date.

Jules Smoller, a sports agent and former professional tennis player, who is considered a trailblazer for women in the industry, will have a meeting with the board of directors in spring.

This meeting marks the final limit for Markle's involvement with WME, and if no progress is made, she will be completely removed from the company.

Smoller joined WME in April 2001 as the head of the sports and entertainment division, pioneering their sports marketing efforts.

She is best known for being Serena Williams' long-time agent and played a crucial role in signing Markle to WME's client roster in April 2023.

In an attempt to uncover the truth behind the deal between WME and Meghan Markle, we spoke to an agent at the company over the weekend.

After a few cocktails, we delved into the details of the signing representation and the reasons behind it.

The agent's response was blunt – it's a complete mess.

According to the agent, Serena Williams holds significant sway within WME, and her close relationship with Markle compelled the company to step in and assist the Duchess.

WME had no choice but to comply.

However, it seems that the association with Markle has not been fruitful for WME.

Agents within the company describe her as “kryptonite” – a term used to convey that no clients want to be associated with her, and agents are reluctant to promote her to their clients.

Whenever Markle is seen at an event, it is because WME executives, clients, or subsidiary companies were already attending, and they insisted on including her as an add-on.

Organizers are forced to include her against their wishes.

Markle lacks the individual clout and appeal to stand on her own; she relies on others to bring her along.

Markle aspires to be an influential global ambassador, a power player in Hollywood, and have a seat at the table for national politics.

However, she lacks the credentials, track record, and support from industry insiders to achieve these goals.

Agents within WME view her as a joke and are frustrated that they have to pretend to make an effort to promote her.

If no progress is made by next spring, the arrangement between Markle and WME will be dissolved.

It is worth noting that despite her limited participation in tennis last year, Serena Williams still ranked as the second highest-earning female athlete globally.

Her off-court endorsements and sponsorship deals continue to generate substantial income, estimated at over $50 million per year.

If WME earns a 10% commission from these earnings, that amounts to an easy $5 million per year, giving Williams significant leverage within the company.

However, it appears that WME is now using Williams' earnings to bolster the PR efforts for Markle, who has proven to be an untalented addition and a financial burden for the company.

While it was Serena Williams who initially pushed for Markle's involvement with WME, she has also witnessed firsthand the losses incurred and the diminishing benefits for the company.

Markle's lack of success and negative impact on WME's reputation have become apparent, leading to the dissolution of their deal.

As the spring deadline approaches, all eyes are on Jules Smoller's meeting with the board of directors, which will determine Markle's future with the company.