Encore: Jay-Z Starts Sports Agency, Roc Nation Sports

The following article is a guest contribution by Benjamin Haynes, Esq.   Haynes is a former Division 1 Basketball Player at Oral Roberts University and currently practices law in the State of Florida.

Jay-Z has accomplished a significant amount during his career. Some of these accomplishments include being a multi Grammy award winning rap artist, representing and promoting several hip-hop artists, and also being a partial owner of the New Jersey Nets franchise. Now, Jay-Z is ready to expand into further depths of the entertainment and sports world.

Jay-Z started an entertainment company named Roc Nation back in 2008. Today, it has been reported that Jay-Z will be expanding Roc Nation into the business of sports representation. This new sports agency, that will be partnering with super agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), will be named Roc Nation Sports. Jay-Z plans on becoming a certified agent in baseball, football, and basketball. Although, if Jay-Z is to take on role of an NBA certified agent, he would have to give up his ownership of the New Jersey Nets. No comment has been made as to whether Jay-Z is willing to give up those ownership rights at this time.

Jay-Z has always had an extreme love for music and sports, and while he has helped with the progression of several artists’ careers, he is ready to do the same for professional athletes. “Because of my love of sports, it was a natural progression to form a company where we can help top athletes in various sports the same way we have been helping artists in the music industry for years,” Jay-Z said in a statement.

Roc Nation Sports has not wasted anytime in making its first big move. Robinson Cano, the second baseman for the New York Yankees’, has left agent Scott Boras and has signed with Roc Nation Sports. Cano has been quoted saying, “I am ready to take more of an active role in my endeavors on and off the field.” Roc Nation, as an entertainment company, essentially brings in another dynamic into the representation of professional athletes. Specifically, that other dynamic is a strong foundation within the entertainment world, outside of sports. Roc Nation represents several recording artists, such as Wale, J Cole, and several others. Further, Roc Nation is very involved in the film and television industry, and even deals with new business ventures for their clients.

The opening of this sports agency will be very appealing to professional athletes who are looking to jump into the entertainment arena. Jay-Z has the ability to pull strings in the entertainment industry that most agents can only dream of pulling for their clients, and that alone will play as a significant factor into several athletes joining Roc Nation Sports.