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

Robinson Cano teaming up with Jay-Z was the story of the week. Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY 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.

Robinson Cano is the first client of start-up Roc Nation Sports. Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports
Robinson Cano is the first client of start-up Roc Nation Sports. Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

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.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

2 replies on “Encore: Jay-Z Starts Sports Agency, Roc Nation Sports”

I wonder if Mr Cano ever talked to Ricky Williams and Master P’s No Limit Sports?

If you go to a
player’s minor league page on baseball-reference, you can see his prospect
rankings (MLB and BA). It is a new feature, so I don’t know how extensive it
is, but it’s there for Harper and Trout.

Cheyenne Frontier Days

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