Jay-Z making music with new venture Roc Nation Sports | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
Jay-Z, aka Shawn Carter, once rapped that "I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man." If his latest vision succeeds, the branding opportunities provided by Roc Nation could very well give his clients the capability to say the same thing, something that scares his newest competitors.
"Agents are going to be terrified of Jay-Z," Maxx Sports & Entertainment founder and former NFL player agent Mark Lepselter told USA TODAY Sports. "He'll be a legitimate threat."
While the principals behind Roc Nation Sports continue to remain secretive about their long-term strategy, details have started to emerge about the roster of talent the company is assembling, as well as the partnership with CAA. Wednesday, New York Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith announced that he had hired Roc Nation Sports as his representative. Smith joins Cano, New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz and the Tulsa Shock's Skylar Diggins, the third overall pick in last month's WNBA draft. If the perks of signing with Roc Nation Sports weren't clear to other potential clients, the company and Diggins made sure to tweet out photos of her Notre Dame graduation gift from Jay-Z, a new white Mercedes.
Renowned baseball agent Scott Boras, whom Cano fired in order to sign with Roc Nation and CAA's Brodie Van Wagenen, is critical of the whole endeavor.
"To suggest that somebody is going to walk off the street and say, 'I am a fan, I enjoy sports, so I can do this,' is no different than somebody watching the Discovery channel and saying, 'I'm a fan of medicine, I like surgery, so I'll start operating on people,'" Boras told USA TODAY Sports. "This is a profession. It's a different environment. If you're not singularly committed to this game, it's a very ugly song."
Boras' criticism might be valid when it comes to representing veteran Major League Baseball or NFL players looking to solely increase the dollar value of their next contracts. But that is going to be a tough argument to make to rookies or younger players trying to make a name for themselves off the field.
Jay-Z, aka Shawn Carter, once rapped that "I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man." If his latest vision succeeds, the branding opportunities provided by Roc Nation could very well give his clients the capability to say the same thing, something that scares his newest competitors.
"Agents are going to be terrified of Jay-Z," Maxx Sports & Entertainment founder and former NFL player agent Mark Lepselter told USA TODAY Sports. "He'll be a legitimate threat."
While the principals behind Roc Nation Sports continue to remain secretive about their long-term strategy, details have started to emerge about the roster of talent the company is assembling, as well as the partnership with CAA. Wednesday, New York Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith announced that he had hired Roc Nation Sports as his representative. Smith joins Cano, New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz and the Tulsa Shock's Skylar Diggins, the third overall pick in last month's WNBA draft. If the perks of signing with Roc Nation Sports weren't clear to other potential clients, the company and Diggins made sure to tweet out photos of her Notre Dame graduation gift from Jay-Z, a new white Mercedes.
Renowned baseball agent Scott Boras, whom Cano fired in order to sign with Roc Nation and CAA's Brodie Van Wagenen, is critical of the whole endeavor.
"To suggest that somebody is going to walk off the street and say, 'I am a fan, I enjoy sports, so I can do this,' is no different than somebody watching the Discovery channel and saying, 'I'm a fan of medicine, I like surgery, so I'll start operating on people,'" Boras told USA TODAY Sports. "This is a profession. It's a different environment. If you're not singularly committed to this game, it's a very ugly song."
Boras' criticism might be valid when it comes to representing veteran Major League Baseball or NFL players looking to solely increase the dollar value of their next contracts. But that is going to be a tough argument to make to rookies or younger players trying to make a name for themselves off the field.
boras is irritated that jay took his client who will get the biggest contract in mlb this off season
