S. Samuel
A week after bidding farewell to his Brooklyn Nets, rap mogul Jay-Z is wasting little time building up his Roc Nation Sports empire by now reportedly seeking to sign a top NHL prospect.
Young Hov is looking to add hockey star Seth Jones to the Roc family, just months away from the annual NHL Draft.
Sources said Jay-Z’s organization wants to strike a deal to be involved in the star’s marketing and branding, reports The Post’s Kirsten Fleming. Jones would then benefit from both sides of the CAA and Roc Nation partnership. “When Seth comes to the NHL draft [in Newark, NJ] in June, his family, agents at CAA and Roc Nation are going to have a powwow to see if he’ll sign with them,” a source said. (New York Post)
The move could be major as Jones is expected to become the first African American player to be drafted at number one.
It’s a marketing deal, and a potentially blockbuster one at that for the NHL. He’d be the first black player taken No. 1 overall in the National Hockey League, which isn’t exactly seen as a model of diversity for casual sports fans. It’s something that has already caught the attention of non-hockey media. (Yahoo Sports)
Jay could have some bargaining power as the superstar is the son of current Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Popeye Jones.
Jones is the son of former NBA player — and current Brooklyn Nets assistant coach — Popeye Jones. He’s currently represented by Pat Brisson of Creative Artists Agency, which is conveniently enough already in a partnership with Roc Nation. (CBS Sports)
Last week, Jigga released an open letter on his exit from being minority owner of the Nets to try his hand at expanding Roc Nation Sports.
“The Nets have made their mark on the NBA and as they enter a new era, Roc Nation does as well; as we embark on Roc Nation Sports. Our newest endeavor is committed to building the brands of professional athletes as we have done for some of today’s top music artists. For Roc Nation Sports to function at its full potential, NBA rules stipulate that I relinquish my ownership in the Brooklyn Nets. It was a tough decision but as I stated earlier, it’s not about ownership. Congratulations to The Nets on a great season and making the playoffs! I will always be a Brooklyn Net.” (Life + Times)
