S. Samuel
Days after the launch of Roc Nation Sports, new reports claim New York Football Giants' Victor Cruz is next in line to link up with Jay-Z's overnight agency.
Buzz of the potentially huge power move surfaced online this month, however, details are still coming together.
Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz reportedly will follow Robinson Cano and join forces with Jay-Z as part of Roc Nation Sports, the latter’s latest venture to bridge the worlds of professional athletics, music, fashion and entertainment. The only difference between the Paterson native’s pending relationship with Jay-Z and the one Cano has entered into: Cruz isn’t changing representation because he doesn’t have to. After switching representation last month and hiring high-powered agent Tom Condon of CAA (Creative Artists Agency), Cruz essentially set the wheels in motion considering Jay-Z’s partnership exists under the same umbrella. While continuing to do his popular “Silk City Salsa” end zone dance after touchdowns last season, Cruz also began flashing the Roc hand sign made famous by Jay-Z, using both of his hands to form a diamond. (North Jersey)
The new situation could help Cruz land a new deal with the Giants to avoid leaving his hometown and trying his hand with another team through free agency.
Now ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that restricted free agent and New York Giant Victor Cruz, who recently signed to CAA, will move over and work with Roc Nation. A source told the New York Daily News that the Giants wide receiver believes CAA’s Tom Condon will continue to represent Cruz in talks with the team regardless of any deal he signs with Jay-Z to handle his other business activities. Several sources told the Daily News that Cruz is asking for $10 million to $11 million a year. Two prominent players in their respective sports and Latino communities will now be the foundation for an agency led by a man who previously conquered the music world. (Latino Fox News)
Some local analyists predict Jay may leave his status as Brooklyn Nets minority owner to focus on being a sports agent.
“I would expect there to be significant issues raised, even potentially forcing a sale of his interest in the Nets, if this matter was not addressed to the satisfaction of the NBA,” says Marc Ganis, president of the consultancy Sportscorp, Ltd. Jay-Z wouldn’t have to sell his Nets stake to represent baseball players, that’s for sure. But there are two major issues, says Ganis, that would arise if he tried to represent NBA players: whether or not he could handle their basketball-related matters given his status as a co-owner of the Nets, and whether he could handle non-basketball related matters like endorsements as well. There seems to be no question that Jay-Z would be prohibited from doing the former, and though the latter is a slightly more complicated issue, it appears that wouldn’t be permitted by the NBA, either. (Forbes)
Jigga issued a statement last week announcing his Roc Nation Sports venture.
Robinson Cano will be co-represented by CAA, a leading sports and entertainment agency, and Roc Nation Sports, a branch of a company founded by Jay-Z. Jay-Z announced the launch of Roc Nation Sports as a full-service sports management company on Tuesday. “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. (Fox Sports)
