S. Samuel
Roc Nation Sports head Jay-Z is reportedly far from finished developing his overnight agency and is looking to add newly drafted New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith to the roster.
While nothing is official, Smith supposedly met with Roc Nation Sports, amongst other agencies, recently.
Jets quarterback Geno Smith could end up having Jay-Z help navigate the concrete jungle where dreams are made of. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Smith has wrapped up two days of meetings with potential successors to Select Sports Group, the agency Smith hired after completing his college career at West Virginia. Making presentations were Joel Segal, Rick Smith of Priority Sports, Eugene Parker, Fletcher Smith, and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation agency. (NBC Sports)
Young Hov could face a slight issue with what type of representation he can get with Smith due to him not yet being a certified agent.
Whether or not Jay-Z himself will look to represent Smith remains to be seen. Since he is not a certified NFLPA agent, he cannot be involved in the process to the extent that he is persuading potential clients to sign with a particular NFLPA agent. But it’s possible Jay-Z will be in contact with Smith to discuss non-football representation, and as Florio writes, “when it comes to understanding how to survive and thrive in New York, it wouldn’t hurt to get (and to heed) advice from Jay-Z.” (Sports Illustrated)
Recent reports detailed the extensive process Jigga would have to undergo to be a certified agent.
But given the NFLPA’s requirement that only certified agents be involved in the recruitment of clients, Jay-Z won’t be able to help deliver potential NFL clients for contract representation unless he secures the appropriate credentials from the players’ union. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, CAA realizes that Jay-Z will need to be certified in order to actively recruit players. That means he’ll have to pass the NFLPA’s admission test. Another source explains that the test is administered in July, with the applications typically due by February. That means Jay-Z couldn’t sit for the test until July 2014 at the earliest. (NBC Pro Football Talk)
Last month, buzz about Jay aiming to sign New York Giants star Victor Cruz to Roc Nation Sports surfaced.
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)
