NFL Plans Sweeping Business Partnership With Jay-Z’s Roc Nation

The NFL is about to partner up with one of the top hip-hop artists of all-time. According to Front Office Sports, the NFL is set to “announce a sweeping business partnership” with Jay-Z and his entertainment company Roc-Nation. A press conference is reportedly planned for Wednesday in New York, but both Roc-Nation and the NFL declined to comment on the matter.

It makes sense for the NFL to partner with Jay-Z since he’s been able to sign some of the top players to his agency. Some of the players that are on the Roc-Nation roster are JuJu Smith-Schuster of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams, Melvin Ingram of the Los Angeles Chargers and Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers according to the official website. Roc-Nation also has a strong NBA roster as it features Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics, Josh Hart of the New Orleans Pelicans and former NBA star Jalen Rose is on the roster.

The biggest NFL name on the Roc-Nation roster has to be Gurley who is coming off a Super Bowl appearance with the Los Angeles Rams. Gurley signed with Roc-Nation as soon he was drafted in 2015 and has emerged as one of the top running backs in the league. In 2018, the Georgia Bulldogs alum recorded 1,251 rushing yards and a league-leading 17 rushing touchdowns on 256 carries. He also caught 59 passes for 580 yards and four touchdowns. He has been named to the Pro Bowl three times and he’s been named to the All-Pro First Team twice.

Roc-Nation was originally founded in 2008 and it started with the company representing the top music artists, writers and producers in the world. Including Jay-Z, the artists that have been on the Roc-Nation roster are Rihanna, Shakira, J. Cole and Big Sean.

The sports side of Roc-Nation was founded in 2013 and the plan was similar as it is in the entertainment side which is “supporting athletes in the same way Roc Nation has been working alongside and advocating for artists in the music industry for years.”

What this business partnership will include remains to be seen. But Front Office Sports said this will give the NFL more credibility because they will be able to tap into a younger audience as the NBA has done for years.