On the heels of announcing his NFL partnership, JAY-Z is looking to dive deeper into the sports field.
According to a new report from TMZ, Jay will reportedly become part-owner of an NFL team. Unfortunately, there aren’t many details about which team exactly. Sources report that the Brooklyn rapper has “significant ownership interest” in an NFL team and it’s going to happen “in the near future.” The media outlet explains that Jay wants ownership because he’s a huge fan and already has a sports business. Back in 2013, the father-of-three was a minority owner of the Brooklyn Nets prior to selling his stake.
Earlier this week, hip-hop’s first billionaire announced his partnership with the NFL and Roc Nation. The NFL’s Commissioner, Roger Goodell, is looking forward to working with Jay.
“Roc Nation is one of the most globally influential and impactful organizations in entertainment,” Goodell said. “The NFL and Roc Nation share a vision of inspiring meaningful social change across our country. We are thrilled to partner with Roc Nation and look forward to making a difference in our communities together.”
For his part, Jay and his team will be asked to consult on the Super Bowl halftime show. In addition to that, Roc Nation will also have a helping hand with the league’s social initiatives. “The N.F.L. has a great big platform, and it has to be all-inclusive,” Jay said in an interview. “They were willing to do some things, to make some changes, that we can do some good.”
Despite the backlash, the “Song Cry” rapper is hopeful that his partnership will encourage social justice. Understandably, fans have mixed emotions about the deal since Colin Kaepernick has yet to be recruited by an NFL team. In his argument, Jay states that he does support protesting but moving forward, a different approach is needed.
“Let me bring attention to injustice. Everyone’s saying, ‘How are you going forward if Kaep doesn’t have a job.’ This wasn’t about him having a job. That became a part of the discussion. He was kneeling to bring attention to injustice. We know what it is. Now how do we address the injustice?”