Jay Z (formerly known as Jay-Z) recently took the sports world by surprise with the announcement of RocNation Sports, his own personal foray into the world of sports representation. RocNation Sports was started earlier this year in conjunction with Creative Arts Agency (CAA), the dominant agency in athletics.
New York Yankees star second baseman Robinson Cano was the first to join RocNation Sports. He left Scott Boras for the new agency. The NBA’s Kevin Durant, the WNBA’s Skylar Diggins, and the NFL’s Geno Smith and Victor Cruz soon joined the stable.
If there is one sport that could join those ranks, it is MMA. But it won’t. There is a distinct lack of
star power in this sport that will keep the big fish from joining.
The athletes named above are a reflection of who RocNation Sports is looking at for its roster of talent. The current RocNation Sports talent consists of young, charismatic individuals who are able to transcend their respective sports. They can reach across several cultural platforms. These sports stars are not limited to one demographic, and they are not monotone figures.
MMA would be served well by having Jay Z and his new brand mentioned alongside the sport. The UFC has been fighting for the sport’s legitimacy for years. The organization has done its best to make the product mainstream. A figurehead such as Jay Z representing top fighters would go a long way in doing that.
RocNation is “hip.” So is MMA. They resonate with the key demographics that everyone wants. On paper, it could be a match made in heaven. However, there are virtually no stars that fit the mold for RocNation Sports. That is a problem.
Who could they go after?
Count to yourself the number of athletes in MMA that could fit this role. How many do you come up with? I would wager less than five. Now factor in the ages of RocNation Sports’ clients, where Cano is the oldest at 30, and Cruz is the second at only 26 years old.
Those qualifications eliminate just about all outside of Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey, and Georges St. Pierre. GSP, coincidentally, is already represented by CAA Sports. That is who UFC President Dana White has referred to as GSP’s “Hollywood agents.”
The UFC wants and supports their athletes getting larger, but demonize them when they sign to legitimate agencies that extend their personal brand. GSP’s “Hollywood” agents are the prime example for this.
What about the other “stars” of MMA? Or at least the ones who have been a part of the UFC’s larger shows? Anderson Silva is too old. Chael Sonnen, while also being too old, won’t reach the multi-cultural demographics that RocNation Sports seemingly is aiming for. In fact, Sonnen has alienated much of those. Cain Velasquez doesn’t have the marketability or personality.
Now think about the up-and-comers: Jose Aldo, Anthony Pettis, Demetrious Johnson, and others. They are not commanding the attention of the MMA audience enough to show their worth to a big agency. The UFC is failing to promote these dynamic athletes as well as they could, and part of the blame goes to the fighters themselves. Aldo, for example, is one of the least media-friendly UFC champions. He shies away from the spotlight.
How can this be rectified, to bring along the interest of sports agencies to represent MMA talent the same as the other big sports?
First and foremost, fighters have to be wiser. Some of the fighters at the grandest of stages are being represented by lackeys. The organizations hold all the chips. There is typically not a strong presence in the negotiations on behalf of the athletes. They have to become smarter business people.
MMA has several good agents representing talent, but far too many amateurs and/or unprofessionals running the careers of talented fighters. If there was a legitimate star available for someone like Jay Z and RocNation Sports, they would jump on it.
Secondly, there needs to be a mutual interest between fighter and organization to promote better. There is more that the UFC can do, and there is a lot more that the fighters can do themselves. There has to be a higher standard set for MMA athletes.
The UFC is expanding into new markets all the time, and large markets at that. It is prime opportunity for an agency like RocNation Sports to gamble on a star that can reach worldwide stardom, but they are not going to take that risk on just anyone.
