A long time force in the music business, Jay Z’s Roc Nation has recently been making serious strides in the sports industry. After recently signing all three Ball Brothers to representation deals with Roc Nation Sports, the agency is making attempts to expand into the soccer world. In their latest move, the company has announced they are signing Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford.
Rashford recently made headlines with his free meal vouchers program for disadvantaged British children. His deal with Roc Nation was reportedly signed in April, but has just recently been announced to the public.
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Kelly Hogarth, Roc Nation Sports’ director of brand strategy and business communications, spoke on the deal saying: “We look for those figures who stand for something beyond just the sport that they play. What he did transcended race, transcended any social unrest that we’re experiencing. This was a 22-year-old young man who was saying: ‘No child should be going hungry in this country. That is unacceptable.’ Even if you were the meanest person in the world, it was an argument you just couldn’t fight against. He was able to resonate with so many people by just being himself.”
As they attempt to expand their reach in the sports universe, Roc Nation has also recently been fighting for the inmates’ rights and demanding justice for Ahmaud Arbery.