USA TODAY International Edition
Jay- Z brokers powerful ties with NFL
Jay- Z is all- in with the NFL now. The hip- hop mogul, whose given name is Shawn Carter and whose economic identity is cemented by a signature lyric – “I’m not a business man; I’m a business, man” – is suddenly the new face of the league’s evolving social justice campaign. And he’s surely the game- changer the NFL needed to revive its sagging Super Bowl halftime show.
Yet as details emerge about the new partnership formally announced on Wednesday linking Carter’s entertainment group, Roc Nation, with another conglomerate, the NFL, I’ve flashed back to the image from a couple of years ago of Jay- Z rocking that Colin Kaepernick jersey on “Saturday Night Live.”
No, the announcement at Roc Nation headquarters with Jay- Z and RG1 ( NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell) likely never would have happened if Kaepernick had not taken action.
“This is the next thing,” Jay- Z said during the news conference, addressing Kaepernick’s protests.
It’s too bad that Kaepernick wasn’t there, too. The blackballed former 49ers
quarterback, who in 2016 launched the movement in football to protest the killing of unarmed African Americans by police and other social inequalities, still doesn’t have a job in the NFL as the price for using the league’s stage to make a point.
That’s why, to me, Jay- Z’s hook- up with the league is a bit more intriguing. Until now, Jay- Z, with his massive influence in the African American community, was one of the most prominent critics of Goodell’s league for its handling of Kaepernick. In recent years, he also would not touch the Super Bowl halftime product. One artist after another, including megastar Rihanna, subsequently refused to be associated with the NFL in the aftermath of the Kaepernick saga.
As Jay- Z’s lyrical message to the NFL once put it, “You need me; I don’t need you.”
Well, now you’re in it with them as the NFL continues to try to squash controversy and manage sentiments from its fan base – existing and departed – from multiple directions.
Maybe Jay- Z will still be a critic from the inside, one who holds the league accountable for its actions and inactions. But when money is involved, it’s fair to wonder about motives and convictions. It’s encouraging that Jay- Z insists he’ll work with autonomy on NFL projects. Just don’t hold your breath that he’ll be able to help Kaepernick in the pursuit of a return.
Still, his exemplary track record on social justice matters should have tremendous value to the league. Carter is one of the founding partners ( along with Patriots owner Robert Kraft) of the REFORM Alliance co- chaired by hiphop star Meek Mill to overhaul the criminal justice system, making him a fitting partner for so many NFL players who have taken up the cause.
As a driver of the NFL’s efforts, which took root after team owners struck a deal to support the Players Coalition as controversy over the protests during the national anthem were inflamed by President Donald Trump, Jay- Z looms as a leadership voice that has been missing. But whatever boost of credibility he delivers also runs counter to the political bent of team owners who have dug into their pockets and in some cases even hosted fundraisers to support Trump, just as the Dolphins’ Stephen Ross did.
Yes, the wrapped- in the- flag NFL is trying to cover all of its bases.
In any event, the NFL’s social justice campaign was rebranded earlier this year as “inspire change.” That’s exactly what several players, including Kenny Stills, Malcolm Jenkins, Eric Reid, Devin McCourty and others, have worked toward. It’s noble. And it could have more impact in that regard than the music.
But about the music: The partnership will allow Roc Nation to develop the entertainment for a variety of purposes, including promotional TV spots and live events.
Naturally, the Super Bowl halftime show is the most significant of all, with more than 100 million viewers. And now Jay- Z can pick the acts.
Good move. The “inspire change” theme could apply to the halftime show, too, after the most recent act, featuring Maroon 5, was so widely panned.
Still, a few weeks after Jay- Z and Goodell met while at the Chiefs- Rams Monday night shootout in Los Angeles in November – and with the negative vibe of protesting artists thick in the air – Kraft flew with Goodell for a substantial meeting that led to the partnership agreement. It figures that Kraft would be involved. He and Carter have maintained a friendship for several years, and Kraft has supported numerous social initiatives. And of course, Kraft has Goodell’s ear, too.
In the current climate, though, the incentive for the NFL to partner with Jay- Z also smacks of the basic crisis management formula the league has repeatedly executed. During Super Bowl week in February, Goodell wouldn’t dare to acknowledge any concern about entertainers refusing to associate with his product. Now he’s engaged with one of the league’s most prominent critics.
On one hand, though, this also underscores how Goodell and the NFL do business. Goodell frequently expresses the notion of improving and being willing to listen to outside voices. The move is also germane to the NFL’s mission to minimize damage to its brand that could threaten the bottom line.
A businessman like Jay- Z can relate to that.
Some people will be quick to assert that Jay- Z is selling out Kaepernick. That’s unfair at this point. This is not the time to draw conclusions. Sure, he’s a capitalist with a knack for turning profits. His footprint in the NFL has been growing, too, with his Roc Nation sports agency – clients include emerging stars Saquon Barkley and JuJu Smith- Schuster – becoming a major player.
Now Jay- Z has a seat at the table with the NFL’s biggest power brokers, positioned to make a huge statement with or without a Kaepernick jersey on his back.