Hova is rolling up his sleeves.
Robinson Cano is seeking a big payday in free agency this winter, and hip hop mogul/sports agent Jay-Z is at the heart of the negotiations, according to CAA’s Brodie Van Wagenen, who is leading the discussions for the second baseman’s side. Van Wagenen said during a radio appearance Sunday that Jay-Z is “intimately involved in all areas” of Cano’s free agency process.
“That has been true for the last six months and it’s certainly true now,” Van Wagenen said. “Jay is a very, very successful businessman who has a keen understanding of value, a keen understanding of brands and a keen understanding of what this player, Robinson Cano, wants to accomplish for his career.
“He’s been at the table both in strategy sessions in preparation and he absolutely has and will continue to be involved with the actual negotiations with the potential suitors.”
CAA and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports started a partnership in April. Cano is the rapper’s biggest client and widely considered the best player available in free agency this winter. We now know that Jay-Z is apparently doing more than just marketing the longtime Yankees infielder, who is being pitched as a “face of the franchise-type” player.
“People recognize that he is going to make an immediate impact on the field and then of course there’s going to be this additional business value that comes with the association of a player of that magnitude with a diverse fan base,” Van Wagenen said.
Cano has spent the last nine years in pinstripes, earning five All-Star selections, five Silver Sluggers and two Gold Gloves.
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