Who willl win the Boras/Jay-Z agent war?

[caulfield12]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove13/story/_/...ott-boras-jay-z

 

 

 

I'm going to go with Boras, simply because I think he's right about the limited endorsement potential (regional/local rather than national) for most baseball players.

 

Now part of that's due to MLB and the fact that the NFL, NBA, NASCAR...PGA golf tour even, have gotten out ahead of baseball in this area.

 

On the other hand, with all the MLB broadcasting properties and their profitable expansion over the past decade, it would seem there's a LOT more untapped potential for MLB in terms of sponsorship/commercial endorsements.

 

That and the fact that you have all these new emerging markets like the Caribbean, Mexico, Venezuela/Colombia (eventually Brazil), Japan/Korea/Taiwan.

 

One of the biggest keys will be finding another trendsetting version of Yao Ming/Ichiro Suzuki but from China, India or Brazil.

[southsider2k5]

This can't be serious. Scott Boras invented this game, and perfected it. He owns pretty much every single contract record out there. The biggest thing Jay=-Z had going for him is he was a rapper. How is that even close?

[witesoxfan]

Scott Boras is one of the top 5 agents in all of sports, and you can certainly make an argument that he is absolutely 100% the best agent. Jay-Z is a rapper.

 

This is like saying "Who is going to be better, Guy who has done this for his entire career or new guy who you know from something else that is doing this now because it's easy money?" I mean, are you comparing Scott Boras and Gary Sheffield?

[caulfield12]

Scott Boras is one of the top 5 agents in all of sports, and you can certainly make an argument that he is absolutely 100% the best agent. Jay-Z is a rapper.

 

This is like saying "Who is going to be better, Guy who has done this for his entire career or new guy who you know from something else that is doing this now because it's easy money?" I mean, are you comparing Scott Boras and Gary Sheffield?

 

 

Sheffield had better bat speed.

 

Actually, with CAA as part of the team, Jay-Z has at least a 25-50% chance of making a huge impact.

 

 

That and the continuing deterioration of African-Americans playing the sport, despite all the best efforts of the RBI Program. If nothing else, Jay-Z might have some impact there (then again, it's not like there are 25 African-American golfers who are in the Top 100 junior pipeline because of Tiger Woods, which a lot of people thought would or could happen)....

[Harry Chappas]

Sheffield had better bat speed.

 

Actually, with CAA as part of the team, Jay-Z has at least a 25-50% chance of making a huge impact.

 

 

That and the continuing deterioration of African-Americans playing the sport, despite all the best efforts of the RBI Program. If nothing else, Jay-Z might have some impact there (then again, it's not like there are 25 African-American golfers who are in the Top 100 junior pipeline because of Tiger Woods, which a lot of people thought would or could happen)....

 

Easy to throw a baseball hard to get to a golf course and pay a greens fee.

[iamshack]

I think there is plenty of money for both to be extremely successful. Not sure a "war" is required, as much as just a bit of unfriendly competition.

 

It'll be difficult to unseat Boras, and I think the demographics of baseball might give him an advantage, but I wouldn't underestimate Jay-Z.

[southsider2k5]

Sheffield had better bat speed.

 

Actually, with CAA as part of the team, Jay-Z has at least a 25-50% chance of making a huge impact.

 

 

That and the continuing deterioration of African-Americans playing the sport, despite all the best efforts of the RBI Program. If nothing else, Jay-Z might have some impact there (then again, it's not like there are 25 African-American golfers who are in the Top 100 junior pipeline because of Tiger Woods, which a lot of people thought would or could happen)....

 

He might have some impact. Boras has changed the game at every bend. The guy literally wrote the book on being an agent. Jay-Z is really good at rhyming. So is Doctor Suess, but I sure wouldn't trust him with my baseball contract.

[caulfield12]

He might have some impact. Boras has changed the game at every bend. The guy literally wrote the book on being an agent. Jay-Z is really good at rhyming. So is Doctor Suess, but I sure wouldn't trust him with my baseball contract.

 

You don't think you're selling him a bit short?

 

He basically (along with Sean Combs) defined the word entrepreneurial in the new media age.

 

Plus, he landed Beyonce. Despite being worth $450-500 million, he's not the most handsome guy in the world.

 

 

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226279

[southsider2k5]

You don't think you're selling him a bit short?

 

He basically (along with Sean Combs) defined the word entrepreneurial in the new media age.

 

Plus, he landed Beyonce. Despite being worth $450-500 million, he's not the most handsome guy in the world.

 

 

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226279

 

Anyone who thinks he is in the same world as Boras is selling Scott Boras short, over way over estimating a guy who has never done this before.

[iamshack]

Anyone who thinks he is in the same world as Boras is selling Scott Boras short, over way over estimating a guy who has never done this before.

Well keep in mind he isn't going to be like negotiating these things all by himself. He's hired some pretty sharp agents to work for him...basically, he's going to leverage his contacts and reputation to try and offer some things Boras can't or doesn't.

 

 

[LittleHurt05]

Well keep in mind he isn't going to be like negotiating these things all by himself. He's hired some pretty sharp agents to work for him...basically, he's going to leverage his contacts and reputation to try and offer some things Boras can't or doesn't.

 

 

I wonder if Jay-Z's agency can get better endorsement deals which can help offset some of Boras's MLB experience.

[witesoxfan]

You don't think you're selling him a bit short?

 

He basically (along with Sean Combs) defined the word entrepreneurial in the new media age.

 

Plus, he landed Beyonce. Despite being worth $450-500 million, he's not the most handsome guy in the world.

 

 

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226279

 

Yes, he's an incredible music producer and promoter, one of the best in the world. I'm sure the only reason Beyonce is with him is because of his looks and not to further her own career.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

You don't think you're selling him a bit short?

 

He basically (along with Sean Combs) defined the word entrepreneurial in the new media age.

 

Plus, he landed Beyonce. Despite being worth $450-500 million, he's not the most handsome guy in the world.

 

 

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226279

 

They are definitely selling him short. Obvious Boras is the better agent, but Jay-Z has great connections and I anticipate him stealing away pretty much all the good black baseball players. I WANT Jay-Z to win this battle, but I don't know how much being who he is will trump what Boras has built.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Yes, he's an incredible music producer and promoter, one of the best in the world. I'm sure the only reason Beyonce is with him is because of his looks and not to further her own career.

 

LOL, you think Beyonce needed her career furthered? :lol:

[Rowand44]

Ya some of you guys are selling Jay Z a little short here. He's going to make a huge impact in this game if you will.

[Rowand44]

I wonder if Jay-Z's agency can get better endorsement deals which can help offset some of Boras's MLB experience.

There's no doubt about that.

[Texsox]

There's no doubt about that.

 

Really, with what industry? Look at pictures of the Fortune™ 500 CEOs and top officers and tell me if they look like the guys that want to hang with Jay-Z.

[caulfield12]

Really, with what industry? Look at pictures of the Fortune™ 500 CEOs and top officers and tell me if they look like the guys that want to hang with Jay-Z.

 

 

On the other hand, everyone that's rich but not so well known or famous, probably 90% of them have that Jerry Jones/Daniel Snyder/Mark Cuban bug and the desire to put themselves on the map by adding the final element, FAME.

 

It's not a matter of wanting to hang out with Jay-Z, per se.

 

It's using his contacts and connections to leverage yourself into a different realm.

 

For every white player (thinking someone like Josh Hamilton) who would be totally uncomfortable, there's all the African-American/Dominican/Venezuelan players who totally feel uncomfortable with Boras, no matter who he surrounds himself with...

 

 

Finally, you have to look at it from a demographics standpoint. Every team in baseball wants to have a bilingual manager and coaching staff. The Hispanic/Mexican (especially) portion of the US population is growing at an unprecedented pace...if you ignore them in marketing, you're leaving out 25-30% of the the entire country.

 

Film-makers have already cued into this trend...look at the Fast and the Furious series. They're checking off the box in every segment of the population (Ludacris and Tyrese, Eva Mendes, Michelle Rodriguez, Tego Calderon and Dom Omar, even Indonesian kick-boxer/martial arts actor Joe Taslim). Look at how nearly every teenager outsider of the US fancies himself a hip hop star and tries to emulate what he sees in the music videos.

 

 

 

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/darrenheitner/...esent-athletes/

You think Forbes doesn't love to write these Jay-Z stories?

 

 

 

[LittleHurt05]

Really, with what industry? Look at pictures of the Fortune™ 500 CEOs and top officers and tell me if they look like the guys that want to hang with Jay-Z.

 

Wow. That's just wrong on so many levels.

[Texsox]

Wow. That's just wrong on so many levels.

 

Who do you want negotiating with the CEO of Mercedes, Jay-Z or Boras? That's the endorsement world. I responded to a claim that Jay-Z would win that. I don't see it.

[Texsox]

On the other hand, everyone that's rich but not so well known or famous, probably 90% of them have that Jerry Jones/Daniel Snyder/Mark Cuban bug and the desire to put themselves on the map by adding the final element, FAME.

 

It's not a matter of wanting to hang out with Jay-Z, per se.

 

It's using his contacts and connections to leverage yourself into a different realm.

 

For every white player (thinking someone like Josh Hamilton) who would be totally uncomfortable, there's all the African-American/Dominican/Venezuelan players who totally feel uncomfortable with Boras, no matter who he surrounds himself with...

 

 

Finally, you have to look at it from a demographics standpoint. Every team in baseball wants to have a bilingual manager and coaching staff. The Hispanic/Mexican (especially) portion of the US population is growing at an unprecedented pace...if you ignore them in marketing, you're leaving out 25-30% of the the entire country.

 

Film-makers have already cued into this trend...look at the Fast and the Furious series. They're checking off the box in every segment of the population (Ludacris and Tyrese, Eva Mendes, Michelle Rodriguez, Tego Calderon and Dom Omar, even Indonesian kick-boxer/martial arts actor Joe Taslim). Look at how nearly every teenager outsider of the US fancies himself a hip hop star and tries to emulate what he sees in the music videos.

 

 

 

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/darrenheitner/...esent-athletes/

You think Forbes doesn't love to write these Jay-Z stories?

 

You are missing my point, which was who could get more endorsement deals, Jay-Z or Boras. That isn't the client, that is who makes the decision on which celebs will be representing their brand.

 

That is these guys, this is who your agent is negotiating with. Tell me again how Jay-Z has the inside edge with these guys.

 

 

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/eggh45jef/h...st-paid-bosses/

 

These are the top ten paid execs in America, which ones are listening to Jay-Z CDs

[LittleHurt05]

Who do you want negotiating with the CEO of Mercedes, Jay-Z or Boras? That's the endorsement world. I responded to a claim that Jay-Z would win that. I don't see it.

 

First of all, why are CEOs negotating endorsement deals with baseball players? I doubt it ever goes up high on the food chain.

 

Jay-Z is extremely wealthy and is in charge of several corporations. I think a CEO would have more in common with him than Scott Boras, who is just a sports agent.

 

If the head of Mercedes is seen in public shaking Jay-Z's hand or shaking Boras's hand, which one do you think would sell more cars?

[Texsox]

First of all, why are CEOs negotating endorsement deals with baseball players? I doubt it ever goes up high on the food chain.

 

Jay-Z is extremely wealthy and is in charge of several corporations. I think a CEO would have more in common with him than Scott Boras, who is just a sports agent.

 

If the head of Mercedes is seen in public shaking Jay-Z's hand or shaking Boras's hand, which one do you think would sell more cars?

 

CEOs are not negotiating the deals, but they are approving major shifts in the brand's marketing, and a major celebrity endorsement would qualify.

 

And between Jay-Z and Boras, Jay-Z would sell more cars. But this may be where you are confused. We are talking about Jay-Z getting endorsements for other people, not himself.

 

Scott Boras has a net worth topping $100 million and is CEO of his organization which represents over 175 athletes, some at the absolute top. He already has contacts at the agencies and companies for the endorsements. That will take some time for Jay-Z to generate.

 

Advantage Boras in endorsements. Clearly.

[Texsox]

People have offered that Jay-Z would have an edge with signing clients, and I can see that. I believe that Boras has an edge in getting endorsements for his clients. For the same reasons as were offered that Jay-Z has an edge with clients.

[caulfield12]

Matt Holliday said it himself, if you want someone who has more control of your life, Boras isn't your guy.

 

If you want someone who cares 98% about how you play on the field and only 2% about maximizing your revenue off the field/court, then Boras is your guy.

 

To just ignore all the possibilities, though, for baseball players is one of the reasons that baseball has fallen so far behind the NFL and even with the NBA (although I would still put MLB ahead of the NBA...the NBA does a MUCH better job marketing it's top 20-30 stars to the rest of the world).

 

It's not like these baseball players are going to spend even two weeks of their offseason jetsetting around the globe shooting commercials. A bit of a weak excuse...it's where endorsements take over a player's life to the point where his level of play suffers.

 

Somehow, the likes of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods (until the Thanksgiving Night Massacre) were able to manage it all quite well...LeBron James, Michael Schumacher, Maria Sharapova, whatever example you might want to use.

Edited November 8, 2013 by caulfield12