If Jay-Z’s long game was to become an NFL owner, it is not likely to happen in the near future.
Days after Jay-Z’s infamous press conference with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, TMZ first reported that the Brooklyn-born rapper and entrepreneur would soon become part owner of an NFL team. However, that report was disputed by CBS. According to CBS Sports, multiple people connected to NFL owners revealed that there were no plans for Jay-Z to join their ranks.
Jay-Z has faced backlash for forming a partnership with the NFL to produce the league’s Super Bowl halftime performance and other content. Some believed that the rap legend sold out for partnering with the league — the same organization that continues to blackball former San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick, who protested racism, police brutality and other social injustices by kneeling during the national anthem. Some have suggested that Jay-Z’s long game ultimately was to become an NFL owner.
The NFL’s 32 team owners maintain the majority of the power in the league. Goodell is employed by the owners to represent their interests. Jay-Z can only make real change in the NFL by becoming one of the 32 owners. Otherwise, it remains a majority-Black league on the field with zero Black representation when it comes to ownership.
