Roc Nation boss exclusive: Rugby chiefs need to get comfortable with change
The president of Jay-Z’s agency Roc Nation Sports Michael Yormark has said rugby’s stakeholders need to get “comfortable being uncomfortable with change” as the sport looks to commercialise after a turbulent period.
Yormark, speaking at the group’s inaugural Champions of Marketing event, told CityAM that sometimes sports are “so married to history” that they’re afraid of change.
It comes as rugby union grapples with what its future looks like amid a challenging financial landscape that has seen club and international losses mount, a number of teams facing economic difficulties – including administration – and the arrival of events in other sports challenging audiences for their attention.
Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners is now heavily involved in the game, while Silver Lake has an agreement with New Zealand Rugby and other firms are sniffing around the sport’s prize assets.
Getting comfortable
Roc Nation manages the likes of South African duo Siya Kolisi and Cheslin Kolbe, and England international Ellis Genge, but have recently parted ways with Lions captain Maro Itoje. It is understood that the Saracens lock left to pursue alternative opportunities and has since signed with agency Ten Toes.
“I love rugby, I think it’s a great sport,” Yormark said. “Progress is being made but stakeholders need to feel more comfortable being uncomfortable with change. Sometimes we’re so married to our history, we’re so married to our traditions and the way we are doing things, that we’re afraid of change and we’re afraid of what change will actually create.
“In the case of rugby, the stakeholders need to get uncomfortable and allow themselves to change. And through change they can better commercialise the game, they can better tell stories within the game, they can truly make their players a partner.
“There’s lots of things that need to change, and if there’s a willingness to change, that’s the first big step. I’m starting to see the willingness which is encouraging. But now they have to get comfortable being uncomfortable.”
The Roc Nation mantra
Roc Nation, which plans to host more Champions of Marketing events in association with Ace of Spades champagne, has been working with the multi-national United Rugby Championship to help improve their image, while Yormark was appointed as a special advisor for Saracens when the club was taken over by a consortium in 2021.
The brand has consistently called for more athlete involvement at a business level, something Yormark reiterated, insisting players are “the CEOs of their careers”.
“The athlete today is much more sophisticated,” he added, “and they want to build their own brands, but they also want experience within the business world, within the business community.
“If they go through their career the right way, if they have a seat at the table, they have the right exposure, if they have the ability to articulate what’s on their mind and also listen; it’s great experience, and they deserve that.”