????美國棒球大聯盟（the World Series）今年的總冠軍賽世界大賽上周已經結束。可以預見，賽事謝幕后，許多與棒球比賽有關的熱議話題將轉向球隊交易和參與其中的自由球員，有一位已是自由身的球手備受關注，他就是羅賓森?坎諾。

????這位優秀的自由球員希望與美國職業棒球大聯盟的老牌勁旅紐約揚基隊（New York Yankees）簽訂一份為期十年的新合約，總價3億美元。大多數業內人士預計，坎諾只有可能以一半價格簽下合同，或者談判不成，最終投奔別家隊伍。誰都拿不準坎諾的身價，而他是否能懷揣數以億計的合同入主揚基隊將是Roc Nation Sports公司證明自身未來發展可行性的當頭炮。作為一家問世不久的體育界經紀公司，Roc Nation Sports最為人所知的莫過于創始人西恩?卡特。當然，你可能更熟悉這位商人做饒舌歌手時用的藝名——Jay Z。

????卡特今年4月成立了Roc Nation Sports。這只初生牛犢迅速拓展業務，旗下職業選手星光熠熠，引人注目：除了首位簽約客戶羅賓森?坎諾，還簽下了美國職業籃球聯盟NBA球星凱文?杜蘭特、美式橄欖球聯盟（NFL）紐約巨人隊（New York）主力、接球手維克多?克魯斯、同城另一支美式橄欖球隊紐約噴氣機隊（New York Jets）的新秀四分衛吉諾?史密斯以及今年美國職業女子籃球聯賽WNBA的選秀探花斯凱勒?迪金斯。

????當然，坎諾是否能夠拿下天價合同以及他最終將花落誰家才是登上媒體頭條的新聞，也是Roc Nation Sports的媒體處女秀。可問題依然存在：坎諾的這份合約是否會意味著一家新生代公司邁出了成為體育經紀業帝國的第一步？

????目前，卡特已經招徠了一些職業體育界的大牌，可他們還沒有拉到生意，因此，這家公司的實力還沒有真正得到證明（轉投Roc Nation Sports以來，坎諾倒是簽了一份新的百事可樂廣告代言合同）。與卡特聯手將坎諾招致麾下的合作伙伴是一家業內更有名望的公司CAA，后者的客戶覆蓋領域廣泛，背景更深厚。卡特與CAA的合作細節還不完全明朗。不過，Roc Nation Sports已經確認兩家公司會繼續合作。CAA棒球業務的負責人之一布羅迪?范華格納幫助促成了這次聯姻，看來兩家經紀公司將合力負責某些客戶的工作，分擔應履行的職責。

????卡特已經表現出自己具備吸引巨星的能力，能讓他們離開自己更傳統的那些經紀人。可誰都不會對此感到意外。許多批評人士起初不假思索地指責卡特只是裝裝樣子，他在這家公司有名無實，只是個花架子，他本人不會參與公司的日常管理。可今年夏天，卡特出人意料地拿到了貨真價實的證書，有資格做美國職業棒球大聯盟（MLB）和NBA職業球員的經紀人。為了能勝任經紀人的工作，他還將放棄了自己持有的少量NBA布魯克林籃網隊（Brooklyn Nets）股份。

????所有跡象表明，卡特非常認真地對待這份新工作。接下來他可能獲得NFL經紀人資格證書，而現在他還不需要，因為Roc Nation Sports有四位全職經紀人，其中一位吉姆?米亞萊是吉諾?史密斯的新經紀人。說到對球員的關心與重視，Roc Nation Sports有一點值得一提，眼下史密斯是米亞萊唯一的客戶。說起卡特，公司發言人蘭姆?伯克維茲向《財富》雜志記者這樣評價：“他會參與打點客戶關系方方面面” 的事務。但我們還有點難以想象卡特坐在談判桌前的情景。

????伯克維茲透露，Roc Nation Sports現有經紀約運動員五人，公司對“Jay Z而言是水到渠成的事業”，而卡特“正是那種別人希望合作的客戶經紀人”。

????憑Jay Z的形象，卡特很難成為傳統意義上的體育界經紀人。通常從事這種職業的都是律師。卡特沒有法學學位。體育圈的經紀人一般都會主攻某項體育運動。比如棒球界經紀人的典范史考特?波拉斯和成功的橄欖球界經紀人德魯?羅森豪斯。卡特已經覆蓋了所有這些體育領域。可他就像一個強盜，上演著虎口奪食的把戲，從大名鼎鼎的經紀人斯科特?波拉斯手中挖到了坎諾，從另一位業界羅伯?佩林卡那里搶來了杜蘭特。這根本稱不上友好的行為，簡直如同一個乳臭未干的黃毛小子悶聲悶氣地闖入了體育經紀領域。更形象點比喻，他可以說是摩拳擦掌，破門而入。別說，卡特還真喜歡動不動說誰是小子。在最新發布的專輯里，卡特收錄了一首名為“王冠”的歌，歌中這樣唱念：“斯科特?波拉斯，小子，你完蛋了”。還說： “新的一天，新的斬獲，這次是凱文?杜蘭特。”

????Once the World Series comes to a close this week, expect much of the baseball-related chatter to return to trades and free agency and one player in particular: Robinson Cano.

????The free-agent slugger is hoping for a new 10-year, $300 million contract with the Yankees. While most pundits expect him to get only about half of that, or perhaps end up with a different team, it's anyone's guess as to what he's worth. And whether he lands a mega deal will be the first major indication of future viability for Roc Nation Sports, the new sports agency launched by businessman Sean Carter (you may know him better as rapper Jay Z).

????The budding agency, which Carter launched in April, has quickly built an impressive roster: in addition to its first client Robinson Cano, it has since signed NBA star Kevin Durant, Giants receiver Victor Cruz, Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith and WNBA player Skylar Diggins.

????Of course, it was the Cano grab that made headlines and marked the new agency's debut. But the question remains: Is this the start of a formidable new sports representation empire?

????For now, Carter has scooped up some huge names, but the agency is mostly unproven in actually signing deals (since switching to Roc, Cano did snag a new endorsement deal with Pepsi). And Carter landed Cano in partnership with CAA, a more established agency with a deep and diverse client list. The specifics of that partnership are not entirely clear, but Roc Nation confirms that it will continue. CAA Baseball co-head Brodie Van Wagenen helped set up the joint venture; it appears the agencies will work together with certain clients, sharing duties.

????Carter has shown that he has the ability to woo megastars away from their more traditional agents, but that surprises no one. The initial criticism many are quick to make is that Carter will be a figurehead and the agency amounts to a vanity project in which he wouldn't participate day-to-day. But this summer, Carter became certified to represent MLB and NBA players, which contradicts that expectation. He also divested his small ownership stake in the Brooklyn Nets so that he could become an agent.

????All indications suggest Carter is very serious about this new job. NFL agent certification is likely to follow, but for now, he doesn't need it: Kim Miale, one of Roc Nation's four full-time agents, is Geno Smith's new agent. (And talk about care and attention: for now, he's her only client.) As for Carter, Roc Nation spokesperson Ron Berkowitz tells Fortune, "He will be involved in all aspects" of client relationships. Still, it's a stretch to imagine him sitting down at the negotiating table.

????Roc Nation Sports "was the natural progression for Jay Z," says Berkowitz, who adds that the athletes in its current roster of five, "represent exactly the type of client [agents] would want to work with."

????Jay Z is hardly the usual model of a sports agent. Traditionally, agents are attorneys. Carter doesn't have a law degree. Agents generally focus on one sport -- think Scott Boras in baseball or Drew Rosenhaus in football. Carter is already all over the map. But he has stolen clients from big-name agents like Boras (Cano) and Rob Pelinka (Durant). And boy, does he like to talk about it. This is no friendly, quiet entry into the sports representation world -- Carter is trying to kick the gates in. On his newest album, in the song "Crown," he raps, "Scott Boras, you over, baby" and then, "it's a new day, hit up K.D."