It appears that Jerome Boateng is the latest European superstar to fall in love with the unique charms of New York City.
Not only did the Bayern Munich defender visit the City That Never Sleeps last week to take in the sights, but he also inked a business partnership with the sports division of Roc Nation, the talent agency owned by rapper-turned-entrepreneur Jay-Z that represents a long list of US stars like Dez Bryant, CC Sabathia and Kevin Durant.
The alliance between Roc Nation and SAM sports agency, owned by a former Bayern player and executive named Christian Nerlinger, makes Boateng the first soccer player under the Roc Nation brand as he seeks to grow his visibility in the North American market.
Boateng made the announcement on Twitter, attaching an image of him on a boat tour off Liberty Island with the Manhattan skyline in the background. The 26-year-old, a World Cup winner with Germany, reportedly also took in a Mary J Blige concert in Gotham and toasted his new deal at Jay-Z's illustrious 40/40 Club in Brooklyn.
“I am here with my management of SAM sports and we were invited by Roc Nation and Jay Z. That is really special to me,” Boateng told Bild. “This is work for a couple of days. Just like Asia, America is a huge market. We will see if I can conquer the market, but America is a very interesting continent for me.”
“This town has really a lot to offer.”
