ROC NATION SPORTS INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES ITS EXPANSION INTO THE NORTH AMERICAN SOCCER MARKET

LONDON, Feb. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Roc Nation Sports International (RNSI) is building upon its successful European football operations with the hiring of Chris Wingert to lead its expansion into North America. As well as recruiting top players in the territory, RNSI will maximize opportunities for Europe-based athletes that have a desire to make the move across the Atlantic. Roc Nation's on-pitch player representation business will, as always, be supported by their commercial, media, social, digital and communications departments.

Wingert, who played at the top level of MLS for 14 years, announced his retirement as a professional soccer player in 2018 and moved into player representation shortly after. He joins RNSI as Director of Soccer, North America. During his notable career, Chris played for Colorado Rapids, New York City FC, Columbus Crew, and Real Salt Lake. In the 2009 season, under Wingert's leadership, Real Salt Lake won the MLS Championship. He also had the honour of representing US Men's National Team.

"I'm thrilled to be joining Roc Nation Sports International at such a pivotal moment for the agency and I'm grateful to Juan, Michael and Alan for trusting me to lead the charge in continuing the incredible work they've done in the sport across Europe. MLS pre-season is underway and I can't wait to get started," said Wingert.

Juan Perez, Founder & President of Roc Nation Sports, and Michael Yormark, President of Roc Nation Sports International & Co-CEO of Roc Nation Unified, opened the London office in September 2019 with a commitment to delivering a full service, 360-degree representation to all of its clients. They both quickly established RNSI's prominence by securing some of the top athletes in global sport. Alan Redmond was added to the team in 2020 as Head of Football. With an extensive network across all levels of the game, Redmond has recruited some of the most gifted prospects in European football at the start of their careers, guiding them through their journey to becoming the future stars of tomorrow.

RNSI currently boasts a formidable roster of international footballers including Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku, Bayern Munich and USMNT's Chris Richards, Borussia Dortmund's Axel Witsel, and Crystal Palace's Nathan Ferguson.

Redmond sees the addition of Wingert as a key component in Roc Nation's ongoing expansion strategy. "This generation of U.S. talent is truly special. Teams like Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Juventus and Barcelona all have U.S. players on their rosters and this trend is only going to increase. At the same time, MLS has developed into a strong and competitive league that is respected globally. North America is a key market for Roc Nation, and I'm delighted to welcome Chris Wingert to our family," said Redmond.

ABOUT ROC NATION SPORTS
Roc Nation Sports, a sub-division of Roc Nation, launched in spring 2013. Founder Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter's love of sports led to the natural formation of Roc Nation Sports, supporting athletes in the same way Roc Nation has been working alongside and advocating for artists in the music industry for years. Roc Nation Sports focuses on elevating athlete's careers on a global scale both on and off the field, bringing the organization's full-service touch to athletes across the NFL, NBA, MLB, global soccer and rugby. Roc Nation Sports conceptualizes and executes marketing and endorsement deals, community outreach, charitable tie-ins, media relations, and brand strategy. Roc Nation Sports roster includes premiere athletes such as Robinson Cano, Skylar Diggins-Smith, LaMelo Ball, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Saquon Barkley, Leonard Fournette, Danny Green, Jaire Alexander, and Ronnie Stanley.

ABOUT ROC NATION SPORTS INTERNATIONAL
Roc Nation Sports International (RNSI), a sub-division of Roc Nation Sports, opened its London office in September 2019, led by Juan Perez, Founder & President of Roc Nation Sports, and Michael Yormark, President of Roc Nation Sports International & Co-CEO of Roc Nation Unified. Founder Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter's love of sports led to the natural formation of the specialist division that supports athletes in the same way Roc Nation has been working alongside and advocating for music artists. RNSI's mission is to deliver the most premium and dedicated full-service representation to its world-class athletes and partners. Being different and challenging the status quo is embedded within the agency's DNA and RNSI prides itself on only partnering with athletes and brands that share its ethos. RNSI's roster includes European footballers Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Tyrone Mings and Nathan Ferguson, international rugby players Siya Kolisi, Maro Itoje, Cheslin Kolbe and Ardie Savea as well as cricketers Temba Bavuma and Lungi Ngidi. RNSI also consults for some of the biggest organizations in world sport - A.C Milan, the United Rugby Championship, Mamelodi Sundowns FC and The Sharks.

SOURCE ROC NATION