Brett Yormark joins Roc Nation as Co-CEO, further linking agency and Nets

Two weeks after leaving the Nets —and Mikhail Prokhorov’s BSE Global— Brett Yormark has a new job, as Co-CEO (with his twin brother Michael) of Roc Nation Unified, Jay-Z’s sports agency.

The move further strengthens the links between the Nets and the agency. Five Nets , including their current “Big 3” of Kyrie Irving, Caris LeVert and Spencer Dinwiddie, are repped by Roc Nation. In addition, Kevin Durant’s manager and partner in Thirty Five Ventures, Rick Kleiman, formerly worked with Roc Nation.

As Stefan Bondy tweeted...

Roc Nation released this statement on the hiring.

“Throughout his career, Brett Yormark has proven himself to be a leading executive across the sports and entertainment landscape,” said Roc Nation CEO and co-founder Jay Brown. “During his time with BSE Global, Roc Nation and Brett collaborated on groundbreaking projects and partnerships, and we look forward to continuing to build on that success.”

“I am proud to be joining Jay-Z, Desiree Perez, and the board of Roc Nation to grow the business and the brand,” said Brett Yormark in a release. “What they have accomplished in a short period of time is remarkable. I am equally excited to be partnering with my brother Michael as co-CEOs of Roc Nation Unified. Together we will extend the company’s domestic and global influence while helping to utilize Roc Nation’s considerable resources to the benefit of its clients and partners.”

In the new role, Brett will also reunite with Mike Zavodsky, the former Chief Revenue Officer and No. 2 of BSE Global. Zavodsky joined Roc Nation Unified as US President of sports & event sales in August, just days before Yormark announced his departure. Yormark said he was leaving the Nets with the sale of the team and Barclays Center to Joe Tsai.

“Mikhail (Prokhorov) and (Chairman of the Nets board of directors) Dmitry (Razumov) are family. They’ve become like brothers. I couldn’t imagine staying on without them,” Yormark told Brian Lewis.

Yormark was replaced as Nets CEO by David Levy, the respected head of Turner Sports. Levy is also CEO of J Tsai Sports, Tsai’s holding company which also controls the New York Liberty and other sports investments in lacrosse and soccer. Levy also is now a “venture partner” in Tsai’s family investment vehicle.

Jay-Z of course was one of the original investors in Bruce Ratner’s plan to move the Nets to Brooklyn. His stake diminished over time and by the time he sold it in 2013 it represented only one-sixth of one percent.

• Roc Nation Names Brett Yormark Co-CEO of New Full-Service Agency - Taylor Mims - Billboard