Colin Kaepernick’s Disney Deal

Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Disney (DIS) announced on Monday, July 6, that they are partnering up to create content addressing social and racial issues in the United States. The partnership was triggered by the ongoing #BlackLivesMatter movement and Kaepernick's experience. Hence, it would be addressing racial discrimination and marginalization prevalent in the country.

According to Disney “The partnership will focus on telling scripted and unscripted stories that explore race, social injustice and the quest for equity, and will provide a new platform to showcase the work of Black and Brown directors and producers.”

“Kaepernick will work closely with The Undefeated, which is expanding its portfolio across Disney, to develop stories from the perspective of Black and Brown communities,” the company added.

The first documentary series that would be projected would focus on Kaepernick’s story. The series would begin from when he was playing for the San Francisco Giants to how he ended up as an activist and leader.

Kaepernick began kneeling whenever the national anthem is sung in order to raise awareness concerning the brutality of white policemen towards the blacks.

In 2017, when he became a free agent, Kaepernick went unsigned. This led many analysts into believing that he has been frozen by NLF. As a result of this Kaepernick filed a grievance case against the football league but later withdrew the case in 2019 after reaching an agreement with the league. 

“I am excited to announce this historic partnership with Disney across all of its platforms to elevate Black and Brown directors, creators, storytellers, and producers, and to inspire the youth with compelling and authentic perspectives,” Kaepernick said in a statement.

Aside from his deal with Disney, Kaepernick recently signed a deal with Ava DuVerney and Netflix to create a six-part series of his story.