The Wall Street journal reports yhe new venture brings together Disney, one of the NFL’s biggest financial partners via its ESPN networks, and Kaepernick, an outspoken critic of the league. Kaepernick has gone unemployed as a football player for three years after launching player protests during the national anthem against police brutality and systemic racism.
The Disney-Kaepernick partnership will include “scripted and unscripted stories that explore race, social injustice and the quest for equity,” the parties said in a release, and will “showcase the work of Black and Brown directors and producers.” The content will be available on platforms including ESPN, Hulu and The Undefeated, the ESPN platform that covers racial and cultural issues.
The deal’s first project is a docuseries chronicling Kaepernick’s last five years, when his demonstrations rocked the country’s most popular sports league. Kaepernick, who has been virtually silent in public about his clashes with the league, will tell his story from his perspective in the series.
“I look forward to sharing the docuseries on my life story, in addition to many other culturally impactful projects we are developing,” Kaepernick said in a statement.
In the statement, Disney executive chairman Bob Iger positioned the deal as part of Disney’s ongoing commitment to promoting diverse content. Last week, Disney said a new visual album from Beyoncé titled “Black is King” will come out in July on Disney+ in a project that celebrates Black resilience and culture.
The deal adds to Kaepernick’s growing portfolio of business endeavors at a time when the country has been immersed in protests against police brutality and systemic racism since George Floyd’s killing.
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