Did Disney Hire Colin Kaepernick? Here’s the Answer.

On July 6, Disney and Colin Kaepernick announced a massive deal. Part of the agreement includes the star NFL quarterback to feature in an exclusive documentary series. The shows will be produced by ESPN Films, known for their 30 for 30 collection. ESPN is part of The Walt Disney Company.

What Is the Disney Kaepernick Deal?

Here’s everything you need to know.

The production agreement is between Ra Vision Media (Colin Kaepernick’s production company) and The Walt Disney Company.

Specifically, the deal will primarily focus on “scripted and unscripted stories that explore race, social injustice and the quest for equity”, according to ESPN, which is owned by Disney.

They go on to write, “It also will provide a platform to showcase the work of minority directors and producers.”

In light of the current Black Lives Matter movement, this is an incredibly exciting deal between Disney, Colin Kaepernick and Ra Vision Media, in which we can expect minority creators to get the spotlight they deserve.

This agreement comes right after Disneyland and Walt Disney World announced that they will be turning Splash Mountain into a Princess and the Frog ride.

This is a crucial moment for major producers like Disney to help promote minority storytellers and more, as Colin Kaepernick wrote on Twitter.

I am excited for this partnership with Disney across all of its platforms to elevate Black and Brown directors, creators, storytellers & producers. I look forward to sharing culturally impactful and inspiring projects. https://t.co/MXidGoWXNZ

— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) July 6, 2020

In his tweet, Kaepernick links to an article published in Variety Magazine highlighting the production agreement and its impact.

They go on to note that the Disney-Kaepernick deal allows for the former QB and social justice figure to produce more entertainment content and media:

The agreement with Disney extends Kaepernick’s reach into media and entertainment. He was recently named to the board of directors of digital publisher Medium, as part of an agreement that will have him involved with content creation. The former football player has also worked with popular sports apparel kingpin Nike Inc.

Variety

Did Disney Hire Colin Kaepernick?

Given all this information about the announcement, a lot of people online are asking, “Did Disney hire Colin Kaepernick?”

Some are even saying, “Disney hires Colin Kaepernick.”

To put it simply, the question is this: in other words, does Colin Kaepernick work at Disney, or for Disney, now?

Just like with any production deal, the two companies have announced an agreement to produce work together.

But, that doesn’t mean that Colin Kaepernick is now an employee of The Walt Disney Company.

Here’s how The New York Times described it:

It is a first-look deal, meaning Disney has the right of first refusal over projects that Ra Vision Media, Kaepernick’s company, comes up with.

The deal is just one of many Kaepernick has signed in the last year to produce media about himself and the topics he cares about, even as he has remained silent publicly.

NYTimes

So…

Did Disney hire Colin Kaepernick? Strictly speaking: No, Disney did not “hire” Colin Kaepernick. Because the deal is with Colin’s production arm, not with the QB himself (like, for example, a SportsCenter anchor position).

Hopefully that helps to clear up some of the confusion around this announcement!

Watch the NIKE ad below for more from Colin Kaepernick’s forays into the entertainment and media world.

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