In May 2018, the league announced it would implement a policy barring players from kneeling on the field during the anthem, requiring them to either stand on the field or remain in the locker room, or potentially face a fine. The NFL has faced criticism for owners’ refusal to hire Kaepernick as well as its attempt to end the player-kneeling protest that continued without him. That grievance was settled this past February for an undisclosed sum (though Kaepernick and Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid, a former teammate and partner in the grievance, reportedly settled for less than $10 million). Kaepernick has argued that he was effectively blackballed and exiled from the league for his protest and filed a formal grievance against the league in October 2017, saying that NFL owners had colluded to keep him off the field. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has not played in the NFL since becoming a free agent in 2017 the year before, he sparked a league-wide protest by kneeling during the national anthem to call attention to racial injustice and police brutality. But since the initial announcement and press conference with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Jay-Z, it has faced criticism for giving the league a way around the years-long controversy it has been embroiled in following its treatment of Colin Kaepernick. In an alternate universe where the NFL had long been seen as dedicated to social justice causes, this partnership might have attracted some praise, or at least open support. The NFL and Jay Z announced this morning that capitalism will take us from Protest To Progress ™️ /8qhzNWQSPy- Tyler R. The proceeds from the songs will be used to fund the Inspire Change initiative. The announcement also included details about an Inspire Change apparel line and details on “Songs of the Season,” a season-long effort where artists will create songs for NFL programming. The artists will perform in a free September 5 pregame concert at Chicago’s Grant Park. “This partnership is an opportunity to strengthen the fabric of communities across America.”Īugust 30 brought the first glimpses of what the partnership will look like, with Roc Nation announcing that three musical artists - rappers Meek Mill and Rapsody, and singer Meghan Trainor - had been named the first “Inspire Change” advocates. “With its global reach, the National Football League has the platform and opportunity to inspire change across the country,” Jay-Z said in an August 13 statement. The initiative focuses on three causes in particular: “education and economic advancement police and community relations and criminal justice reform.”īoth parties say the deal is an important step forward in indicating the NFL’s strong commitment to helping marginalized communities. Roc Nation, the NFL adds, will play an important role in the NFL’s recently launched “Inspire Change” initiative, a collaboration between the NFL and the Players Coalition, a group of NFL players seeking to advance social and racial justice. While the deal effectively gives Jay-Z a major role in developing one of the most-watched concerts in the country, it also includes a social justice partnership between the rapper and the NFL. The deal, which has reportedly been in the works for several months, means that Roc Nation will now help “advise on selecting artists for major NFL performances like the Super Bowl.” On August 13, the NFL announced that it was entering a partnership with Roc Nation, the entertainment company founded and led by rapper and mogul Jay-Z. Instead, it added fuel to an ongoing controversy. It was supposed to be good news, the joining of a beloved but beleaguered sports corporation and a heralded rapper in the name of entertainment and social justice.
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