"NFL owning 10% of ESPN already paying off": Fans react as Colin Kaepernick docuseries gets bad news after Spike Lee's clash with Disney company

The docuseries on former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick will not be released, according to a statement by ESPN, and confirmed by its director, Spike Lee. The docuseries will not be aired due to creative differences.

“ESPN, Colin Kaepernick and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences,” ESPN said on Saturday.

Reuters reported that the Oscar-winning director confirmed the cancellation of the project at an event on Friday.

“It’s not coming out," Lee said. "That’s all I can say.”

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He did not give any reason for the decision, citing a nondisclosure agreement with the network. This development spurred reactions among fans, particularly on X.

“NFL owning 10% of ESPN is already paying off,” a fan wrote.

“Exclusive: ESPN will not air Spike Lee’s docuseries on Colin Kaepernick, citing their merger with the NFL. There, fixed that for ya,” another fan wrote.

“Can Spike put it out independently?” one fan tweeted.

“How does he continue to get his name in the news cycle after not being relevant for years?” a fan commented.

“However, ESPN will continue to show Mr. Lee sitting courtside at Knick games,” another fan said.

“You know that this was part of the deal when the NFL bought the 10% stake in ESPN,” one fan wrote.

Revisiting Colin Kaepernick’s protest

Colin Kaepernick caused a stir in the NFL in 2016 when he protested against systemic racism and police brutality by kneeling during the U.S. national anthem. The quarterback was playing for the San Francisco 49ers at the time.

Kaepernick was drafted by the 49ers at No. 36 in 2011. He spent six seasons with the team, opting out of his contract in March 2017 to become a free agent. However, Kaepernick has remained unsigned by any NFL franchise since.

His protest started a movement in the league, with several players taking the knee whenever the U.S. national anthem was sung. Kaepernick's inability to find a team was described by some as the league’s punishment for expressing his political views. He filed a collusion suit against NFL owners before settling with the league in 2019.

The docuseries, described as a full, first-person account of Kaepernick’s experience, started production in 2022.

About the author

Kayode is a College and High School Sports writer at Sportskeeda since June 2023. Hailing from Nigeria, he has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and African Languages, and has previously had stints as an entertainment and politics writer for around 7 months. Adept at creating content around historical perspectives, he strives to report stories based only on verified information. His mantra is - truth is always more important than sensationalism.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Kayode admires how Nick Saban developed talent at the team and delivered consistent results, and hopes that the post-Saban era is just as fruitful. He is thoroughly impressed by Johnny Manziel’s talent, and feels that Shedeur Sanders is massively underrated. Nick Saban is his all-time favorite college coach.

While Kayode believes there is little to separate college and mainstream sports, pro leagues absorbing the best athletes leads to their quality being higher. Witnessing the Colorado Buffaloes’ hot streak at start the 2023 football season was one of his all-time favorite college sports moments.

When not writing, Kayode enjoys reading and watching sports documentaries. His most recent watch was "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In."

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez