Thosedemonstrationsweresparkedby
formerSanFrancisco49ersquarterbackColin
Kaepernickkneelingduringthenational
anthemin2016.
NFLownersagreedtocontributeupto
$89millionoversixyearstowardcauses
playersweresupporting.Commissioner
RogerGoodellseesthepartnershipwith
RocNationasa significantstepin
severaldirections.
“RocNationisoneofthemostglobally
influentialandimpactfulorganizations
inentertainment,”Goodellsaid.“TheNFL
andRocNationsharea visionofinspiring
meaningfulsocial changeacrossourcountry.
WearethrilledtopartnerwithRocNationand
lookforwardtomakinga differenceinour
communitiestogether.”
Whiletheentertainmentportionofthedeal
isimportant—RocNation’sstable includes
Rihanna,MariahCarey,Shakiraand,of
course,Jay-Z—muchemphasisfromboth
theleagueandtherepresentationgroupis
beingplacedonthesocialrelationsaspect
oftheagreement.ForInspireChangeto
succeed,it musthavestrong rootswithin
thecommunitiesthataremostaffected
bytheissuestheplayerswantaddressed:
criminaljustice reform;relationshipswith
police;economicgrowthopportunities; and
educationalprogress.
“Withitsglobalreach,theNationalFootball
Leaguehastheplatformandopportunity
toinspirechangeacrossthecountry,”said
Jay-Z,whosereal nameisShawnCarter.
Image: Jeff Zelevansky