Sky Sports and Kick It Out Renew Their Partnership

Sky Sports and Kick It Out have agreed to extend their partnership for an additional year, reaffirming their shared dedication to creating a more inclusive football environment. The one-year extension marks the sixth year of collaboration, with a £1m investment in a combination of financial and value-in-kind support aimed at combating discrimination and fostering career opportunities within the sport. Over the past year, Sky Sports has actively supported various Kick It Out initiatives, including the launch of the 'Football United' strategy, a new partnership with Guinness 0.0, and the online education platform, The Academy. The Raise Your Game programme, which offers young people from underrepresented communities a chance to break into the football industry, has also received backing from Sky Sports. The partnership has enabled the creation of a documentary about Kick It Out's founder, Lord Herman Ouseley, to educate younger audiences about his impact on the organisation. This film was showcased on Sky Sports and at England's match against Latvia. The collaboration has also supported several other initiatives, including a joint scholarship programme with the University of Liverpool Management School, providing students from underrepresented backgrounds with the opportunity to earn an MBA in Football Industries. Hollie Varney, COO of Kick It Out, expressed gratitude for Sky's ongoing support, highlighting the partnership's role in providing unique education and development opportunities for underrepresented communities in football. David Carrigan, Group Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing at Sky, emphasized the company's long-term commitment to tackling structural inequality in football, using Sky's platform and influence to create opportunities and challenge discrimination. Sky Sports is dedicated to maintaining a hate-free environment on its social media channels and website, encouraging users to report any instances of abuse or hate speech.