Sky Sports and Kick It Out Renew Partnership

Sky Sports and Kick It Out have agreed to extend their partnership for an additional year, reaffirming their shared commitment to creating a more inclusive football environment. The one-year extension marks the sixth year of collaboration, with a continued investment of £1m in a combination of financial and in-kind support to combat discrimination and foster career opportunities in football. Over the past year, Sky Sports has supported various Kick It Out initiatives, including the launch of the 'Football United' strategy, a partnership with Guinness 0.0, and the online education platform The Academy, as well as the Raise Your Game programme, which provides opportunities for underrepresented communities to enter the football industry. The partnership has also enabled the training of thousands of Greene King staff to create more welcoming environments in pubs and has supported the production of a documentary about Kick It Out founder Lord Herman Ouseley, highlighting his impact on the organization over the past 30 years. The documentary was showcased on Sky Sports and at England's match against Latvia, coinciding with what would have been Lord Ouseley's 80th birthday. This collaboration is part of Sky's £30m commitment to addressing structural inequality, with the investment in Kick It Out supporting several initiatives over the past six years, including a joint scholarship program with the University of Liverpool Management School and the development of Kick It Out's digital learning platform. Hollie Varney, COO of Kick It Out, expressed gratitude for Sky's ongoing support, emphasizing the importance of their partnership in providing unique education and development opportunities for underrepresented communities in football. David Carrigan, Group Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing at Sky, highlighted the significance of the extended partnership in driving forward a more inclusive and representative game, utilizing Sky's platform to create opportunities, amplify voices, and challenge discrimination.