Sky Sports and Kick It Out Renew Their Partnership

Sky Sports and Kick It Out have renewed their partnership for an additional year, reaffirming their long-standing commitment 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 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 young people from underrepresented communities to break into the football industry. Kick It Out's 'Football United' strategy was unveiled in September, with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville in attendance and Sky Sports News presenter Bela Shah hosting the event. Bela also mentored two Raise Your Game delegates, Elliott-Jay Henry and Razaq Folarin, who co-hosted an event for the first time after meeting Bela at Sky Sports Studios. Sky Sports has also helped promote Kick It Out's partnership with Guinness 0.0, aimed at making pubs more welcoming, with Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison attending the launch event. The partnership will provide training for thousands of Greene King staff to create a more inclusive environment and identify football-related discrimination. Additionally, Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth hosted Kick It Out's Media Raise Your Game event, which included a workshop delivered by producer Maryam Chaudhary and reporter Chris Reidy. Sky Sports also produced a documentary about Kick It Out founder Lord Herman Ouseley, which was shown on Sky Sports and at England's game against Latvia to coincide with what would have been his 80th birthday. The documentary aimed to educate younger audiences about Lord Ouseley's impact on the organisation he founded over 30 years ago. The film was accompanied by digital support on LED screens around Wembley Stadium. The partnership between Sky and Kick It Out has been supported by Sky's £30m commitment to addressing structural inequality, with a multimillion-pound investment in Kick It Out over the past six years. This investment has funded initiatives such as a joint scholarship programme with the University of Liverpool Management School, providing underrepresented students with the opportunity to earn an MBA in Football Industries, as well as ongoing investment in Kick It Out's digital learning platform, The Academy, which has delivered educational content to almost 5,000 people. Hollie Varney, COO of Kick It Out, stated: 'Our partnership with Sky has grown over the past six years, providing unique education and development opportunities for underrepresented communities in football, aligning with our 'Football United' strategy to create a more reflective and inclusive industry.' David Carrigan, Group Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing at Sky, added: 'Kick It Out has been a vital partner in driving forward a more inclusive game, and extending this partnership reflects our 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 safe and respectful environment on its social media platforms, free from abuse, hate, and profanity, and encourages users to report any instances of hate speech.