Sky Sports and Kick It Out Renew Partnership

Sky Sports has extended its partnership with Kick It Out for an additional year, reaffirming their shared commitment to making football a more inclusive and welcoming environment. This one-year extension marks the sixth year of their partnership, with a continued investment of £1m in a combination of cash and value-in-kind support to combat discrimination and create 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. The Raise Your Game programme, which provides opportunities for young people from underrepresented communities, has also received support from Sky Sports. The partnership has enabled the creation of a documentary about Kick It Out founder Lord Herman Ouseley, which was shown on Sky Sports and at England's game against Latvia. The film aims to educate younger audiences about Lord Ouseley's impact on the organisation. Sky's £30m commitment to tackling structural inequality has supported several initiatives, including a joint scholarship programme with the University of Liverpool Management School, which has enabled eight candidates to graduate with an MBA in Football Industries. The partnership has also invested in Kick It Out's digital learning platform, The Academy, which has delivered educational content on equality, diversity, and inclusion to almost 5,000 people. Hollie Varney, COO of Kick It Out, expressed gratitude for Sky's ongoing support, stating that the partnership has provided unique education and development opportunities for underrepresented communities in football. David Carrigan, Group Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing at Sky, emphasized the importance of the partnership in driving forward a more inclusive and representative game. Sky Sports is committed to creating a safe and respectful environment for comment and debate on its social media platforms, free from abuse, hate, and profanity.