Sky Sports and Kick It Out Renew Their Partnership

The partnership between Sky Sports and Kick It Out has been extended for another year, marking a sixth consecutive year of collaboration. This one-year extension is valued at £1m, comprising a mix of financial support and in-kind contributions aimed at combating discrimination and creating career opportunities within the football industry. 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 known as The Academy. The Raise Your Game programme, which provides opportunities for young individuals from underrepresented communities to enter the football industry, has also received support from Sky Sports. Key events have included the launch of Kick It Out's 'Football United' strategy, attended by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, and the unveiling of the partnership with Guinness 0.0, which aims to make pubs more welcoming. Sky Sports has also produced a documentary about Kick It Out's founder, Lord Herman Ouseley, to educate younger audiences about his impact on the organisation. The documentary was shown on Sky Sports and at England's game against Latvia. The partnership has been funded through Sky's £30m commitment to addressing structural inequality and has supported several initiatives, including a joint scholarship programme with the University of Liverpool Management School and ongoing investment in Kick It Out's digital learning platform. 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 company's long-term commitment to tackling structural inequality in football. Sky Sports is dedicated to maintaining a platform free from abuse, hate, and profanity, and encourages users to report any instances of hate speech.