Sky Sports Renews Partnership with Kick It Out

The partnership between Sky Sports and Kick It Out has been extended for another year, reaffirming their commitment to creating a more welcoming environment in football. This one-year extension marks the sixth year of their collaboration, with a £1m investment in a combination of financial and value-in-kind support aimed at combating discrimination and fostering career opportunities in the sport. Over the past year, Sky Sports has backed 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 offers young people from underrepresented communities a chance to enter the football industry, has also received support. Notable events include the launch of 'Football United' at Team Lewis in Battersea, hosted by Sky Sports News presenter Bela Shah, and the unveiling of the partnership with Guinness 0.0 at a Greene King pub in Westminster, featuring Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison. Sky Sports has 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. The documentary aimed to educate younger audiences about Lord Ouseley's impact on the organisation. 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 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 promoting inclusivity and 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 hateful content.