Sky Sports Renews Partnership with Kick It Out

Sky Sports has extended its partnership with Kick It Out for an additional year, reaffirming their shared commitment to creating a more inclusive football environment. 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 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 young people from underrepresented communities to enter the football industry. The partnership has also facilitated the mentoring of two Raise Your Game delegates, Elliott-Jay Henry and Razaq Folarin, by Sky Sports presenter Bela Shah. Furthermore, Sky Sports has helped promote Kick It Out's partnership with Guinness 0.0, which aims to make pubs more welcoming, and has produced a documentary about Kick It Out founder Lord Herman Ouseley to educate younger audiences about his impact on the organisation. The documentary was showcased on Sky Sports and at England's game against Latvia to coincide with what would have been Lord Ouseley's 80th birthday. Sky's £30m commitment to addressing structural inequality has also supported several other initiatives, including a joint scholarship programme with the University of Liverpool Management School, which has enabled eight candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to earn an MBA in Football Industries. 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, using its platform and influence to create opportunities and challenge discrimination. Sky Sports is dedicated to maintaining a safe and respectful online environment, free from abuse, hate, and profanity, and encourages users to report any instances of hate speech.