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 commitment to making football a more inclusive and welcoming environment. This one-year extension marks the sixth year of their collaboration, with Sky investing £1 million in a combination of financial 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 to enter the football industry, has also received support. The partnership has enabled the creation of a documentary about Kick It Out's founder, Lord Herman Ouseley, to educate younger audiences about his impact on the organisation. Furthermore, Sky's £30 million commitment to addressing structural inequality has funded 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 challenging discrimination in football. Sky Sports is dedicated to maintaining a platform free from abuse, hate, and profanity, and encourages users to report any hateful content.