Law firm Russell-Cooke recently advised the charity Kick it Out in completing a £3 million funding and collaboration deal with Sky. The deal will secure significant additional income and support for the charity and help it to develop its services, such as its reporting tools and education initiatives.
Kick it Out is UK football's equality and inclusion organisation and has been working to tackle racism in football since 1993. The charity also receives funding from the Premier League, the Football Association, the English Football League and the Professional Footballers Association.
Sky has pledged a £3 million investment package over the next three years, and will use its media platforms to amplify Kick It Out's fight for equality and inclusion in football. Sky will become Kick It Out's key broadcast media partner in the drive for inclusion in football and the battle against discrimination in all its forms.
The Russell-Cooke charity team has been working with Kick it Out since 2019. The team on this specific project consisted of partner Andrew Studd and associate Rebecca Cumming. Andrew and Rebecca negotiated the relevant agreements with Sky's legal team and advised Kick It Out throughout the process, including inputting on charity-specific issues.
Kick It Out Executive Chair Sanjay Bhandari has said of the partnership: “We are absolutely delighted to have Sky on board as the first new strategic partner, as part of our new vision to be a galvanising hub for inclusive change in football. We share the same ambition to bring football together and make it a game where everyone feels that they belong. This is an enormously exciting partnership. We look forward to working together to deliver real change in the game we all love.” In relation to Russell-Cooke’s input, Mr Bhandari noted that: “Russell-Cooke worked very quickly to finalise the necessary legal formalities for the deal and we are grateful for their rapid and thoughtful input. They were highly responsive, supportive and effective.”
Partner Andrew Studd said: “After the disruption and traumatic events of 2020, it was great to end the year working on this ground-breaking project with the aim of genuine inclusion at its heart. We wish Kick it Out all the very best and look forward to seeing results from the incredible platform Sky will provide. Kick it Out demonstrates how, from small beginnings, a charity with incredible focus and belief in its aims can achieve great things.”