Stormzy and adidas have announced the expansion of their Merky FC partnership by broadening the scope of their attempt to increase diversity within the football industry.
In 2022, the initiative launched by the musician provided 15 people with roles within the industry but this year's cohort will more than triple that number with the announcement accompanied by a new report uncovering the barriers faced by young black people.
Fuelled by data showing that 56 per cent of people of young black heritage aspire to work in the industry yet only 6.7 per cent of senior roles are taken by this community, Sky Sports is among a number of brands providing placements in an attempt to drive change.
"Stormzy is clearly a leader in the field of representation," Steve Marks, senior director of brand communications at adidas, tells Sky Sports. "And while there is no problem with representation on the pitch, there is a big problem off the pitch.
"Stormzy is the guy who can be the pioneer and catalyst behind this and we are making a long-term commitment. We are not dipping our toe in the ocean here. It is a bigger problem that we are not going to solve in one year. And we cannot change it alone."
This year, there are 50 roles available, with brands such as EA Sports and ITV joining Sky Sports and Manchester United in offering opportunities. There are a range of creative industries for applicants to explore, highlighting the scope of the game's influence.
"There is an architect who creates stadiums, that is really interesting. We want a diversity of roles too. We want change across the spectrum of the industry. This is an industry-wide problem, an industry-wide opportunity. Everyone deserves to be represented."
