Sky Sports announces partnerships with ten content creators selected for the New Focus Fund, a brand-new project launched through a selection process in July, designed to uncover fresh talent in sports content creation. The successful finalists are Beno Obano; Damilola Oluokun; Danielle Sellwood; Geoff Small; Michael Gunning; Mordecai Attoh; Nelson Adeosun in a creative team featuring Love Island star Priscilla Anyabu ; Niambi Bridge; Simone Heineck and Tomi Oladigbolu.

The New Focus Fund has been established to unlock opportunities in sports production for a wider talent pool and bring new perspectives to storytelling across Sky Sports’ channels.

Consisting of both individual content creators and independent production companies, the candidates range from high-profile figures such as athletes Beno Obano and Michael Gunning to brilliant new storytellers across a wide range of sports media platforms.

They will bring ideas for inclusive sports content to life across a wide range of platforms and topics, including a documentary following the story of the first blind woman to swim across the English Channel; linear and digital TV shows exploring the significance of culture and fashion to sport; and projects championing the rising impact and influence of women’s sport.

Starting today, the cohort will take part in a 12-week development and skills exchange programme, partnered with Sky Sports experts and executives, to hone their ideas before the content is commissioned for production and premiered across relevant Sky Sports channels next year.

Stephen van Rooyen, Chief Executive Officer, Sky UK & Ireland and Chief Commercial Officer, Sky Group, said: “Our New Focus Fund was created to uncover new voices, attract new audiences, and diversify talent behind the camera. This group of creators represent some of the best emerging sports storytellers, and I can’t wait to press play on what is sure to be some thrilling, inspiring and innovative sports content next year.”

Naomi Schiff, Sky Sports F1 presenter and New Focus Fund judge, commented: “In an extremely competitive applicant pool, we are thrilled with the successful candidates for our New Focus Fund. Our first cohort of storytellers not only presented compelling, distinctive, and ambitious material, but each have a unique and creative approach that truly set them apart. We can’t wait to see them progress through the programme as their ideas turn into reality on our platforms.”

The New Focus Fund has been funded by Sky as part of its £30 million commitment to tackle structural inequality, support diversity and inclusion, and use its voice to make a difference in communities impacted by racism.

Notes to Editors

For more information on the New Focus Fund, please visit: www.skysports.com/newfocusfund

About Sky’s £30 million commitment

In June 2020, Sky announced a £30 million commitment to accelerate action on racial injustice and invest more in inclusion. Since then, we have been driving change across our business, using our voice to raise awareness and champion causes inside and outside of Sky. We’re working with several partners including Mission 44, Kick It Out, Valuable 500 and Black Equity Organisation to tackle the social injustices facing our industry and wider society, building on a long history of using our scale to push for change.