Stormzy hopes his new Merky FC initiative “can drive change” after figures showed just 6.7 percent of senior roles in football are taken by black or mixed-race people – a statistic the rapper has called “embarrassing.”
Stormzy and adidas have announced a partnership with 10 leading brands including Sky Sports, to come together on a multi-year initiative, Merky FC – a programme committed to enhancing and protecting diverse representation in the football industry.
Merky FC is a new movement that will affect change across the industry by addressing the lack of diversity off the pitch in football and providing access to a host of multi-year, paid professional placements and opportunities across the industry.
Stormzy and adidas have announced a partnership with 10 leading brands including Sky Sports, to come together on a multi-year initiative, Merky FC – a programme committed to enhancing and protecting diverse representation in the football industry.
Stormzy says he hopes Merky FC can inspire and help more people from diverse backgrounds to succeed in the football industry
The careers programme will commence in January 2023, with all 10 partners – which also include Manchester United, Fulham and LADBible – supporting with opportunities in operations and community to creative and marketing within their businesses, in a bid to change the game.
The campaign’s launch also comes after the Football Association’s second annual report on the Football Leadership Diversity Code showed English clubs are failing to meet six out of eight pledged targets.
Speaking to Sky Sports News about the lack of senior people in football that are black or mixed heritage, Stormzy said: “The statistics are shocking. I think it’s down to visibility a lot. Even growing up we didn’t see any black managers, black people on our screens in the media.
“So I think when Ian Wright comes along, Thierry Henry comes along, we know we can kick ball – we’ve always known we can kick ball – but in terms of the roles and the other positions in the industry we don’t see our representation, and representation is important.
“When you can’t see it, it’s not always easy to believe it.”
Stormzy says the lack of senior roles in football taken by black or mixed heritage people is ‘shocking’
Asked specifically about just 6.7 per cent of senior roles in the game being taken by people who are black or mixed heritage, despite 43 per cent of footballers being black or mixed heritage, the 29-year-old said: “That statistic is embarrassing. I don’t think it is anything short of embarrassing.
“If you can see that representation on the pitch with all the players, then it should at least be backed up by people in positions of power, positions of influence outside of being an actual footballer.
“Hopefully with what we’re doing we can drive a change.”
What does success with Merky FC look like for you?
I’m just really proud that we have got to a stage where it is out in the world and we’ve launched it. Massive credit to my team at Merky and massive credit to adidas because with an idea of this stature and this size and this ambition, people need to come together. It is all great us having these ideas. That’s why I say massive shout out to adidas because as soon as we came forward with the idea they were full steam ahead. My idea of success for it is just more brands coming on, different corners of the industry, different partners of the industry and just adding to the starting eleven that we got. And just seeing people thrive in those roles. I always say with anything that we do, I hope that in 20 years I see someone and they’re the something something at Manchester United or I am currently doing this at Sky Sports or I am currently doing this at LADbible and that was because of Merky FC and the initiative that we started. Seeing more young black people in these roles, more black people in positions of power away from being on the pitch. And just seeing that thrive and grow and inviting more people to come along and offer those opportunities for the young people.