Premier League Backs Rainbow Laces Campaign
The Premier League has revealed its plans to help back Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign for 2018/19.
This season will see the league promote the campaign across two rounds of match fixtures in the autumn calendar, allowing each side a home game dedicated to the campaign.
The Premier League is among a host of sporting governing bodies and organisations publicly backing Rainbow Laces. The campaign founded by Stonewall, the British charity for lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality, launched in 2013 and has become a fixture in the sports calendar.
Stonewall has amassed the support of the likes of the EFL, SPFL, the English and Wales Cricket Board, England Rugby and the British Olympic Association.
The Football Association also recently unveiled a high-profile tie-up with Stonewall, which will see Stonewall FC – Britain’s most successful LGBT club – become the first non-league side to play an official regular season match at Wembley Stadium.
The Premier League first announced its three-year partnership with Stonewall 12-months ago, to help promote LGBT equality in football. The League has since worked closely with its clubs and the charity to implement diversity and equality across its community programmes.
The 20 clubs within the English top flight will now work with the Premier League over the coming weeks to celebrate the LGBT community and emphasise that football is for everyone.
Premier League matches from Friday 30th November until Wednesday 5th December will feature a bespoke Rainbow Laces pitch flag, ball plinth, handshake board and substitutes board. Players will also be given the option to take to the field in rainbow laces and the captain’s armband will be adorned with the rainbow pattern.
The activation will continue on match days within the stadiums, with LED advertising boards, big screens showcasing the campaign, whilst the Premier League social media channels will feature a rainbow Premier League logo and promote campaign messages.
Commenting on the collaboration, Bill Bush, Premier League executive director said: “Our clubs do fantastic work in this area to reinforce the message that football is for everyone. Stonewall is an excellent partner for us and we value their ongoing work to support the League and our clubs in promoting diversity across the sport.”
Kirsty Clarke, director of sport at Stonewall, added: “We always knew it would take more than a simple shoelace for sport to become a place where every lesbian, gay, bi and trans person can be themselves.
“We’ve worked in partnership over the past year with the Premier League, creating transformative programmes across key areas of its operations. We are excited and proud of this partnership and we want it to inspire other sports organisations and national governing bodies.”
Rainbow Laces, Stonewall’s flagship campaign, was named Campaign of the Year at the Sport Industry Awards in April this year. This was recognition for both the charity and TeamPride, the consortium of companies that work with Stonewall, including not only the Premier League, but also adidas, Aon, Aviva, Barclays, eBay UK, Manchester United, o2, Sky Sports and Visa.
