NFL and Sport Relief have sealed season-long partnership

National Football League (NFL) has unveiled a season-long charity partnership with Sport Relief, as their influence and involvement in the UK continues to grow. 

The all-new partnership was spearheaded by Dolphins’ British running back Jay Ajayi, who led his team out carrying a flag emblazoned with the iconic Sport Relief logo at Wembley last Sunday.

Sport Relief supporter Tom Daley led the stadium in a spectacular crowd stunt, while 100 Sport Relief and NFL volunteers from local universities collected for the charity.

The jerseys worn by the players from both teams, which included a unique London Games 2017 patch, will be auctioned by the NFL to raise money for the Sport Relief 2018 campaign and help change lives in the UK and across the world.

Fund-raising has also begun through ticket sales from the series of NFL UK Live fan events being staged around the games in London, while further celebrity-backed activities will be announced later in 2017.

Money raised during Sport Relief is spent by Comic Relief which, since it began, has helped over 68 million people across the world and aided in the fight to halve the number of cases of malaria in some parts of Africa.

Alistair Kirkwood, managing director of NFL UK, said: “We’re honoured to be partnering with Sport Relief, one of the most admired charities in the UK. Sport has an incredible ability to be a positive force and the opportunity to work with Sport Relief and using American football to add to their magnificent efforts is an exciting one. Our staff and our athletes and, we believe, our fans are looking forward to making a difference together.”

Liz Warner, CEO of Comic Relief, said: “It’s great to be joining the NFL as it gets bigger and more popular here in the UK. They are a brilliant partner for us, enabling fans to watch their favourite sport and support Sport Relief at the same time.”