BBC launches £150,000 sport ‘kicker’ fund

BBC North and BBC Sport today announced a new £150,000 ‘kicker fund’ for original sports documentary programming in the North of England.

Independent production companies have been invited to pitch ideas for 30-minute documentaries. Each will receive a budget of £50,000.

Last year Radio 5 Live commissioned a string of Northern productions from a small, £40,000 fund and the children’s department ran a similar initiative.

Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport said: “We are delighted to be launching a Sport North Kicker Fund for 2011. We look forward to working with independent production companies across the North of England and building on the successes of the schemes run by our colleagues in Radio 5 live and BBC Children’s”.

Carl Doran, who is running the fund, said: “We are looking for the compelling untold story, the unique perspective on sporting life or the editorial concept that will amplify the BBC’s multiplatform coverage of major sporting events.”