The new football season has kicked off.
Next in World Class Access, we celebrate a novel way to feel and experience “The Beautiful Game”!
Research from the charity Level Playing Field in 2024 says that 33% of fans cite physical access to venues and stadiums as their most significant barrier to attending live sports events. Many clubs are making positive strides towards better inclusion, one such being Newcastle United and their principal partner, Sela.
As part of their 2024 “Unsilence the Crowd” campaign, Sela debuted new shirts for the club, featuring innovative technology designed to make match day more inclusive for deaf or hard-of-hearing fans. The Sela Sound shirts are made from conductive textiles and fitted with haptic technology.
Haptic technology works by converting sounds from the pitch via specialist software into touch data, which is then transmitted wirelessly to the shirt, allowing fans to feel all the elements of a live game. The technology debuted during Newcastle’s game with Tottenham Hotspur, which saw the home team win 4 – 0.
The club has committed to making the shirts a permanent fixture at St James’ Park as part of their expanding accessibility provision.
Away from the football pitch, haptic technology is helping to make other industries more inclusive, including aviation and space exploration, as well as everyday use, such as smartphones and gaming. Although the shirts by Sela are marketed explicitly toward and for deaf fans, haptic technology can also benefit those with visual impairments, as it can be used to substitute for both visual and audio data. As technology continues to develop and grow, so too can the many ways it enriches and supports inclusivity.
What would make World Class Access for you?
Have you seen something or somewhere that you think is an excellent example of inclusion or accessibility?