Game Day Vision pairs fans with guides to improve stadium access
A new initiative aims to make live football matches more accessible for visually impaired supporters.
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Andrew Birch, a former groundsman at Brentford and Fulham, has launched Game Day Vision. The organisation aims to improve accessibility at live sporting events by pairing visually impaired fans with sighted volunteers for match days. Birch, who has Stargardt disease, found attending football matches increasingly difficult after his diagnosis in his twenties. The initiative provides support to help fans access stadiums safely and enjoy the matchday atmosphere.
According to research by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), two million people in the UK are living with sight loss. This number is expected to double by 2050. The RNIB also found that visually impaired people are half as likely to attend live sporting events compared to the national average. Birch stated that the motivation for Game Day Vision came from his own experiences of struggling to find companions for matches as his eyesight deteriorated.
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Club Adoption and Technology Trials
Despite the need, uptake from football clubs across London and beyond has been slow, with Game Day Vision currently partnering with only a small number of clubs. However, Crystal Palace is trialling GiveVision headset technology. This technology functions similarly to a virtual-reality headset and is designed to enhance the remaining sight of users. Neale Ormston, a Crystal Palace season ticket holder who developed diabetic retinopathy, described the headset as transformative, allowing him to witness a goal for the first time in years.
Ormston stated that wearing the GiveVision headset felt like being at home watching television but with the added benefit of experiencing the stadium's atmosphere. He described the experience as surreal and emotional. Crystal Palace is currently the only football club in England to be using this specific headset technology. Ormston has been actively lobbying the Premier League through disability working groups to encourage wider adoption of such accessibility solutions.
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Future Technological Advancements
Ormston is collaborating with GiveVision to develop a more portable version of the headset, which is intended to facilitate broader implementation across clubs. In addition to headset technology, advancements in audio broadcasting are also being explored. Richard Neale, an audiologist and director at sports consultancy Elite Auditory Communication, is examining the potential impact of Auracast, a new Bluetooth technology. Auracast allows an unlimited number of compatible devices to access an audio stream simultaneously.
The prospect is that Auracast technology could soon be available within sports stadiums, enabling fans to tune into live TV, radio, or audio description broadcasts directly through their own headphones. Neale highlighted the high quality and low latency of this emerging technology. The RNIB CEO, Matt Stringer, has previously commented in the organisation's See Sport Differently report that difficulties in accessing grounds and facilities often deter sports fans with sight loss from attending events.
Questions this report answers
+What is Game Day Vision?
Game Day Vision is an organisation founded by Andrew Birch, a former groundsman at Brentford and Fulham. Its aim is to make live sporting events more accessible by pairing visually impaired fans with sighted guides for match days, helping them navigate stadiums safely and enjoy the experience.
+How many people in the UK live with sight loss?
According to research by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), two million people in the UK currently live with sight loss. This figure is projected to double by the year 2050, highlighting a growing need for accessibility initiatives in public spaces.
+What technology is Crystal Palace FC using to help visually impaired fans?
Crystal Palace is currently the only English football club using GiveVision headset technology. This device is designed to enhance the remaining sight of users, allowing them to better experience matchday events, such as witnessing goals.
+What are the future plans for improving stadium accessibility?
Beyond headset technology, advancements like Auracast, a new Bluetooth audio broadcast system, are being explored. This technology could allow fans to tune into live commentary or audio descriptions directly on their own devices, enhancing their stadium experience.
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