For years, blind and low-vision sports fans have been limited to audio play-by-play commentary to follow their favorite teams. But that isn’t always ideal. Audio feeds can lag behind the action, miss key moments, leaving fans having to repeatedly ask friends or family for clarification on what’s going on the field or court.
Now, the NFL is partnering with a Seattle-based startup called OneCourt to give some attendees at this year’s Super Bowl a new way to follow the game, the Associated Press reports.
OneCourt makes a device that provides real-time tactile feedback for major sporting events. It’s roughly the size of an iPad, though it’s a bit thicker, with raised lines on its surface that map out the field. The device allows users to track the position of the ball, while different vibrations signal specific plays. It also comes with headphones, so users can also follow along with their team’s radio broadcast with little to no delay.
OneCourt was founded in 2021 by a group of students at the University of Washington. Its CEO, Jerred Mace, got the idea during his junior year after stumbling across a video of a blind man attending a soccer match. In the clip, the man sits next to a woman who moves his hands across a tactile game board.
The NFL, OneCourt, and Ticketmaster worked together during the most recent regular season to pilot the device at 15 games, including matchups hosted by the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, and San Francisco 49ers.
For the upcoming Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 8, about 10 blind and low-vision fans will get the chance to try out the device
One of those fans is Scott Thornhill, the executive director of the American Council of the Blind.
“It will allow me to engage and enjoy the game as close as possible as people who can see,” he told the AP. “As someone who grew up playing sports before I lost my vision, I’m getting a big part of my life back that I’ve been missing. To attend a game and not have to wait for someone to tell me what happened, it’s hard to even describe how much that means to me.”
OneCourt’s devices are already available for fans who need them at eight NBA arenas, including the Brooklyn Nets’ Barclays Center, the Denver Nuggets’ Ball Arena, and the Orlando Magic’s Kia Center.
The company has also opened a waitlist for people interested in buying a device to use at home.
